Also I'll add when
held down, the start button launches voice activated tell me commands.
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Android, iOS, WP8 phone debate thread
- Thread starter Scuba Steve
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Also I'll add when
held down, the start button launches voice activated tell me commands.
Nice video! I'm really in love with the "fatboy" wireless charging pad
And wp8 looks absolutely gorgeous. This is perfect, we have 3 great os that will fight to death to win our wallets, this mean we're the big winner! I can perfectly see myself with a lumia 920, an iPad and either a nexus 7 or an S3 (well, it depends on what my girlfriend will "need")
I fully support the war between these OS.
Completely agree. All three are awesome. iOS feels too stale to me, but it's still a great OS.
The lack of a back button on iOS is one of my biggest gripes with the OS.
No, iOS has that too. I mean the apps (favorites) that you can pin to the bottom on the task bar so regardless of which page of apps you're on, you can still access them.
I mean on the face of the phone, used for navigating the OS.
I never understood what a back button would be useful for. If you want to back out of an app, just press the menu button.
I've owned all 3 systems over the years and my preference is Android>WP>IOS. IOS has the most boring UI of all 3. Totally unoriginal. I currently own a windows phone and really do love it, but after Apple's assault on Samsung/Android, I'm switching back to Android to support Google/Samsung.
Navigating within an app without having to use an on-screen back button wasting the already small screen real estate, that could be in different places depending on the app.
For starters.
After reading through, this looks like the right topic for me. I'm looking to finally make the jump to a smartphone and could use some clarification from you all.
First, the additional uses (besides talk and text) would be as a GPS and to stream internet radio. Are any of the main phones exceptionally good or poor on this front? Also, what data usage could I expect from about 1-2 hours of radio streaming per day? I'll more than likely be stuck with Verizon, so their ridiculous data plans do matter.
On that front, what are the best data plans carriers? Verizon gets the nod from being the previous carrier, so the phone would be pretty much free to get. If others were significantly cheaper then I'd save money over time (shout out to my 8th grade Algebra teacher).
If it helps in giving a recommendation, I have no Apple devices (or anything with Android, for that matter), so the 'ecosystem' doesn't mean that much to me.
First, the additional uses (besides talk and text) would be as a GPS and to stream internet radio. Are any of the main phones exceptionally good or poor on this front? Also, what data usage could I expect from about 1-2 hours of radio streaming per day? I'll more than likely be stuck with Verizon, so their ridiculous data plans do matter.
On that front, what are the best data plans carriers? Verizon gets the nod from being the previous carrier, so the phone would be pretty much free to get. If others were significantly cheaper then I'd save money over time (shout out to my 8th grade Algebra teacher).
If it helps in giving a recommendation, I have no Apple devices (or anything with Android, for that matter), so the 'ecosystem' doesn't mean that much to me.
Given that Android moved from physical buttons to on screen buttons, and Windows RT uses a single button just like the iPad, I'd say most people are just fine with on screen navigation.
Apple had that aspect right from the get go, a single button on the face.
planar1280
Banned
iOS might the most boring OS now but the app performance due to a terrific API and tightly controlled system is better than all competitors,
iOS is the new Windows (pre-8) in which almost the entire industry of mobile developers rely on primarily and now the business community has shifted towards iOS with phones and tablets after the implosion of RIM.
All of this means far too many industries are invested in iOS for Apple to radically change it or reboot it, like was the case with Windows from around 1995-2010. Android is far more consumer oriented and is heavily customized by its big users so Google can do whatever they want with it. And Windows Phone is well used by nobody so Microsoft can do whatever they want, no one to complain if they scrap it and rework it.
All of this means far too many industries are invested in iOS for Apple to radically change it or reboot it, like was the case with Windows from around 1995-2010. Android is far more consumer oriented and is heavily customized by its big users so Google can do whatever they want with it. And Windows Phone is well used by nobody so Microsoft can do whatever they want, no one to complain if they scrap it and rework it.
iOS is the closest equivalent we have to Windows on the phone OS front, but it has nowhere near the marketshare that Windows has. Windows only has one real competitor, OS X (Linux distrubs are nice and all but I don't see the consumer market being submerged by Linux anytime soon), where as iOS has Android (which has more marketshare than iOS, but is a lot more fragmented as well), Windows Phone, and maybe even BlackBerry should that ever bounce back (lol). Not to mention the fact that iOS is a lot younger than Windows.
So yeah, I don't think iOS's hold on the smartphone market is that solid. Not sure WP will surpass it by 2015 as that analyst once predicted, but IMO it will make a sizable dent and Android will continue to be more cohesive and thus bigger competition.
Hmmn.. I guess that's the case for me too. I'm also using a CM10/JB ROM, I wonder if it'll be better when it's official.
345triangle
Member
i use all three OSes (well, not WP8 but WP7.5) every day and like them all in different ways. iOS has the best apps by light years but is boring to use, android is the most functional but occasionally janky as hell, and WP7 is the nicest to use but almost entirely useless beyond basic tasks.
so! my setup is: windows phone, ipod touch, nexus 7. carry all three pretty much everywhere.
most normal people, however, should probably just get an iphone.
so! my setup is: windows phone, ipod touch, nexus 7. carry all three pretty much everywhere.
most normal people, however, should probably just get an iphone.
Well, that kind of goes without saying when there's only one company making iOS phones. Android's state is really better than most think, considering the sheer number of chipsets and devices available.
Microsoft tried to solve an issue (fragmentation) that really wasn't a problem in the first place.
foodtaster
Banned
useless beyond basic tasks? like what exactly?
345triangle
Member
the awful app selection and broken multitasking combine to form a maelstrom of unproductivity. i often need to run IRC on mobile devices at work, for example — good luck finding a WP IRC app that'll maintain your connection when the phone's screen is off, never mind run in the background! the lack of sharing between apps is a killer, too. it's like running iOS 3.
windows phone is simply not up to par as a productive smartphone OS. it is, however, my favourite OS for basic stuff like calling and texting people, which is why i use it for my actual phone. the built-in tethering doesn't hurt, either.
windows phone is simply not up to par as a productive smartphone OS. it is, however, my favourite OS for basic stuff like calling and texting people, which is why i use it for my actual phone. the built-in tethering doesn't hurt, either.
WP7/7.5/8 has by far the best looking UI compared to all 3 imo. Also the hardware design on the Lumia line is fantastic. Ecosystem is a piece of turd though.
iOS is still light years ahead of the competition in app support, hardware design, 3rd party peripheral support, and just basic fluidity.
Android is the best for choice I guess since it ranges in so many forms. Still Android is a bloated and laggy mess even with Jelly Bean. The app ecosystem is still way behind of iOS but also well ahead of WP. It's a good middleground between the two or for the people who want something different (i'd still just recommend a windows phone). The UI albeit customizable is just terribly ugly. It's not the row of icons but the basic smoothing of icons, typography, sizing and other things that make the iOS UI a work of genius compared to its ugly little sister
iOS is still light years ahead of the competition in app support, hardware design, 3rd party peripheral support, and just basic fluidity.
Android is the best for choice I guess since it ranges in so many forms. Still Android is a bloated and laggy mess even with Jelly Bean. The app ecosystem is still way behind of iOS but also well ahead of WP. It's a good middleground between the two or for the people who want something different (i'd still just recommend a windows phone). The UI albeit customizable is just terribly ugly. It's not the row of icons but the basic smoothing of icons, typography, sizing and other things that make the iOS UI a work of genius compared to its ugly little sister
Ah, I got ya now. Though I will contend WP does have a better implementation of the static pinned 4 apps in the task bar of iOS. Its been awhile since my iPhone 3Gs, so remind me if I'm wrong, but is it just apps you can pin now? In WP 7.5, I can pin just about anything to the top of my screen, from an app (or a sub-function of an app) to a contact or a group of contacts, to a playlist, or artist, or a video, or a location on Maps. WP has a nice easy way of customizing your home screen to whatever function or app or contact you need right up top. With WP8, and the ability to resize tiles, that aspect will get even better.
Another thing, I love my back button on the face of the phone. Whenever I'm handed an iPhone again I'll always find myself wanting to go back one step and forgetting I have to use the UI to navigate back, sometimes finding myself stuck and having to menu back out to restart the app again. Having a dedicated back button frees up the UI a bit like was mentioned above, and irons out much of the need to have to go in and out of apps and keeps navigation nice and linear.
Its WP's search button that can get a little disjointed with any given users expectations. I'd love it if it worked contextually within any given app or function you're in. Like searched a web page you're on or found a keyword in a Wikipedia app or when you switch over to the app list. But when pressed no matter where you are in the UI, it brings up the Bing search app. They need to make it a little more nuanced.
les papillons sexuels
Banned
except that developers are shifting away from ios because of the flexibilty of android.
345triangle
Member
what's your evidence of that? if i were an app developer, i'd know i'd want to go to the least fragmented platform with the userbase willing to spend the most money. that 'flexibility' isn't really a good thing from a developers' point of view.
i personally prefer android for most general stuff but the app situation isn't even close to iOS. it's why i'll always keep an iOS device around for the well-designed, functional, attractive software that wouldn't have a hope in hell of making it on android.
Who?
Not saying that I don't believe you (a few devs may be switching to Android) but I haven't heard of it happening at all and it doesn't make sense to me since iOS isn't fragmented like Android (as well as the fact that iOS users pay for apps).
I think all thee would do an okay job for GPS and internet radio. On iOS and Android you might get a bigger selection of internet radio apps (like spotify, pandora, ...).
However, I'd actually recommend you a Nokia Windows Phone 8 phone. Nokia is a great choice for location services. They come with really great map and navigation apps. If data usage is a concern, those apps let you install the map so you can use maps and navigaton completely offline. Nokia also has a couple of other location apps for public transport or augmented reality.
Nokia phones come with Nokia music. It's music streaming without subscription or cost. With it it's also possible to store packages of music on the phone for offline use.
I'm not sure which of the other streaming services are on Windows Phones and which ones aren't. I does have spotify. I don't think there's an official Pandora app, but maybe some unofficial ones.
saltywalrus
Member
Android is not laggy anymore. Jelly Bean got rid of almost all of the jank. The majority of the time it's on par with iOS. And how is it bloated?
What happens when you scroll down further? Do the apps that you've pinned to the top remain visible at all times? That's what I meant. I never have to scroll to any screen on the iPhone to make a phone call or use safari or use whatever app I have pinned down there.
It has nothing to do with the flexibility of android, between the poor dev tools, the rampant piracy and the firmware/hardware differences, Android is by far the worst platform for developers. However as Androids market dominance grows and great devices like the S3 and Nexus 7 start popping up it is becoming increasingly difficult for anyone in mobile development to say that iOS is enough. Even in the corporate market which has been dominated by CEOs saying 'We need an iPad App' for years has started to soften on the platform as other options become more viable.
biosnake20
Member
I definitely agree about iOS becoming boring but Android hasn't changed mush look wise since launch either.
If ag-my001 ever does feel like paying for an subscription service, I'd highly recommend a Zune Pass. You can stream and download music just like Spotify, but where Zune goes above and beyond is the level of integration into the OS, i.e music store, song search
ZP is something Microsoft has always done a shit-poor job of advertising, and it looks like the other companies are happily ripping off MS's ideas. Jellybean's already copied a little bit of the music searching functionality with the "what song is this?" widget and the new iTunes looks suspiciously like the Zune player. Wake the fuck up, MS
One click on the home button > you're back at the top.
And because you have an extra app list, I don't need a lot of scrolling anyway. I only keep a limited selection of apps on the start screen.
And really, are we at a point where a dock is discussed as a differentiator?
345triangle
Member
i would not agree.
http://www.theverge.com/2011/12/7/2585779/android-history
compared to how iOS has changed (you now have wallpapers, there's a bit more linen and the fonts are lighter on retina screens) it's barely even the same OS.
Android UI is pretty what yuo yourself make it to be.
Skins don't fix the inconsistencies between apps.
For about a year now, all apps have to have the Holo theme if written for ICS. I personally haven't actually noticed any inconsistencies if you're not using an app that was done by some good hearted dude out there, who had a smart idea for an app and it's functionality but since it is just one dude, the UI got butchered.
Right now I feel iOS is by far the most inconsistent OS out of the lot of them. At least aesthetically speaking. It's unbelievably confused as to how it wants to look or behave. Blue or white blobs and panes here, gray textures there, bits of silver here, metalic there, even green felt too! Back button top left one minute, top right another, near the bottom other times. It's literally all over the place.
The main app or screen layout also seems so anti-Apple to me. It's weird, it's everything other Apple products aren't. It's cluttered and clumsy. Compared to OSX for example, which favours lots of empty space for the desktop wallpaper to show, iOS is sort of the opposite. Rows upon rows of icons that just exemplify monotony, a lack of personality and lazy design.
The main app or screen layout also seems so anti-Apple to me. It's weird, it's everything other Apple products aren't. It's cluttered and clumsy. Compared to OSX for example, which favours lots of empty space for the desktop wallpaper to show, iOS is sort of the opposite. Rows upon rows of icons that just exemplify monotony, a lack of personality and lazy design.
I'm using ICS on my Touchpad and I don't feel that consistency for third party apps at all. Maybe I haven't been downloading the right apps, but surely there isn't much of those. Mind pointing out a few of the Holo themed third party apps out there?
And actually this is the strongest UI point of Windows Phone. Because the Metro UI is so vastly different from most of the UI that has come before it, it has permeated very strongly into the third party apps. There's a sense of consistency in most of the third party apps for them to not feel out of place from the OS. You definitely don't get that with the other two OS. But of course, if you just hate Metro, there will be little respite for you on the phone.
Which goes to prove the point.
"The history of iOS is more a history of features than it is a history of visual changes. We've been living with the same basic homescreen and app switching experience in iOS for some time now. Meanwhile, Windows Phone has shown a different way of thinking about how a mobile operating system can work and Android 4.0 has made multitasking and widgets a much more elegant experience than what Apple is offering. Suggesting that companies other than Apple are bringing more innovation into the UI space is a strange thing, but the truth is that we're nearing the point where iOS represents the old guard of mobile operating systems at least from a user experience perspective."
I'm all for going back to the iPhone but after using JB, it would be a drastic step back in terms of UI.
http://www.holoeverywhere.com
It's not as ubiquitous as I would hope but there are some apps that do an excellent job following the guidelines. If only Google mandated strict adherence and developers would stop simply regurgitating their iOS apps, maybe we'd finally stop hearing 'Android is uglyyyyy'
Its like Amir0x was never banned.
Seriously, bloated and laggy mess? Do you actually have any significant time with a stock jellybean device? They're exceptional performers while doing more at anytime given time compared to the competition's devices.
If Jellybean is laggy and messy, then any iPhone before the 4S was an unmitigated disaster.
Hmm, most of those doesn't really feel Holo to me. The ones that really feel Holo are the ones that uses the same color scheme which aren't that many. I guess Holo isn't that strong of a theme in the first place.
Well maybe you're not used to it on the WP due to a lack of good apps, but it makes a lot of difference on iOS, where the average user has more than 100 apps on their phone. Pressing the menu button on iOS also takes you back to the main list, but I'd always want to be able to access the phone and the web browser without that extra button press.
And yes, a dock is a differentiating matter, seeing that Apple patented it and Samsung stopped using it.
I wanna see the receipts.
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