5 ms·

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Android offers: 1) Generally much easier rooting/access to bootloader/custom ROM installation than iOS. 2) Install custom k

by nirnira 13y ago

That's just the tip of the iceberg. Android offers: 1) Generally much easier rooting/access to bootloader/custom ROM installation than iOS. 2) Install custom keyboards, home launchers, icon sets 3) Change default web browsers, caller, messaging apps to third-party alternatives 4) Full access to filesystem 5) Fully customisable homescreen widgets 6) Full sharing intents system 6) Generally more "computery" interface - downloads displayed in notifications pane for example. And of course you have the advantage of a choice of a range of devices with much larger screens than an iPhone. It's just a shame that the Android UX experience is so chaotic. A consequence of Google never really seeming to settle on a single UI vision beyond "different enough from iOS to avoid legal action."

superuser2 13y ago
1) That's not a feature. The carrier's devs are just worse than Apple at securing their products.
gress 13y ago
More work for the user to do is a symptom of a less advanced system.
- codr 13y ago
  this!
- nirnira 13y ago
  I could reply that a computer system which fails both to satisfy me with its out-of-the-box experience, and to offer any way for me to tweak that experience to my tastes, is even less advanced.
  - gress 13y ago
    You could, but that would be a spurious argument since it could apply to anything you didn't like. If you don't like iOS, just say so.
    - nirnira 13y ago
      I don't like iOS.
jameshart 13y ago
I am sorry, but I read that as Android offering 1) an easy way to make your phone completely unstable and possibly break it permanently; 2 (and 5)) a variety of ways to make your already chaotic phone UX even more ugly and unusable; 3) ways for third party apps or social engineers to replace core system features with adware-infested malware (like browser toolbars on Windows).... 6, I like, though; applications providing services to one another is a great idea. But when you combine that with "full access to the filesystem", you don't -need- an intents system for inter app communication, you can just save files and open them in different apps. It's this kind of inconsistency of what Android is actually trying to do - be computerlike, or be a walled garden 'appstore' ecosystem - that contributes to the overall chaos of the UX.
- nirnira 13y ago
  I don't know, you might want to try it out before you dismiss it completely. Rooting/installing ROMs is completely optional. It's just there if you want it, and it can be a lot of fun. You did buy a pocket computer after all - don't you want to see what it can do? I use Swiftkey instead of Google's stock keyboard, and Firefox instead of Chrome. Both are quality apps which look great, have zero malware issues, and seriously enhance the quality of my smartphone experience. The improvement is way beyond what you can get on iOS, simply because Apple won't allow anyone to modify the core experience so deeply. And I haven't explored the offerings in full - I still use the stock caller and messaging client. I'm confident that high-quality alternatives are available. I use simple stock widgets currently - Gmail and Google Calendar only. They look great, they're simple, and again they seriously improve my phone experience. Again, I haven't really explored widgets yet but I'm sure there are some seriously powerful, high-quality options available. And the filesystem is only visible if you download an app for it specifically. Out of the box the file management is similar to iOS, just more powerful with the intents system. This isn't an example of Google not being able to make up their mind, they've just decided to allow people to explore that side of the system if they want. Android is really a great system for people who like computers. All of the things which Apple decided people shouldn't be interested in doing with their pocket computers are available in some way on Android. It's very gratifying for curious people. It's fair enough to say that all these options come with dangers. But they also come with potential! Great potential.
giarc 13y ago
For me currently, I would love to see iOS allow the default browser to be switched. I use Chrome on my iPhone but all links open in safari. Frustrates me to have multiple tabs open in multiple browser apps. I also don't want to switch from Chrome since I use it on PC and home laptop so my bookmarks sync.

by nirnira 13y ago

superuser2 13y ago

1) That's not a feature. The carrier's devs are just worse than Apple at securing their products.

gress 13y ago

More work for the user to do is a symptom of a less advanced system.

codr 13y ago
this!
nirnira 13y ago
I could reply that a computer system which fails both to satisfy me with its out-of-the-box experience, and to offer any way for me to tweak that experience to my tastes, is even less advanced.
- gress 13y ago
  You could, but that would be a spurious argument since it could apply to anything you didn't like. If you don't like iOS, just say so.
  - nirnira 13y ago
    I don't like iOS.

jameshart 13y ago

I am sorry, but I read that as Android offering 1) an easy way to make your phone completely unstable and possibly break it permanently; 2 (and 5)) a variety of ways to make your already chaotic phone UX even more ugly and unusable; 3) ways for third party apps or social engineers to replace core system features with adware-infested malware (like browser toolbars on Windows).... 6, I like, though; applications providing services to one another is a great idea. But when you combine that with "full access to the filesystem", you don't -need- an intents system for inter app communication, you can just save files and open them in different apps. It's this kind of inconsistency of what Android is actually trying to do - be computerlike, or be a walled garden 'appstore' ecosystem - that contributes to the overall chaos of the UX.

nirnira 13y ago
I don't know, you might want to try it out before you dismiss it completely. Rooting/installing ROMs is completely optional. It's just there if you want it, and it can be a lot of fun. You did buy a pocket computer after all - don't you want to see what it can do? I use Swiftkey instead of Google's stock keyboard, and Firefox instead of Chrome. Both are quality apps which look great, have zero malware issues, and seriously enhance the quality of my smartphone experience. The improvement is way beyond what you can get on iOS, simply because Apple won't allow anyone to modify the core experience so deeply. And I haven't explored the offerings in full - I still use the stock caller and messaging client. I'm confident that high-quality alternatives are available. I use simple stock widgets currently - Gmail and Google Calendar only. They look great, they're simple, and again they seriously improve my phone experience. Again, I haven't really explored widgets yet but I'm sure there are some seriously powerful, high-quality options available. And the filesystem is only visible if you download an app for it specifically. Out of the box the file management is similar to iOS, just more powerful with the intents system. This isn't an example of Google not being able to make up their mind, they've just decided to allow people to explore that side of the system if they want. Android is really a great system for people who like computers. All of the things which Apple decided people shouldn't be interested in doing with their pocket computers are available in some way on Android. It's very gratifying for curious people. It's fair enough to say that all these options come with dangers. But they also come with potential! Great potential.

giarc 13y ago

For me currently, I would love to see iOS allow the default browser to be switched. I use Chrome on my iPhone but all links open in safari. Frustrates me to have multiple tabs open in multiple browser apps. I also don't want to switch from Chrome since I use it on PC and home laptop so my bookmarks sync.