I recently got my HTC One from AT&T, my first Android device. I'm coming from an iPhone 3GS. My experience so far has been both amazement and frustration. The iPhone is like driving a Corolla with an automatic transmission, you get in and go. As dependable as it gets, you don't have to learn anything, just know how to turn it on, off, and shut the doors. The One is like a roadster - exhilarating, but you're always tinkering with it. I'm a tech-savvy guy, a programmer by profession, so technology doesn't intimidate me. All this being said...
I'd like input on how I could improve on any of these rants.
I'm in disbelief that they could make this top of the line phone, and give so little thought to the fact that it's primarily a phone. The interface is unintelligible unless you're in dim light, and I've accidentally dialed whomever several times. To make a voice call you have to unlock the phone, hold down the home button, when Google opens you have to press the microphone, speak your command, visually check that it understood your command, then press the button to call. With the iPhone, even the old 3GS, you push the home button, locked or not, and say "call home". Boom. I've lost calls because I couldn't get this phone to answer, you can't just push "Answer" you have to slide the icon off the screen, and it's finicky. Try doing that when you've been awakened by a call. Good luck. On the positive side, the voice dialing works great with the bluetooth in my car, so I retain that functionality. However, the ringtone doesn't. So I get a default ringtone in Bluetooth, and a custom ringtone from my phone at the same time. A wonderful cacophony.
On that same note, to snooze or turn off the clock alarm is the same way. You have to find the right tiny icon to snooze or turn off the alarm, and slide it off the screen. From a dead sleep, by the time I've accomplished that, everyone in the house is awake.
Blinkfeed sucks, it would be great if they allowed custom feeds, but as it stands now it's a total waste. Funny because that's what they're advertising for this phone. Fortunately, I was able to pull from the knowledge on this site and figured out how to bypass it. A small frustration eased.
Battery life is horrid. I have it on battery saver, and make sure I disable bluetooth and enable/disable wifi when applicable, and it will last several days without a charge if I'm only wanting a phone. But internet usage sucks it down very fast (Chrome seems to be worse than stock internet), and if I even think about streaming anything the battery gauge sinks like a stone. I've read dozens of articles on battery life, and I seem to be doing everything I can, it's just the nature of the beast.
Would a custom launcher help with any of this? Lessen the steps to make or answer a call, or give an easier interface than sliding a finicky icon off the screen? I know some of you are going to laugh and say you don't have any problems swiping to unlock, but for some reason I'm often having to do it several times before it takes.
Or how about rooting it? I think that's the most ridiculous notion, like buying a brand new sports car then gutting and rebuilding it. But if that's what it takes...
Input, comments, or slams on any of this welcomed.
I'd like input on how I could improve on any of these rants.
I'm in disbelief that they could make this top of the line phone, and give so little thought to the fact that it's primarily a phone. The interface is unintelligible unless you're in dim light, and I've accidentally dialed whomever several times. To make a voice call you have to unlock the phone, hold down the home button, when Google opens you have to press the microphone, speak your command, visually check that it understood your command, then press the button to call. With the iPhone, even the old 3GS, you push the home button, locked or not, and say "call home". Boom. I've lost calls because I couldn't get this phone to answer, you can't just push "Answer" you have to slide the icon off the screen, and it's finicky. Try doing that when you've been awakened by a call. Good luck. On the positive side, the voice dialing works great with the bluetooth in my car, so I retain that functionality. However, the ringtone doesn't. So I get a default ringtone in Bluetooth, and a custom ringtone from my phone at the same time. A wonderful cacophony.
On that same note, to snooze or turn off the clock alarm is the same way. You have to find the right tiny icon to snooze or turn off the alarm, and slide it off the screen. From a dead sleep, by the time I've accomplished that, everyone in the house is awake.
Blinkfeed sucks, it would be great if they allowed custom feeds, but as it stands now it's a total waste. Funny because that's what they're advertising for this phone. Fortunately, I was able to pull from the knowledge on this site and figured out how to bypass it. A small frustration eased.
Battery life is horrid. I have it on battery saver, and make sure I disable bluetooth and enable/disable wifi when applicable, and it will last several days without a charge if I'm only wanting a phone. But internet usage sucks it down very fast (Chrome seems to be worse than stock internet), and if I even think about streaming anything the battery gauge sinks like a stone. I've read dozens of articles on battery life, and I seem to be doing everything I can, it's just the nature of the beast.
Would a custom launcher help with any of this? Lessen the steps to make or answer a call, or give an easier interface than sliding a finicky icon off the screen? I know some of you are going to laugh and say you don't have any problems swiping to unlock, but for some reason I'm often having to do it several times before it takes.
Or how about rooting it? I think that's the most ridiculous notion, like buying a brand new sports car then gutting and rebuilding it. But if that's what it takes...
Input, comments, or slams on any of this welcomed.