1st post- Possibly 1st Android and looking seriously at the One

[iastonish]

I'll keep it brief. I've had basically every big name android phone to date and am currently using the iPhone 5, but an picking up the one. Going to keep both for a bit and see which i like better.

Android has come a long way as far as app quality and selection. And now they finally have a phone with solid hardware.

Android pros- customization, open source, bigger screen (preference)

iPhone pros- app quality of apps, battery life.

I can pull 8 hours screen time pretty easily on my 5. With my gs3, three hours was the norm. I miss android, but I love the insane battery on the 5.

As far as transitioning you'll be fine. There are ton of great apps on android to make things easy for you

 

[Allen_B]

I really do appreciate the input and opinions! I also have to recognize the LACK of bashing of iPhones or other Andriod-based maufacturers which is greatly appreciated!

I am 70% sold on the idea of a new HTC One but would wait until late-May at the earliest as it currently stands. Will make for a better position with ATT (I am using up a ton of roll-over minutes that will evaporate when I shift plans) and any early glitches hopefully be addressed. Hell, hoplefully the phone will actually be released by then here!

My big hard-spots are still the battery life and the non-compatibility with accessories/vehicles. The vehicle thing is a bit of a nusiance but the battery is giving me more to think about. In truth though the battery question has less to do with the HTC One and more to do with Android vs iOS in general.


/r

Allen

 

[maerlim]

You will always find more common accessories/integration with an iPhone, due to it being the single best selling phone. For Android accessories, you may have to look a little harder, but you can find real gems out there.

As far as vehicle integration, on my Ford the system integrates the same with iPhone and Android. Other manufacturers may do it differently.

 

[SeanBlader]

The fact that a jailbroken iOS device allows for some customizations I can't do on Android may be slightly frustrating...

I'm curious from the iPhone users, what can you customize on a jailbroken iPhone that you can't customize on Android?

 

[Allen_B]

You will always find more common accessories/integration with an iPhone, due to it being the single best selling phone. For Android accessories, you may have to look a little harder, but you can find real gems out there.

As far as vehicle integration, on my Ford the system integrates the same with iPhone and Android. Other manufacturers may do it differently.

The accessory piece is frustrating, not from an availibility standpoint but more from the reliance on AAP for controlling the device which Android is not (yet) able to use.

It is encouraging to see that some companies (like Ford) are expanding compatability so iOS and Android are supported. Personally, I think this is one area the Android completly missed the boat by not instituting a common control protocol like AAP very early on. I realize the Android Open Accessory (AOA) protocol is out there now and looks to be more powerful/flexible than AAP but with Apple's early offerings, it seems damn late to the party. To their credit, Apple recognized the power of integrating a device into multiple aspects of a person's daily life and executed VERY well; Android arguably does this just as well (now) but again, was damn late to the party.

/r

Allen

 

[adriandb]

I'm curious from the iPhone users, what can you customize on a jailbroken iPhone that you can't customize on Android?

The one I'm running into is the lock screen. On my jailbroken iPhone I have weather, a monthly calendar, recent emails, upcoming calendar events, notifications, unread SMS and my phone favorites all available to me without even unlocking the phone. It's an app called LockInfo.

I can replicate most of this with a home screen. I'll just need to adjust a bit.

 

[Aquila]

Does the HTC One not support lock screen widgets? Dashclock and the stock widgets cover much of this, but the stock one doesn't allow multiple 'feeds' on one screen yet.

 

[So Cold]

Does the HTC One not support lock screen widgets? Dashclock and the stock widgets cover much of this, but the stock one doesn't allow multiple 'feeds' on one screen yet.

The one ships with 4.1 so no lock screen widgets

Sent from my Note 2

 

[Aquila]

The one ships with 4.1 so no lock screen widgets

Sent from my Note 2

That's disgusting! Also, assuming there is no guarantee that Sense will support it if/when they update to 4.2 or 5.0 or whatever.

 

[maerlim]

To each their own. I wish I could turn lock screen widgets off on my Nexus 7.

 

[Aquila]

To each their own. I wish I could turn lock screen widgets off on my Nexus 7.

https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...chow.deviceadminkeyguard&hl=en&token=LlA8UYjh
There are others like this that might help.

 

[Suda]

That's disgusting! Also, assuming there is no guarantee that Sense will support it if/when they update to 4.2 or 5.0 or whatever.

I'm not as fluent in Sense as I am in stock, Timescape, and TouchWiz. But how do you figure? Widgets come standard in 4.2.

 

[Aquila]

I'm not as fluent in Sense as I am in stock, Timescape, and TouchWiz. But how do you figure? Widgets come standard in 4.2.

I'm not saying they won't include it, just saying that it's probably not guaranteed that they will do it. They're implementation could be substantially different. I remember previous versions of sense had several unlock to app options anyways (stock ICS did too, you could unlock to camera), including camera, e-mail, messages, etc. I haven't played with Sense 5 to know how that'll work out and obviously none of us have seen 4.2.2 on a stock Sense device.

 

[hodan]

Have been a long-time iPhone user, still on a 4 and looking to jump-ship for Android. I am seriously considering the HTC One, but my questions may be more general to so if this would be better suited to a general forum, I apologize...

First, some disclaimers. I actually have no real beef with iOS, I was hoping for a comparable screen from Apple and that just isn't going to happen. I like the interface with iOS but it does seem to be designed by Fisher-Price and I tinker with everything (with the obvious exception of my jail-broken iPhone). I am a partial adopter of the Apple eco-system in that I am typing this on a Macbook Air, running Chrome as my browser and still use Win7 Pro via VMWare, a collection of iPods and an iPad for the wife. Lots of music in iTunes...

I was actually looking at the Motorola Razr HD MAXX but I have AT&T so that was a no-go and no complaints with their service. Add to that, an improved shared data plan with ATT would actually be cheaper than Verizon so the introduction of the HTC One looks like a real winner for me. Add to that, I have never cared for the Samsung Galaxy S3 because it feels cheap and actually larger than I prefer. I don't care about a removable battery or SD support (obviously missing in an iPhone) but I am concerned about battery life...

Again, I really do like the very tight integration with iOS and I use the hell out of the various accessories not the least of which is the direct integration with my vehicles (GM and Nissan). The vehicle integration is almost a deal-breaker. My biggest concern is adjusting to a totally new paradigm. I don't know how to explain this clearly, but Android seems "scattered" and "dis-jointed" from the few friends' devices I have played with where iOS seems to clearly flow and everything feels well integrated.

I have read about the shift with the HTC One to "two buttons" vice the traditional 3 but since I know zero about Android, trying hard to care about the reported complaints .

So I guess I should stop wasting your valuable time and get to the questions. These are geared I guess toward a general iOS to Android shift more than questions specific to the One, but I would greatly appreciate observations from those that are familiar with iOS and the HTC One:

- What are some general impressions of shifting from an iPhone to the One; pros and cons? I realize this is a loaded question since I do realize this is an Android community, but I am one of those folks that believes both iOS and Android do things very well, just differently. I am really curious about any unintended consequences (again pro and con) to shifting.

- How is the general "flow" of the interface with JB on the HTC One as it relates to iOS? I realize Android is infinitely more customizable and seems to be limited only by ones imagination but the "shot-gun" pattern of apps and screens are all I have seen in my limited Android exposure which I think is why I have stuck with iOS for so long.

- I am not a huge cell data user at present (possible due to the slow 3G speeds) but I am curious on real-world battery use? I ask because I have been under the impression that Androids are more of a battery-hog compared to iPhones without constantly switching things off. With heavy use for me (streaming Tunein while riding a motorcycle for the day) I can make it nearly a full day on a charge on my iPhone 4. In "normal" use, I use less than 50% of the battery in a day and I never turn off anything (BT, WiFi, GPS) or adjust the display. My iPhone has been a set it and forget it and really don't want to have to screw with widgets or remember to toggle stuff to conserve battery power if I can avoid it.

- Is there any solution on the horizon for legacy vehicle (and device) integration? I realize Apple uses a proprietary communications protocol for device control (AAP) but are there any functional hacks or interface modules or emulators that would allow a stock head unit that was designed for Apple to function with an Android device?

- Music options? The iPhone started like as an iPod and it works well as a media player from my view. What are the best options to pull iTunes libraries/playlists over and what are some preferred media players that would ease the transition? What media players come with the One?

Again, I am in the decision phase and input would be appreciated...


/r

Allen

I'm going to try to address your questions/thoughts in order.

1. Integration of iOS. The best integrated apps on the One or any device running Jelly Bean are the Google apps (gmail/maps/music, google+, etc.). There are more and more everyday that are designing for Jelly Bean. Depending on which apps you use, you may or may not be happy with this.

Personally, I now use Gmail for all of my email accounts (work/pop3, yahoo, live, & gmail) and it's a DREAM on my Galaxy Nexus. Highly recommend.

Other than that...yes Android can feel scattered and disjointed. You can make that worse or better, which is a huge benefit of Android, generally. With a skin like Sense V - that helps things feel more cohesive. I would say the gap has narrowed significantly. Jelly Bean brought Android into the present with OS design and UX. However, it won't "feel" like iOS.

2. Two buttons. Well, it's one more than you have right now. I believe this would be a non-issue. Several reviewers have said they've gotten used to the two button set up (down from three).

3. Pros and cons. Here are a few differences. App data is NOT natively backed up to a server like your iPhone is. For example, you break your iPhone and get a new one, press a couple of buttons in the apple store and your new iPhone is just like your old one. You will NOT have that experience with an Android phone. Your apps are saved by the Play Store, your contacts are saved by Gmail, photos to Dropbox (if you have it installed), but your App data is NOT saved. You need a third party app for that. Also, your messaging is not sync'd across devices. You can use your iPad/iPod/iPhone for texting and such...you need apps for that to sync with Android. So some of the "easiness" of iOS is lost. However, you can do those things and MORE with Android, you just need to like to tinker and mess with apps a little. More on this later on.

4. Jelly Bean flow. Good. Nearly excellent. Next version of Android will surpass iOS 6 in look and feel. Jelly Bean is the great equalizer. Seriously.

5. iPhone battery life is still unmatched, primarily because of the lack of multi-tasking and locked down access to the phone that app developers have. Android phones last less time, unless you're talking about the Maxx or Note2 with a giant battery.

6. You're gonna be out of luck on the legacy vehicle support. Get a car bluetooth speakerphone for talking and a cable to plug in the headphone for music.

7. You have two legitimate options for music. Cloud or on-device. For Cloud - Google music gives you storage for 20,000 songs for free, and the player is good enough for streaming. It's also very very easy to pin (download) songs to your phone. There's also Amazon mp3, which I find to be a bit faster on the streaming side, but you have to pay for storage. If you prefer local sync (like iTunes) take a look at Winamp.

8. Rest of the pros of the One and Android/Jelly Bean generally. Google Now is entirely unique and amazing. Siri is pure crap compared to Now. Gorgeous screen. I would bet almost anything you've never seen a 4.5 inch screen on an iPhone. Google integration. Highly recommend.

Good luck!

 

[So Cold]

iPhone battery life is still unmatched, primarily because of the lack of multi-tasking and locked down access to the phone that app developers have.

I like that you make that point. The iPhone battery isn't even very large. It's because of that small screen and limited user experience that they get that battery life.

Sent from my Note 2

 

[Allen_B]

I really appreciate the input from Hodan- not to slight anyone else that has taken the time to post but because his/her response is VERY informative, balanced and fair.

I am looking forward to passing my iPhone 4 down to one of my daughters in favor of an HTC One, but will have to take the info in and process...

Lawdy the One looks nice, but really need to see one in the wild to fondle and take mental ownership!

On a separate note, I am truly disgusted with the lack of promotion and advertising on the One. I have yet to see a single ad on TV, radio or otherwise and I am totally confused. I stopped by a very large ATT store today to see if they had a display handset. The guy said he thought they had one but weren't allowed to do anything with it until tomorrow (at the earliest) and they had zero training on it. I feel like a little kid on Christmas Eve with the One, but it is so incredibly sad that NOTHING is happening to put this new unit out there. A quick web search shows comparisons between the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S4- nothing on the One.

What in the name of Zeus' ****-hole is HTC doing with the marketing on this??!! I am not an HTC/Sammy/Apple fanboy by any stretch of the imagination but I gotta ask again; Where is HTC on this?!


/r
Allen

 

[hodan]

Yeah, it's easy to beat up HTC on the marketing side. Particularly when the ONLY other company that markets Android devices is Samsung! Although it seems as if Google has thrown in a few 7 or 10 commercials.

I don't know if HTC is hesitant on the marketing because the phone's not out to consumers yet? or if they're really just that bad at marketing. I tend to believe it's the latter because they've never done a good job. The OG Evo on Sprint (which I LOVED) was a sleeper hit. I get the feeling that they are really just a design/manufacturing company that found some early success with Android and didn't know what to do from there. It is terribly sad because the One is an attention getting phone, and insanely more striking than the S4.

One other thought for the OP - you mentioned size of the handset, the One has a smaller screen than the S4, but because of the dual front speakers I think it's close in size to the S4, so you may want to hold one first or at least check the dimensions. Frankly, my friends that have switched from the iPhone to Android haven't looked back at all though because after using a >4" device, the iPhone looks and feels like a toy.

 

[Aquila]

Yeah, it's easy to beat up HTC on the marketing side. Particularly when the ONLY other company that markets Android devices is Samsung! Although it seems as if Google has thrown in a few 7 or 10 commercials.

I don't know if HTC is hesitant on the marketing because the phone's not out to consumers yet? or if they're really just that bad at marketing. I tend to believe it's the latter because they've never done a good job. The OG Evo on Sprint (which I LOVED) was a sleeper hit. I get the feeling that they are really just a design/manufacturing company that found some early success with Android and didn't know what to do from there. It is terribly sad because the One is an attention getting phone, and insanely more striking than the S4.

One other thought for the OP - you mentioned size of the handset, the One has a smaller screen than the S4, but because of the dual front speakers I think it's close in size to the S4, so you may want to hold one first or at least check the dimensions. Frankly, my friends that have switched from the iPhone to Android haven't looked back at all though because after using a >4" device, the iPhone looks and feels like a toy.

I remember some awesome commercials for the HTC Thunderbolt, but it might have been pushed by Verizon to promote their first LTE device.

 

[hodan]

I'm not as fluent in Sense as I am in stock, Timescape, and TouchWiz. But how do you figure? Widgets come standard in 4.2.

What is timescape?

 

[Suda]

What is timescape?

Sony's UI