android sucks (uloops studio 'pro' review)

[TristezaOrange]

for the people that can't grasp why I don't like Android as it stands now, and why I think it's fragmented, I'll give my personal experience with it. Not the people I support, nor even my wife's experience. Just mine.

I've got a Motorola Droid sitting right here. The stock virtual keyboard sucks compared to iOS's, and Better Keyboard is only slightly "better" than stock. Swype, IMO, is gimmicky and not a great alternative. Copy and Paste is unusable. Both of these things are crucial to me as a phone and pocket computing device, however they're severely lacking. No amount of neato widgets or changing wallpapers can fix that. I'm currently stuck on version 2.2.

Now, there's the HTC Incredible. This phone still has the keyboard I dislike, however with the "Sense" UI, HTC has fixed the default copy and paste problem.

With Android 2.3, both the keyboard AND copy and paste are largely improved, which is of course a good thing. The problem? Only 1.7% of the phones have access to it, without rooting the device.

Wifi hotspot tethering? Another feature I love, however again without rooting, it's not possible on my Droid. Droid X? Sure. Wait. They're both 2.2. Why is the feature on one, and not the other? It must be a hardware issue. No, can't be that, because Barnacle works fine with the Droid, once it's rooted.

To many, this is freedom of choice. This to me is fragmentation.

With iOS on my iPhone 4, I've got a great virtual keyboard, copy and paste that works very well, "multitasking" that doesn't suck my battery down like a fat kid sucking down a milk shake, and wifi hotspot capability that works very, very well.

Is it a walled garden? Sure, I guess. Is it stifling "freedom"? To some, sure. Do I vastly prefer it, and am happy to finally be on it? Abso-f**king-lutely.

Every downside of Android you just mentioned can be solved by doing one thing and that is getting a Nexus phone. You have the choice of getting any other phone of course but you can also have an official Google phone which updates in time, has a cool keyboard, WiFi hotspot enabled and as good battery life as any iPhone I have ever used.

in writing this reply, I have used the trackball on my Hero at least three times for precision editing. It's nice to have it there and it was one of the reasons I chose it. Do you know how much an iPhone with a trackball costs and where I can get it? Oh, wait...

[polaris20]

for the people that can't grasp why I don't like Android as it stands now, and why I think it's fragmented, I'll give my personal experience with it. Not the people I support, nor even my wife's experience. Just mine.

I've got a Motorola Droid sitting right here. The stock virtual keyboard sucks compared to iOS's, and Better Keyboard is only slightly "better" than stock. Swype, IMO, is gimmicky and not a great alternative. Copy and Paste is unusable. Both of these things are crucial to me as a phone and pocket computing device, however they're severely lacking. No amount of neato widgets or changing wallpapers can fix that. I'm currently stuck on version 2.2.

Now, there's the HTC Incredible. This phone still has the keyboard I dislike, however with the "Sense" UI, HTC has fixed the default copy and paste problem.

With Android 2.3, both the keyboard AND copy and paste are largely improved, which is of course a good thing. The problem? Only 1.7% of the phones have access to it, without rooting the device.

Wifi hotspot tethering? Another feature I love, however again without rooting, it's not possible on my Droid. Droid X? Sure. Wait. They're both 2.2. Why is the feature on one, and not the other? It must be a hardware issue. No, can't be that, because Barnacle works fine with the Droid, once it's rooted.

To many, this is freedom of choice. This to me is fragmentation.

With iOS on my iPhone 4, I've got a great virtual keyboard, copy and paste that works very well, "multitasking" that doesn't suck my battery down like a fat kid sucking down a milk shake, and wifi hotspot capability that works very, very well.

Is it a walled garden? Sure, I guess. Is it stifling "freedom"? To some, sure. Do I vastly prefer it, and am happy to finally be on it? Abso-f**king-lutely.

Every downside of Android you just mentioned can be solved by doing one thing and that is getting a Nexus phone. You have the choice of getting any other phone of course but you can also have an official Google phone which updates in time, has a cool keyboard, WiFi hotspot enabled and as good battery life as any iPhone I have ever used.

in writing this reply, I have used the trackball on my Hero at least three times for precision editing. It's nice to have it there and it was one of the reasons I chose it. Do you know how much an iPhone with a trackball costs and where I can get it? Oh, wait...

Thanks for reiterating what I've already said, which is that if I were ever to go back to Android or recommend one, it would be the Nexus.

Everyone has a choice, iOS users included. You either like the device and buy it, or you don't. The specs aren't a mystery to anyone; if the device doesn't fit your mobile needs, buy what does.

As for the trackball; I wouldn't list that as a compelling feature for Android phones. It's a pretty minor thing when rudimentary functions have yet to be met on most phones.

I find it humorous how much Android fanboys shake their finger at iOS users, when in reality they're no different. Defend your platform! By the way, I did this whole post on my iPhone, without a trackball. Yay!!

[TristezaOrange]

Wow, you know you've struck a nerve when somebody starts throwing the word fanboy around

The fact is that if you want an iOS phone then no, you don't have any choice. I also find it pretty funny that you would think that Android is missing rudimentary functions. Which one are those exactly? Again, even on 2.1, Android is so far ahead in basic functionality It's not even funny. And again, Nexus. I'm not sure what your statement that you would get a Nexus has to do with the fact that there is indeed an official Google phone that gets updated in time and which you have the choice to get it, thereby invalidating all your arguments against Android.

And hey! I also wrote this on my hero without using the trackball. But you know, its there if I need it.

[TristezaOrange]

Double post.

[polaris20]

Wow, you know you've struck a nerve when somebody starts throwing the word fanboy around

The fact is that if you want an iOS phone then no, you don't have any choice. I also find it pretty funny that you would think that Android is missing rudimentary functions. Which one are those exactly? Again, even on 2.1, Android is so far ahead in basic functionality It's not even funny. And again, Nexus. I'm not sure what your statement that you would get a Nexus has to do with the fact that there is indeed an official Google phone that gets updated in time and which you have the choice to get it, thereby invalidating all your arguments against Android.

And hey! I also wrote this on my hero without using the trackball. But you know, its there if I need it.

Sure you have a choice. You either like the features, or you don't. You either buy it, or you don't. You buy one from AT&T, or you buy one from Verizon. What's the problem? Want pretty changing wallpapers and widgets? Don't buy one. It's really quite simple.

Rudimentary features? How about the horrid virtual keyboard (yes, all of them) and the horrid copy and paste that every phone except HTC phones or 2.3 phones are subjected to? Have you tried doing it on a Motorola or Samsung phone? And I didn't invalidate shit. I've stated over, and over, and over what the problem with Android is, and people don't seem to comprehend it.

One more time, this time with feeling: The problem with Android is the fragmentation, and the lack of serious concern on the part of Google in terms of security. Two phones have it close to being right: N1, Nexus S. That's it. The other 98% have a mishmash of features that are an inconsistent user experience.

EDIT

And it's been fun guys, but I'm done here. As I said before, you're not going to convince me that Android doesn't have the problems it does, when I've been a user of it for two years, support them, and have to deal with them. Enjoy your phones, but I'm finally happy on mine. Have a nice day.

[Goratrix]

The problem with Android is the fragmentation

The fragmentation is intentional, as it allows for much greater market penetration for the whole Android platform. It was a necessary step in the beginning, to get as many manufacturers involved with as many devices as possible. In two years, the fragmentation problem will dissapear, as most manufacturers will converge on similar hw specs and one version of the OS.

[polaris20]

The problem with Android is the fragmentation

The fragmentation is intentional, as it allows for much greater market penetration for the whole Android platform. It was a necessary step in the beginning, to get as many manufacturers involved with as many devices as possible. In two years, the fragmentation problem will dissapear, as most manufacturers will converge on similar hw specs and one version of the OS.

I feel it hinders the platform, but I hope you're right. Competition is always good.

[The Chase]

As for being "behind the curve", that's quite relative. None of the things you list are the slightest bit important to me (nor millions of others).

People have always said this for the iphone. Any feature it doesn't have isn't needed. Sorry, but that's a bit too easy, isn't it? When the iphone didn't have 32GB storage, gyroscope, GPS, video recording, high resolution display, et cetera, but the android phones did, well of course none of it matters - until the iphone FINALLY gets them, in which case they become "rudimentary features."

But I guarantee that when the iphone gets a customizable desktop environment with widgets, a good gesture keyboard, an AMOLED screen, theming, a taskbar, and actual multitasking, 4G (et all), you'll use these things guilt-free and be glad that you are, because they are very cool features that become indispensable to the smart phone user experience.

I've got a Motorola Droid sitting right here. The stock virtual keyboard sucks compared to iOS's, and Better Keyboard is only slightly "better" than stock. Swype, IMO, is gimmicky and not a great alternative. Copy and Paste is unusable. Both of these things are crucial to me as a phone and pocket computing device, however they're severely lacking. No amount of neato widgets or changing wallpapers can fix that. I'm currently stuck on version 2.2.

Now, there's the HTC Incredible. This phone still has the keyboard I dislike, however with the "Sense" UI, HTC has fixed the default copy and paste problem.

With Android 2.3, both the keyboard AND copy and paste are largely improved, which is of course a good thing. The problem? Only 1.7% of the phones have access to it, without rooting the device.

Wifi hotspot tethering? Another feature I love, however again without rooting, it's not possible on my Droid. Droid X? Sure. Wait. They're both 2.2. Why is the feature on one, and not the other? It must be a hardware issue. No, can't be that, because Barnacle works fine with the Droid, once it's rooted.

To many, this is freedom of choice. This to me is fragmentation.

With iOS on my iPhone 4, I've got a great virtual keyboard, copy and paste that works very well, "multitasking" that doesn't suck my battery down like a fat kid sucking down a milk shake, and wifi hotspot capability that works very, very well.

There are literally hundreds of keyboard replacements. Heck, I've used 3 gesture keyboards (E.G., Swype) alone. Swype is f**king great, by the way - one finger in portrait mode is faster than thumbing a keyboard in landscape mode. When I had the iphone one of the first things I did was install ShapeWriter. I think you should give it a chance - after getting used to it, regular keyboards become tedious.

I'm not buying the whole fragmentation thing because I'm yet to use an app that worked on one of my Android phones that didn't work on the other.

As for the trackball; I wouldn't list that as a compelling feature for Android phones. It's a pretty minor thing when rudimentary functions have yet to be met on most phones.

See, for me, "rudimentary features" include side-loading apps, expandable memory, USB, basic theming, widgets, multitasking.... things my HTC smartphones had 5 years ago that the iphone's lacking-of left me ultimately underwhelmed.

[polaris20]

you don't get it, do you? I HAD a Droid since the day it came out. When I recently got my iPhone, I could have bought any phone on Verizon OR AT&T: Atrix, Droid X, Incredible, etc. None of the stuff you're going on and on about mattered the last couple years, and they don't matter now. And I've now explained why I think Android is fragmented, what, like three times now. Are you that obtuse? It's not just about whether or not an app will run.

EDIT

Your history is a bit revisionist, too. Android hasn't even been around 5 years; the G1 came out in what, 2008? Please tell me you're not also referring to the can o' worms that is WinMo as well, are you? As for rudimentary features:

Copy and Paste. Like I said, only HTC phones and the Nexus series with 2.3 actually do it right.
Keyboard. Yes, I've used a number of them for Android, including Swype. I still prefer iOS's.
Multitouch. Anything up until 2.3's was highly inaccurate compared to iOS's.

Widgets, theming, all that is super neato and all, but not really useful to someone using it as a phone, IMO. I need a good phone, good e-mail, good browser, and a great application selection, all that's stable and not frustrating to use, and I've got it with iOS.

Android works for you. Super. I couldn't get rid of mine fast enough.

[TristezaOrange]

Sure you have a choice. You either like the features, or you don't. You either buy it, or you don't. You buy one from AT&T, or you buy one from Verizon. What's the problem? Want pretty changing wallpapers and widgets? Don't buy one. It's really quite simple.

I agree with this. You have a choice to either get an iPhone or not. Not that this was in any way obvious but what I actually mean (and I know you know) is that if you want an Android phone you can choose between many different devices. Why do you think Android overtook the iPhone (and recently Blackberry) in market share in the US? It's because of this variety of devices.

Rudimentary features? How about the horrid virtual keyboard (yes, all of them) and the horrid copy and paste that every phone except HTC phones or 2.3 phones are subjected to? Have you tried doing it on a Motorola or Samsung phone? And I didn't invalidate shit. I've stated over, and over, and over what the problem with Android is, and people don't seem to comprehend it.

No, I haven't tried copy&paste on Motorola or Samsung phones because I don't have to , I can just buy an HTC Android. Is it really that difficult to grasp? On the other hand, if I didn't like the way copy&paste is implemented on the iPhone (I do like it) or the virtual keyboard (which I kinda like and at least its not as laggy as on my Hero) what other choice would I have. I expect your answer will be "you have the choice not to get an iPhone" which is obviously totally missing the point.

One more time, this time with feeling: The problem with Android is the fragmentation, and the lack of serious concern on the part of Google in terms of security. Two phones have it close to being right: N1, Nexus S. That's it. The other 98% have a mishmash of features that are an inconsistent user experience.

Again: anyone can get a Nexus then. If "fragmentation" (yay, another Steve buzzword!) really matters to them.

As I said before, you're not going to convince me that Android doesn't have the problems it does,

Yeah, we noticed that.

[IncarnateX]

When it comes to mobile devices for music the choices are given: iOS and that has nothing to do with specs, not even latency, but simply the fact that there are no music apps for Andriod that even come close to the variety and standard apps for IOs.

To me it is upside-down the PC/MAC debate, where I would choose PC over MAC any time, no matter what specs, due to the range of programs (e.g. no Orion for Mac).

Simple as that.

[TristezaOrange]

you don't get it, do you? I HAD a Droid since the day it came out. When I recently got my iPhone, I could have bought any phone on Verizon OR AT&T: Atrix, Droid X, Incredible, etc. None of the stuff you're going on and on about mattered the last couple years, and they don't matter now. And I've now explained why I think Android is fragmented, what, like three times now. Are you that obtuse? It's not just about whether or not an app will run.

EDIT

Your history is a bit revisionist, too. Android hasn't even been around 5 years; the G1 came out in what, 2008? Please tell me you're not also referring to the can o' worms that is WinMo as well, are you? As for rudimentary features:

Copy and Paste. Like I said, only HTC phones and the Nexus series with 2.3 actually do it right.
Keyboard. Yes, I've used a number of them for Android, including Swype. I still prefer iOS's.
Multitouch. Anything up until 2.3's was highly inaccurate compared to iOS's.

Widgets, theming, all that is super neato and all, but not really useful to someone using it as a phone, IMO. I need a good phone, good e-mail, good browser, and a great application selection, all that's stable and not frustrating to use, and I've got it with iOS.

Android works for you. Super. I couldn't get rid of mine fast enough.

Do you get that Chase also had an iPhone and stopped using it? Does that really say anything about the superiority of either platform (pro-tip: no, it does not).

Funny thing is you keep repeating the missing widgets and customization as something that doesn't matter to you but you can't accept that fragmentation doesn't matter to other people.

And to paraphrase someone:

"Retina displays, bookcases that transition smoothly, all those are super neato and all, but not really useful to someone using it as a phone, IMO. I need a good phone, great e-mail, ultra-fast browser, and a mediocre application selection , all that's stable and not frustrating to use without extra-intrusive notifications, and I've got it with Android"

[TristezaOrange]

People have always said this for the iphone. Any feature it doesn't have isn't needed. Sorry, but that's a bit too easy, isn't it? When the iphone didn't have 32GB storage, gyroscope, GPS, video recording, high resolution display, et cetera, but the android phones did, well of course none of it matters - until the iphone FINALLY gets them, in which case they become "rudimentary features."

But I guarantee that when the iphone gets a customizable desktop environment with widgets, a good gesture keyboard, an AMOLED screen, theming, a taskbar, and actual multitasking, 4G (et all), you'll use these things guilt-free and be glad that you are, because they are very cool features that become indispensable to the smart phone user experience.

Get with the program Chase. If Android phones have hardware that's better than the iPhone, then it's "specs don't matter, it's all about the user experience".

If the iPhone has better hardware features than the Android phones then "the higher specs make the user experience better".

[polaris20]

Sure you have a choice. You either like the features, or you don't. You either buy it, or you don't. You buy one from AT&T, or you buy one from Verizon. What's the problem? Want pretty changing wallpapers and widgets? Don't buy one. It's really quite simple.

I agree with this. You have a choice to either get an iPhone or not. Not that this was in any way obvious but what I actually mean (and I know you know) is that if you want an Android phone you can choose between many different devices. Why do you think Android overtook the iPhone (and recently Blackberry) in market share in the US? It's because of this variety of devices.

Rudimentary features? How about the horrid virtual keyboard (yes, all of them) and the horrid copy and paste that every phone except HTC phones or 2.3 phones are subjected to? Have you tried doing it on a Motorola or Samsung phone? And I didn't invalidate shit. I've stated over, and over, and over what the problem with Android is, and people don't seem to comprehend it.

No, I haven't tried copy&paste on Motorola or Samsung phones because I don't have to , I can just buy an HTC Android. Is it really that difficult to grasp? On the other hand, if I didn't like the way copy&paste is implemented on the iPhone (I do like it) or the virtual keyboard (which I kinda like and at least its not as laggy as on my Hero) what other choice would I have. I expect your answer will be "you have the choice not to get an iPhone" which is obviously totally missing the point.

One more time, this time with feeling: The problem with Android is the fragmentation, and the lack of serious concern on the part of Google in terms of security. Two phones have it close to being right: N1, Nexus S. That's it. The other 98% have a mishmash of features that are an inconsistent user experience.

Again: anyone can get a Nexus then. If "fragmentation" (yay, another Steve buzzword!) really matters to them.

As I said before, you're not going to convince me that Android doesn't have the problems it does,

Yeah, we noticed that.

I know exactly what you mean by choice. The problem is that it's not a new argument, it's been around for over a decade with Mac vs. PC. "I want a headless iMac, but Apple/Steve won't make one. Life's not fair!"

You either accept what Apple does make because it works for you, or you find a way to be productive on a different platform. OR, you complain incessantly on an Internet forum because there's no "choice".

[polaris20]

you don't get it, do you? I HAD a Droid since the day it came out. When I recently got my iPhone, I could have bought any phone on Verizon OR AT&T: Atrix, Droid X, Incredible, etc. None of the stuff you're going on and on about mattered the last couple years, and they don't matter now. And I've now explained why I think Android is fragmented, what, like three times now. Are you that obtuse? It's not just about whether or not an app will run.

EDIT

Your history is a bit revisionist, too. Android hasn't even been around 5 years; the G1 came out in what, 2008? Please tell me you're not also referring to the can o' worms that is WinMo as well, are you? As for rudimentary features:

Copy and Paste. Like I said, only HTC phones and the Nexus series with 2.3 actually do it right.
Keyboard. Yes, I've used a number of them for Android, including Swype. I still prefer iOS's.
Multitouch. Anything up until 2.3's was highly inaccurate compared to iOS's.

Widgets, theming, all that is super neato and all, but not really useful to someone using it as a phone, IMO. I need a good phone, good e-mail, good browser, and a great application selection, all that's stable and not frustrating to use, and I've got it with iOS.

Android works for you. Super. I couldn't get rid of mine fast enough.

Do you get that Chase also had an iPhone and stopped using it? Does that really say anything about the superiority of either platform (pro-tip: no, it does not).

Funny thing is you keep repeating the missing widgets and customization as something that doesn't matter to you but you can't accept that fragmentation doesn't matter to other people.

And to paraphrase someone:

"Retina displays, bookcases that transition smoothly, all those are super neato and all, but not really useful to someone using it as a phone, IMO. I need a good phone, great e-mail, ultra-fast browser, and a mediocre application selection , all that's stable and not frustrating to use without extra-intrusive notifications, and I've got it with Android"

Sure I get that. Fragmentation doesn't affect everyone, especially when they don't have to deal with it.

You and others seem to be getting the wrong impression that I care what you use, and that I'm trying to convert you to iOS. Let me repeat: I don't give a shit what anyone uses. I really don't. As long as the companies I buy stuff from continue to improve upon it and make it, I don't care what the market share is. It's irrelevant to me. I'm not a stockholder.