Palm webOS Homebrewer's Guide to Android

**milominderbinde** · 06-03-2011, 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by slosh01

Thanks for the response. I too have grown accustomed to the physical keyboard - my work phone is a BB Bold, enuf said. Maybe I take a Shift for a test ride for 3 weeks or so and if I don't like it I'll return it for a Nexus S.

The NexusS is a rooting phone. It is a stripped down hot rod. Maybe check out the EVO Shift until the EVO 3D comes out.

The Shift is a smaller screen but try the SwiftKey X keyboard on it. predicts your next word before you even start to type it. It learns how you think making better suggestions all the time, sometimes better than the word than you were thinking. Also the speach to text learns how you speak and gets amazingly good.

What's better than typing on a physical keyboard?

Not typing at all.

**dianehelen** · 06-05-2011, 12:55 PM

Milo!!

Great Comparative guide for Pre to Droid!

But I expect no less from you, after all your amazing stuff on the Pre side of the world..

Im saving this, to help learn, and maybe make the leap, someday..

**jonesey#ac** · 06-07-2011, 10:13 PM

I just finished a few weeks with a Nexus S 4G from two years with the Sprint Pre. I read this post, and many, many others, trying to learn to love Android. I can't. So I returned it today.
Yes, my Pre is slower. No, I don't get to play with incredibly cool apps like SoundHound, SkyMap, and a million other ugly versions of iOS apps. Yes, I am still picking my jaw off of the floor from the Voice Command functions and how great it works. I actually even (sort of) got used to the notifications.

But...

I don't play video games, and I'll never watch a movie on a phone. Never. What I DO need, every day, all day long, is the ability to communicate and multitask. And even though I found a way to add on free apps to give me basic functions like separate tones for SMS contacts, email search (Really? Are they kidding? NO ONE has a filter as you type email search.) nagging notification reminders, etc. The multitasking is poor- not even as good as iPhone. Unpredictable and clunky. Android OS is just not friendly. It's not even pretty. All the ridiculous animation is just silly.

Maybe the worst was the fact that the Nexus S gets lousy radio reception. Even the Pre gets significantly better reception, which isn't saying that much. GPS, Wifi, phone... all poor. And the 4G, even when available, isn't noticeably faster to me.

It seems to me that Android's draw is the ability to get almost-as-good features for free, with the ability to make your phone look like no one else's. Great. Except I actually think that good things are worth paying for, and don't need my phone to identify me. I just need it to work. All the time. And all day long. (I lost 10% battery charge by using Google Navigate for 10 minutes. Huh?)

Sorry, Android. I'll happily stick to webOS, even though it's slower and won't name the tune I'm hearing over the speakers in the restaurant. It gets my work done, effortlessly, in a reliable and predictable manner. That's really a smart phone, for me.

**willrusso** · 06-09-2011, 03:41 AM

Originally Posted by jonesey

I just finished a few weeks with a Nexus S 4G from two years with the Sprint Pre. I read this post, and many, many others, trying to learn to love Android. I can't. So I returned it today.
Yes, my Pre is slower. No, I don't get to play with incredibly cool apps like SoundHound, SkyMap, and a million other ugly versions of iOS apps. Yes, I am still picking my jaw off of the floor from the Voice Command functions and how great it works. I actually even (sort of) got used to the notifications.

But...

I don't play video games, and I'll never watch a movie on a phone. Never. What I DO need, every day, all day long, is the ability to communicate and multitask. And even though I found a way to add on free apps to give me basic functions like separate tones for SMS contacts, email search (Really? Are they kidding? NO ONE has a filter as you type email search.) nagging notification reminders, etc. The multitasking is poor- not even as good as iPhone. Unpredictable and clunky. Android OS is just not friendly. It's not even pretty. All the ridiculous animation is just silly.

Maybe the worst was the fact that the Nexus S gets lousy radio reception. Even the Pre gets significantly better reception, which isn't saying that much. GPS, Wifi, phone... all poor. And the 4G, even when available, isn't noticeably faster to me.

It seems to me that Android's draw is the ability to get almost-as-good features for free, with the ability to make your phone look like no one else's. Great. Except I actually think that good things are worth paying for, and don't need my phone to identify me. I just need it to work. All the time. And all day long. (I lost 10% battery charge by using Google Navigate for 10 minutes. Huh?)

Sorry, Android. I'll happily stick to webOS, even though it's slower and won't name the tune I'm hearing over the speakers in the restaurant. It gets my work done, effortlessly, in a reliable and predictable manner. That's really a smart phone, for me.

Lol, you must be old! Sorry Android requires brainpower... I dumped my pre a year ago for an EVO and never looked back! I can't wait for the EVO 3D to drop.

**jonesey#ac** · 06-09-2011, 06:09 AM

Originally Posted by willrusso

Lol, you must be old! Sorry Android requires brainpower...

Thanks for your very helpful comment. Is there a correlation between youth and brainpower? My comments have nothing to do with trouble using the device or navigating the OS, rather with the user experience and the poor reception and battery life.

**cbwrob** · 06-09-2011, 09:00 AM

It amy be the device you chose as well...I have heard many bad things about the Nexus S but not too many about the Evo.

The EVO may be a year older than the Nexus but it holds up very well to this day. I just got my wife one(I am still on the original Pre waiting on the EVO 3D) and it flies and I am amazed at how good the reception is on that phone.

I have seen alot of neat apps that allow for better multitasking...just need to give them a chance.

The most amazing thing about android is the customization is second to none. I am stuck with how the Pre interface looks and with the Android I can basically build the phone the way I want. I understand the multitasking is amazing on the Pre but everything else it does is not so great.

I can only open about 2 - 3 cards now untl I get the too many cards error. I hate waiting over 5 minutes for the phone to boot...and the phone is so slow. One of the only complaints of the EVO is battery power but I have a Pre I have to recharge after 4 hours of moderate use.

As one mentioned to each his own but it seems you may have picked hardware that that was frustrating also making you more frustrated with the software.

**jonesey#ac** · 06-09-2011, 09:30 PM

Interesting points, and maybe it´s true... The appeal to me of the Nexus was the instant updates since it´s pure Google. I´m not that crazy about HTC´s version with Sense, but am thinking of trying out the EVO3D, if for nothing else than to get through the summer and give my Pre- a 30 day break.

**majestros** · 06-14-2011, 09:04 AM

Thanks for the great post!

**srkmagnus** · 06-14-2011, 10:07 AM

I would have loved to use a Pre before Android just to see how the OS functions. Unfortunately I didn't get an opportunity to and instead jumped to the Hero when it was released. They both offer benefits and I'm sure the Pre has it's upsides over Android. Great post Jonesey.

**CamVail427** · 06-14-2011, 05:50 PM

MY names Cameron and I like Beans!!!

**TortugaMuerta** · 06-14-2011, 10:14 PM

Excellent and most helpful post. Ive been soaking up as much android info as possible in anticipation of my switch to android. Im excited to get back into messing with new ROMS (old phone was a touch pro).

**Un1que2012** · 06-18-2011, 12:45 AM

Thank You for the Data

**Surfcity** · 06-25-2011, 11:01 AM

Could someone comment on how to import text messages from my pre minus?

**RPh59** · 06-26-2011, 10:30 AM

Thanks for this guide. Planning to switch soon and this relly helps with my research.

**RainMan_JH** · 06-26-2011, 02:34 PM

Agreed thank you this has been very helpful during my switch from webS.

**the2ndflood** · 06-30-2011, 12:34 AM

There is a lot of useful content listed here and it is laid out well. Though, I can see that the author has an AndroidOS bias. Which is fine. Techies tend to develope loyalties towards the tech gadgets that they love.

**milominderbinde** · 06-30-2011, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by the2ndflood

There is a lot of useful content listed here and it is laid out well. Though, I can see that the author has an AndroidOS bias. Which is fine. Techies tend to develope loyalties towards the tech gadgets that they love.

I own a Pre and an EVO. This guide is written to suport an audiance coming from webOS to Android. I also wrote the Getting Started with webOS Guides at PreCentral supporting someone coming to webOS.

**dvdmon** · 06-30-2011, 09:29 AM

Looks like Android Central just reviewed a new app that does something like Mode Switcher! http://www.androidcentral.com/androi...oid+Central%29

**RainMan_JH** · 06-30-2011, 10:01 AM

That is the one feature I miss the most from my Pre. Mode switched is fantastic. I am definitely going to give this a try.

**belvedere** · 07-05-2011, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by pbinder

The thing that I am extremely missing is the Poor Man's Twitter Client patch. This gave the ability to tap a Twitter SMS message and could reply to a user, leave a user, go to their twitter page, and retweet the message. Because I can't do this, I am turning mobile notifications off. I will try to just use Tweetdeck...but I like doing most of twitter through the messaging app as it uses less battery.

I'm with you on this one.

**D2Gfan** · 07-05-2011, 03:41 PM

Thanks for this guide, switching over from palm has been made easy with the info here.

**sabra46** · 07-10-2011, 09:59 PM

Hi,

i am switching from a pixi- to the EVO SHift, thanks for all the tips and making me less apprehensive about the switch. Being that the screen on my pixi broke I have no way of transferring my memos and tasks, does anyone know how I can use the backup on my pc to transfer the files to my EVO?