Android from a Windows Mobile perspective

[Phil Nickinson]

Hey, everybody. Phil here. And it's time to look at Android from a Windows Mobile perspective. Now, I know a bunch of you came over from WinMo, so I expect some good replies here.

1. 1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

That's it, folks. Get on it!

 

[daThomas#AC]

Hey, everybody. Phil here. And it's time to look at Android from a Windows Mobile perspective. Now, I know a bunch of you came over from WinMo, so I expect some good replies here.

1. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
2. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

That's it, folks. Get on it!

I recently jumped to a Droid from a treo700wx. I'm currently resisting the Gorg cloud. This may be an uphill battle given it's the biz plan for the Android OS but I just don't want my stuff read by the Chinese gov't.

I think they may come around and see they need a desktop sync option for Outlook but if they don't third parties will, like markspace's Missing Sync which almost has all the features I need. Soon I hope. Soon.

 

[spj]

Hey, everybody. Phil here. And it's time to look at Android from a Windows Mobile perspective. Now, I know a bunch of you came over from WinMo, so I expect some good replies here.
That's it, folks. Get on it!

well i came form winmo i was using the sprint touch pro


[*]1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?--I wanna to try out a new os system, coming from the old treo 650 didn't like it to much then to my first htc mogul then touch to touch diamond then touch pro...lol


[*]Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?---It really doesn't matter to me as long i can use the apps that is available regardless of what version it is I'm happy.But i wish they can improve the video quality and the camera..


[*]Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?-- i like it with the htc sense..


[*]Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?--it don't matter to me i don't keep any personal information that would jeopardize my lively hood


[*]If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?---the video playing the way it renders sucks....

 

[ardoreal]

Having used a Touch Diamond for a while, I can say this...

Android is FANTASTIC at managing your memory, provided you're on Droid or N1 class hardware. Droid Eris users make a lot of use out of a task killer, but if your device has enough RAM your apps release the memory as you move on to launching other things. The scheme really works well for me and the multitasking is easier.

As far as Sense goes, if you have widgets such as the beautiful widgets from Levelup Studio you almost get Sense as it is. Sense wasn't so much an interface, but a widget engine that lets you run more powerful widgets that manage stuff like your SMS messages, refresh and post your twitter posts, and music widgets. In some cases such as Twidroid Pro, the Twitter widget provided with the app is better than HTC's. Mixzing is another example of a widget that's made more powerful by an app that it has access too.

Sense on Android gives a more inexperienced user a set package and makes it easier for them to get started. After having loaded some really powerful and versatile applications however, I'm indifferent to Sense and I lost sight of its advantages.

Multiple device styles and fragmentation, etc, do not seem an issue to me.

 

[xdalaw]

Good topic, Phil. I'm a long time WM user, but am just really tired of seeing the mobile OS world pass me by.

I've been utilizing Google stuff for the past year or so, so moving onto Android makes sense--(no pun intended) and assuming it works well and keeps my interest.

I'm stuck with Sprint, so am waiting to see the upcoming Android lineup for later in '10. But, I'll thinking Android is the way I'll go.

No iPhone for me and while I like the Pre/WebOS, I don't have a ton of confidence that it'll succeed in this competitive environment.

 

[techboydino]

[QUOTE

1. 1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android? I needed open source. Freedom in choice plus I enjoy all the Google Services native.
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade? I run Modded Roms anyway, I switch every week.
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it? Vanilla Android with whatever theme I want. Never really like MFG's UI's
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem? Nope, I prefer it. Never miss a thing no matter where Im at.
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

More Apps.

Came from a BJ2 with some cooked Rom's. I love open source.

That's it, folks. Get on it![/QUOTE]

 

[jfa1]

More apps are bound to be forthcoming. I too am looking at android but being with AT I am keeping an open mind but not real sure about what appears to be ATT's first android device the backflip.

 

[doogald]

1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?

I just wanted away from WM. Anybody using WM who is paying attention realizes that very few new apps and very few developers are creating new apps for the platform, or even updating existing ones. For example, MLB created a fantastic app for iPhone, some apps for Blackberry, a big nothing for WM, which has been around far longer than either platform. Internet browsing on WM stinks; the browser is slow, and does not support modern browser standards. WM has a tired, mini-desktop UI method, which almost always requires a stylus (for touchscreens) or a dpad moving an option at a time.

I own a Mac, and Microsoft has no sync app for Macs. (Big surprise.) I've tried third party syncing apps, which did not work for me, so I ended up syncing my calendars and contacts with Google Cal and Gmail, and having all of my mail accounts POPed to my gmail account, since they all have so much SPAM and WM has no SPAM filtering in the mail application. I then started using Exchange sync with Nuevasync.com, but every once in a while I'd find that something changed on Nuevasync's servers, stopping automatic OTA sync until I manually went in to the ActiveSync app on the phone to say that it was ok to accept the change (meaning that I was missing pushed mail until it was sent.)

I was actually planning to move to an iPhone, not an Android phone (I also sync everything to MobileMe), but realized that staying with Verizon was more important than getting an iPhone. Since I am syncing everything to Google anyway, Android just makes sense.

Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?

Um, not sure why it would bother me? My phone works fine on the version on which it runs; there are plenty of apps that I care about that work with it.

This is an especially weird question for a Windows Mobile user to ask, by the way. Not only are there 6.0, 6.1, and 6.5 phones, each of those have touchscreen/pro editions and non-touch/standard editions, and it is incredibly rare for phones to get more than one version update (my last phone had zero - it shipped with 6.0, had a bug patch, but no 6.1.)

Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?

My phone had Sense. I took a long time deciding between an Eris and a Droid, but I really liked the way that the Eris worked. I guess I'd say that I prefer Sense, but I am sure that I could get by with stock Android.

Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?

Obviously not. I'm not sure why I would worry about this? What makes having things in Google any worse than syncing with Microsoft's MyPhone, Apple's MobileMe, or even my cable ISP? They surely know a lot more about me than even Google, if they care to keep track.

If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

I'd support multi-touch in all apps. Or have a centralized location for Notification settings, rather than have each app have its own notification settings.

 

[anon(7873)]

3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

That's it, folks. Get on it!

3. I prefer a nice theme like htc's as lomg as it looks good and is functional.
4. I think about it sometimes and do get a little worried.
5. If i could fix one thing, it would be the updates. I can't think of a good way to solve this except, dare i say it, closed source. No, i love the fact that its open sourced but there has to be some way to let companies write their own additions and still have google be able to update the core of the software.

So thats all...

 

[slbailey1]

Hey, everybody. Phil here. And it's time to look at Android from a Windows Mobile perspective. Now, I know a bunch of you came over from WinMo, so I expect some good replies here.

1. 1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

That's it, folks. Get on it!

1. I jumped from the HTC Touch to the HTC Hero because of the phone selections and the HTC Sense UI. I was waiting for the HTC Diamond2 but it was not comming to Sprint.

2. Currently it's not causing a problem, I'm patiently waiting for v2.1 - I like the Hero.

3. Right now I like the HTC Sense UI; but, my next phone may be a stock Android phone because it seems like it gets Android updates faster. I want to see what it takes to make a stock Android phone to look and function like the HTC Sense UI.

4. No, because my information is not stored with Google. All my contact, calendar, and emails are stored on my Sherweb Exchange account. I also have a hotmail and yahoo account. The only thing I use my Google account for are things dealing with the phone itself (Activation and Androd Market).

5. A full and complete implimetation of Exchange.

 

[sethjk]

1. 1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?
   Sorry, I came from Blackberry- haven't looked back. Wife is waiting to make the same switch.
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?
   I'm eagerly waiting for 2.1. (I'm running 2.01 on a droid now). I spent about 3 weeks running 1.5 on an Eris and I was very eager back then and unfortunatley rooting wasn't an option on the droid.
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
   Sense is great and like I said earlier, I had an eris for a few weeks. Sense was actually one of the things that sold me on the Eris and I'd love to run it on my droid. Though, I haven't installed any home screen replacements because I'm waiting for 2.1 and animated wallpapers.
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
   Pretty much all of my information already was in google's ecosystem. I always used gmail, calendar, etc and even on blackberry, I had facebook integration so its no change. If Google changes some of their policies and is more willing to share my information, I'd begin to have hesitation.
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?
   Uniformity. Phones should all be on the same OS. Or, at least, they should be able to run the OS but with limitatiions like how I believe the iphones do. Some iphones can record video, some can't but they all run 3.0, no? I'd also change copy/paste. it's terrible. Apple really nailed that one. I'd also like to see multi-touch available stock on the US droid, though its not such a deal breaker for me as it is for others.

All in all, I really love my droid and haven't thought about my storm since I turned it off about a month ago.

 

[AZbear]

4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
I do worry a little but the ease of syncing outweighs my concerns at present.

5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?
Copy and paste is probably one thing I would change.

 

[klebron23]

Hey, everybody. Phil here. And it's time to look at Android from a Windows Mobile perspective. Now, I know a bunch of you came over from WinMo, so I expect some good replies here.

1. 1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

That's it, folks. Get on it!

I don't worry about my information because I wouldn't put that much on there. I wish android had some sort of BBM.

 

[the one and only M]

4. I prefer stock android.
5. No.
6. Enable pinch-zooming in the browser and gallery.

 

[pgm131]

Android vs. Windows Mobile

1. The reason I left windows mobile was mainly for the capacitive touchscreen. I had an Omnia before my Eris and I absolutely loved it. With the array of new phones coming out, especially Android based devices, I really wanted a capacitive touchscreen. Also, I read that MLB At-Bat was going to be released for android and I need to be able to follow my Red Sox.

2. All the different versions of Android don't really bother me. I am just waiting patiently for my upgrade to 2.0...

3. I love my Sense UI! I am ready to try the stock Android interface though. I tried it for a second and went back to Sense, but I like the look of the 2.0 interface. So again, I am waiting patiently for my 2.0...

4. I was most worried that my information was not in the "cloud." What I loved about windows mobile lately was the Microsoft My Phone. I reset my Omnia like crazy and the ability to automatically sync up my contacts and calendar appointments along with all my text messages was amazing! I was nervous that this really wouldn't happen with my Eris. However, I took the plung and made a test run. It worked like a charm!

5. The biggest difference from my Omnia and my Eris is the feel for it. The main reason that I changed was because of the capacitive touchscreen and the finger-friendliness of Android. With that said, my Omnia was basically like a computer. I miss the feeling of having a basically a laptop in my pocket. Windows Mobile was just a very powerful operating system and my phone could do so much. I tried newer builds of 6.5 on my device to make it more touch friendly and it worked great. My biggest problem was that I wanted a capacitive touchscreen. Maybe I'll go back one day but it will take somewhere in the vicinity of 15,000 apps from Microsoft.

 

[level32]

1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?
   Bought a Dev Phone from Google last year. Big change from my Audiovox SMT5600 with WinMo 2003. As a developer, this was the most attractive device for me at the time. Still love it, but I'm jealous of the Nexus One's speed.
   
   
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?
   Since I have the Dev Phone, I was able to upgrade to 1.6 (Donut). Wouldn't mind if I could upgrade further... we'll see.
   
   
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
   Sense is nice... not too picky. I'm really looking forward to the Nexus One Enterprise (w/ keyboard).
   
   
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
   Nope.
   
   
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?
   Paid apps in Canada

 

[Fobok]

I can't really answer any of the questions, since I don't yet have a smartphone (thus why I've been posting to enter these contests), but I just want to say, in answer to the one question, I would have no worry about Google having all my information, since they pretty much do already. I use Gmail, Google Wave, Google Calendar, Google Documents, etc. already. The integration and syncing is one of the big things attracting me to the phones.

 

[thacounty]

Hey, everybody. Phil here. And it's time to look at Android from a Windows Mobile perspective. Now, I know a bunch of you came over from WinMo, so I expect some good replies here.

1. 1. If you did leave Windows Mobile for Android, how come? What attracted you to Android?
2. Are the multiple versions of Android causing you any headaches? Or are you just waiting patiently for an upgrade?
3. Which do you prefer? Stock Android, or something like HTC's sense on top of it?
4. Do you worry about having all of your information in the Google ecosytem?
5. If you could fix one thing about Android, what would it be?

That's it, folks. Get on it!

1. Had i930, Treo 700wx, Vogue, Touch Pro, and Treo Pro. I left WM because the Hero looked incredible. It had everything a WinMo phone needed. I also wanted to try out Android and see what the Hype was about. Oh, and I got tired of soft resetting multiple times a day.

2. I haven't worried at all about multiple versions, since I went through wm5, wm6, wm6.1, and wm6.5 (on a custom), I am used to flashing, and I like the fact that I am getting updates as opposed to waiting forever for them on WM. Oh and so far a flash hasn't caused me to lose information, score one for Android!

3. I run sense. It is pretty slick. Also it has more home screens to use. This is what WM has needed forever, but Android got it. TBQH Sense is pretty much Android home with a few extra screens and HTC's widgets, which I really like.

4. I was using Google for exchange back on my Treo Pro. I have never worried about it, it is free push email with contact and calendar sync. I actually think it is a great thing, if I had to hard reset I can be back up and running very quickly OTA.

5. Apps to the SD Card, Native. I can't believe they haven't done this yet, it is because they think people will pirate apps, which isn't hard now (not that I condone it).

 

[o14]

I prefer it with the HTC sense. It just gives it a nicer look and appeal to it.

 

[HardcorePooka]

contest entry. yes indeedy.