Why is android worth the switch?

[liquidxit2]

I left Web OS at the evo launch. I returned the Evo because of the Epic announcement- and really missed the keyboard.

Pre and Web OS have some serious omissions. You have ZERO access to the calendar. You either love or hate the calendar app. I HATED IT. No agenda view, it was slow, and even in daily hourly view the text was hard to read. Android has many calendar apps with more on the way (like old school Palm) and useful Calendar widgets.

The Calendar and Contacts were the #1 reason I had a Palm back in the day...Web OS dismisses them as if what they created day one on pre was perfect and needs no refinement.. and no developer access to create apps using those databases. Thus Open Source Android is my choice- and for any serious Palm fan of old... Android should be their choice too in my opinion.

The palm pre bucked pretty much all the reasons people like myself stuck by palm for so long. They removed the external keyboard option, the calender was nerfed badly, palm profile is just plain terrible (lost alot my version of contacts!) and just the general use of alot of features just dont scream palm. I love webOS, but being as it is a palm device I expect the palm feel and touch and I never seemed to get that with the pre.

 

[maverick96]

Hype is why it is so big so fast. I would also say that maybe you should play with an epic and see if you would like it. If you do then get one. If it doesn't work for you then just stick with the pre.

I wouldn't say just hype. I think people were looking for something competitive to IOS without being exactly the same, as well as not being tied to the Apple eco-system. Not only is android competitive but I think it has surpassed IOS in many, many ways...

 

[Andrew Ruffolo]

I wouldn't say just hype. I think people were looking for something competitive to IOS without being exactly the same, as well as not being tied to the Apple eco-system. Not only is android competitive but I think it has surpassed IOS in many, many ways...

Android gives us many form factors, too. We have bottom end devices suitable for teenagers that are focused more on social networking (looking at you devour), and others that are business oriented (how I view the epic, not flashy by any means) and those that are media oriented/gaming (DROID). Plenty of options on just about any carrier you can think of (I know, I know, Jitterbug is getting shafted). I don't think its for everyone though. I don't see my grandma getting an android phone an even knowing how to use it. She'd ask me where are the buttons. No concept of touch-screen.

 

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

so from what I am hearing it looks like mostly Sprint Pre users are considering switching primarily for hardware... other than having more apps what about android is worth it? what apps are there that android users cant live without? I don't just want a bigger app store full of crap like the nazi theme I read about this morning...

I don't think that there is a whole lot that different from Web OS. The customization and some features separates it from the rest of the competition. It is a little more mature and complete than WebOS. I do believe that some of the excitement surrounding Android devices is that there are so many choices on all carriers. There are several Android devices on all four major carriers. The app development is key too.

 

[caliskimmer]

I don't think that there is a whole lot that different from Web OS. The customization and some features separates it from the rest of the competition. It is a little more mature and complete than WebOS. I do believe that some of the excitement surrounding Android devices is that there are so many choices on all carriers. There are several Android devices on all four major carriers. The app development is key too.

This.

 

[liquidxit2]

Android gives us many form factors, too. We have bottom end devices suitable for teenagers that are focused more on social networking (looking at you devour), and others that are business oriented (how I view the epic, not flashy by any means) and those that are media oriented/gaming (DROID). Plenty of options on just about any carrier you can think of (I know, I know, Jitterbug is getting shafted). I don't think its for everyone though. I don't see my grandma getting an android phone an even knowing how to use it. She'd ask me where are the buttons. No concept of touch-screen.

Agreed. The fact that apple only offers 1 phone is awful for most. What if I want a keyboard because I either dont want to or cant use a virtual one? What if I cant afford the 16GB version but I still want an iphone? Too bad as the cheapest iphone is the previous model refurbished. I like how there is an android for everyone and between what palm put out last year and apple has always done its a breath of fresh air coming from palm to the android platform. I can pick and choose my phone instead of "Oh I can buy a pre or um a pre" (before the pixi was released).

I don't think that there is a whole lot that different from Web OS. The customization and some features separates it from the rest of the competition. It is a little more mature and complete than WebOS. I do believe that some of the excitement surrounding Android devices is that there are so many choices on all carriers. There are several Android devices on all four major carriers. The app development is key too.

Like I always say android is 3 times as old as webOS. It needs time to mature and smooth out some of the issues. Time will hopefully show webOS is a great OS to more then just the small percent that see it for what it really is and could be. But sadly I fear that if they dont got open source with the OS it may be their undoing. The other mobile OS on the market that arent open source have either a) a cult following(IOS) or b) huge government and corporate user support(RIM). WebOS has neither and honestly the only OS, IMHO, that can continue to remain this way is IOS.

 

[lorcha]

I don't think that there is a whole lot that different from Web OS. The customization and some features separates it from the rest of the competition. It is a little more mature and complete than WebOS.

You know, I was fairly convinced I could switch from WebOS to Android, but then the Mode Switcher app came out for WebOS. I'm totally hooked.

When I enter my house, my Pre switches to roam only and disables bluetooth. If I'm at home and my phone is plugged in at night, it mutes the stupid email vibrate and kills the blinky indicator light and dims the screen brightness. When I get in the car, it automatically disables the wifi, connects to my bluetooth, and fires up Pandora. If I'm in a meeting at the office (it knows my calendar and GPS location), it mutes the ringers/system sounds.

I might have to wait until Android figures out how to do all that!

 

[caliskimmer]

You know, I was fairly convinced I could switch from WebOS to Android, but then the Mode Switcher app came out for WebOS. I'm totally hooked.

When I enter my house, my Pre switches to roam only and disables bluetooth. If I'm at home and my phone is plugged in at night, it mutes the stupid email vibrate and kills the blinky indicator light and dims the screen brightness. When I get in the car, it automatically disables the wifi, connects to my bluetooth, and fires up Pandora. If I'm in a meeting at the office (it knows my calendar and GPS location), it mutes the ringers/system sounds.

I might have to wait until Android figures out how to do all that!

How does this work? Does it use GPS or do you just set certain times to switch modes?

 

[caliskimmer]

You know, I was fairly convinced I could switch from WebOS to Android, but then the Mode Switcher app came out for WebOS. I'm totally hooked.

When I enter my house, my Pre switches to roam only and disables bluetooth. If I'm at home and my phone is plugged in at night, it mutes the stupid email vibrate and kills the blinky indicator light and dims the screen brightness. When I get in the car, it automatically disables the wifi, connects to my bluetooth, and fires up Pandora. If I'm in a meeting at the office (it knows my calendar and GPS location), it mutes the ringers/system sounds.

I might have to wait until Android figures out how to do all that!

Um, with a bit of googling I found this: Locale - Product

It's called Locale and switches profiles automatically based on time, day, or location.

It is pretty expensive though.


Locationbot?

Here's to another mode switcher app:
http://zurloid.comuf.com/locationbot.html

 

[Addie_Goodvibes]

I hope the Epic has a podcasts App thats works as well as Dr.Podder does for the Pre.

 

[caliskimmer]

I hope the Epic has a podcasts App thats works as well as Dr.Podder does for the Pre.

Describe it and I'll find it! My new motto, lol.

 

[CapsLockKey]

You know, I was fairly convinced I could switch from WebOS to Android, but then the Mode Switcher app came out for WebOS. I'm totally hooked.

When I enter my house, my Pre switches to roam only and disables bluetooth. If I'm at home and my phone is plugged in at night, it mutes the stupid email vibrate and kills the blinky indicator light and dims the screen brightness. When I get in the car, it automatically disables the wifi, connects to my bluetooth, and fires up Pandora. If I'm in a meeting at the office (it knows my calendar and GPS location), it mutes the ringers/system sounds.

I might have to wait until Android figures out how to do all that!

There's already apps that do that for Android.

How to Turn Your Android Phone into a Fully-Automated Superphone

 

[justkeptfading]

Describe it and I'll find it! My new motto, lol.

I think everytime I see a post of yours, i'm going to click Thanks bc you always seem to be helping people. Is there a Most Helpful award for these forums? There should be, lol.

 

[caliskimmer]

I think everytime I see a post of yours, i'm going to click Thanks bc you always seem to be helping people. Is there a Most Helpful award for these forums? There should be, lol.

lol, thanks! I love helping people especially in forums. One time, I was supposed to be a moderator for a forum for some website, but they screwed me over, gave positions (yes, that's plural) to other people (after clearly telling me that I would be a mod). At that point, I was like, "You know what? If they won't make me a mod, then I'll pretend to be one and help people with their problems." So every time I join a forum (with the exception of Head-fi.org as they are too advanced for me), I jump right in to help.

 

[Addie_Goodvibes]

Describe it and I'll find it! My new motto, lol.

http://www.webosnation.com/homebrew-apps/prepod

 

[caliskimmer]

http://www.webosnation.com/homebrew-apps/prepod

Let's see. There's Google Listen: Listen Home

Someone said that this is a good response to Prepod aka drpodder.

If this doesn't work, Doggcatcher seems to be a very good one that many people recommend. Yes, this is highly-recommend among a few sticklers out there. http://www.snoggdoggler.com/

 

[lorcha]

How does this work? Does it use GPS or do you just set certain times to switch modes?

There is a list of triggers about a mile long here. GPS is one. So is time of day. Wifi SSID and Bluetooth Device name can also trigger the location (that's how it knows I'm in the car to flick on Pandora).

Um, with a bit of googling I found this: Locale - Product

It's called Locale and switches profiles automatically based on time, day, or location.

It is pretty expensive though.


Locationbot?

Here's to another mode switcher app:
LocationBot

Those are very close, but it seems they can only be triggered by location. I don't want my phone to go into "night mode" just because I happen to be at home.

There's already apps that do that for Android.

How to Turn Your Android Phone into a Fully-Automated Superphone

This one seems the most promising. I'll have to check it out, thanks!

 

[caliskimmer]

I believe Locale has a lot of plugins too. I don't know if they help, but they could.