Related
It's been speculated that Android has more apps that actually work on Honeycomb tablets than does iOS on the iPad. This links talks about the growth of the Android Marketplace:
http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/study_android_surpass_ios_app_count_soon
Does anyone know if this is true considering most iPhone apps will not run properly on the iPad, i.e.does not fill the screen?
There are bazillions of I pad specific apps so I don't know what to tell you.
I think one of the main things that constantly gets lost is the whole quantity vs quality discussion. Sure iOS has a ton of apps, but how many of them are actually unique and not serving the same purpose as another app out there?
When it comes down to it Android, and tablets in particular, aren't far off from having the same core apps that iOS has available to it. If anything they are more functional apps since Android makes a lot more available to devs.
I miss more iOS apps on my Xoom then Android app on my iOS devices. I also think the iOS apps has a bit higher quality.
They look and "feel" better. But none of them has widgets.
Sent from my MZ604 using XDA Premium App
streetmapp said:
I think one of the main things that constantly gets lost is the whole quantity vs quality discussion. Sure iOS has a ton of apps, but how many of them are actually unique and not serving the same purpose as another app out there?
When it comes down to it Android, and tablets in particular, aren't far off from having the same core apps that iOS has available to it. If anything they are more functional apps since Android makes a lot more available to devs.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, but to play devil's advocate, you could also say that the pseudo-arbitrary selection process inherent to Apple's App Store limits useless apps a little bit. (Yes, I know there are thousands of 'fart apps' on their store as well.)
In the end, I think that not having the duplicate functionality clause helps the Android Market have a few more 'gems' than would be possible on the iOS App Store. Things like Tasker, Swype, and true replacement browsers (not using stock webkit engine--e.g. Firefox and Opera Mobile on Android) etc would not be allowed on the iOS App Store. However, due to not having the arbitration, we suffer from a (slightly to somewhat) less cohesive overall user experience and (sometimes) lower polish inside of applications.
Personally, I prefer the power and 'openness' that Android's philosophy yields. Many others, however prefer the somewhat-higher level of safety and coherence that Apple's approach yields.
Just because they 'work' on Honeycomb doesn't mean they're any good for a tablet... There are only a few apps I run that aren't tablet specific yet actually take advantage of the space because it's hard to screw that up... Trillian and TweetDeck come to mind immediately.
Elysian893 said:
Just because they 'work' on Honeycomb doesn't mean they're any good for a tablet... There are only a few apps I run that aren't tablet specific yet actually take advantage of the space because it's hard to screw that up... Trillian and TweetDeck come to mind immediately.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Beat me to it. And I think you're absolutely spot on. I've found that 95% of my favorite Android phone apps run on my Xoom, but only 5% (or less) of those actually work the way that I would expect them to.
Remember, just because they do work, doesn't mean you care to use them.
I use 10 - 20 apps meant for Android that are not formatted for Honeycomb but provide the basic function. Good example would be Verizon Fios DVR app, only runs in portrait but does the job!
I think it's simply not true to say an app has to be formatted for HC to be useful.
Coming from an iPad to the Xoom, there's a small but significant group of apps that aren't present that I miss.
Truth is for me, most of the apps on my iPad were games (can live without) or things that I might on occasion run but weren't day to day needed.
Important ones are news reader (newer is ok, pulse is ok too) twitter client, remote desktop app.
Everything else I can live without if I have to, but there ARE definitely not more android tablet apps than iPad apps. Taking out the "it'll run on a tablet" aspect, just look in the market, 64 tablet apps. that's it.There's far more than that in the iTunes store that are iPad only or dual binary.
The discussion was including "It'll run apps" and by the way the 64 apps are only "Featured Apps".
I don't know if we can really tell how many apps are tablet specific/redesigned.
i think the next Honeycomb update should include an emulator for apps made to run on lower versions of android. Even if the graphic quality is ****e we should have the option.
jgrizz said:
i think the next Honeycomb update should include an emulator for apps made to run on lower versions of android. Even if the graphic quality is ****e we should have the option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We don't need this. This would be a terrible user experience.
The SDK already allows developers the option to make their app scale well to multiple different resolutions and devices. Nearly all developers have yet to implement this resolution scaling, therefore the apps don't scale well to the Xoom.
jwilker said:
Coming from an iPad to the Xoom, there's a small but significant group of apps that aren't present that I miss.
Truth is for me, most of the apps on my iPad were games (can live without) or things that I might on occasion run but weren't day to day needed.
Important ones are news reader (newer is ok, pulse is ok too) twitter client, remote desktop app.
Everything else I can live without if I have to, but there ARE definitely not more android tablet apps than iPad apps. Taking out the "it'll run on a tablet" aspect, just look in the market, 64 tablet apps. that's it.There's far more than that in the iTunes store that are iPad only or dual binary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those featured apps are deceptive. There are lots of Honeycomb apps out there that just don't get highlighted.
jwilker said:
Coming from an iPad to the Xoom, there's a small but significant group of apps that aren't present that I miss.
Truth is for me, most of the apps on my iPad were games (can live without) or things that I might on occasion run but weren't day to day needed.
Important ones are news reader (newer is ok, pulse is ok too) twitter client, remote desktop app.
Everything else I can live without if I have to, but there ARE definitely not more android tablet apps than iPad apps. Taking out the "it'll run on a tablet" aspect, just look in the market, 64 tablet apps. that's it.There's far more than that in the iTunes store that are iPad only or dual binary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By my counting, I have more than 64 apps installed that run...like 76 actually...not including pre installed stuff/OS integrated...
Just because they aren't "Featured Tablet" doesn't mean they won't run
iPad's apps, for the most part, are more polished than Xoom's tablet based apps. But they've had a year head start. More apps for the iPad? More apps specifcally for iOS tablet than for Android tablets? At this point, probably.
One good thing about the xoom, though, is even apps that weren't made specifically for a tablet still look good, for the most part, on the xoom. Where most iOS apps made for iPhone look stupid at 2x size on the iPad.
jwilker said:
Coming from an iPad to the Xoom, there's a small but significant group of apps that aren't present that I miss.
Truth is for me, most of the apps on my iPad were games (can live without) or things that I might on occasion run but weren't day to day needed.
Important ones are news reader (newer is ok, pulse is ok too) twitter client, remote desktop app.
Everything else I can live without if I have to, but there ARE definitely not more android tablet apps than iPad apps. Taking out the "it'll run on a tablet" aspect, just look in the market, 64 tablet apps. that's it.There's far more than that in the iTunes store that are iPad only or dual binary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Those 64 apps are apps that Google has hand-picked. There's more than that.
I think the market should add a tablet app filtering option to find the ones that aren't blessed by Google.
jwilker said:
Important ones are news reader (newer is ok, pulse is ok too) twitter client, remote desktop app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The xtralogic rdp client is terrific. A bit expensive, but terrific.
jwilker said:
Coming from an iPad to the Xoom, there's a small but significant group of apps that aren't present that I miss.
Truth is for me, most of the apps on my iPad were games (can live without) or things that I might on occasion run but weren't day to day needed.
Important ones are news reader (newer is ok, pulse is ok too) twitter client, remote desktop app.
Everything else I can live without if I have to, but there ARE definitely not more android tablet apps than iPad apps. Taking out the "it'll run on a tablet" aspect, just look in the market, 64 tablet apps. that's it.There's far more than that in the iTunes store that are iPad only or dual binary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check out team viewer, it's perfect on the xoom and it is completely free. Go to teamviewer.com and get the PC or Mac program and the android program, then game on.
Stop teh FlipFlop
rjoudrey said:
Does anyone know if this is true considering most iPhone apps will not run properly on the iPad, i.e.does not fill the screen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of you keep flip flopping on what you are measuring here. The op specifically lists the quote above as an example of only counting tablet specific apps. measuring by that standard, there are way more iPad only apps than Honeycomb tablet apps. For those of you who say just because it doesn't say it's not made for a tablet doesn't mean it doesn't work, I agree. By that measurement, all iOS apps work on the iPad, and they work exactly as expected because they are simply pixel doubled (Although as the op pointed out they don't completely fill the screen 100% when they are scaled).
Another point that has been raised is a qualitative measure of the apps in either store. Apple's App Store is a pretty clear winner here as well. This stems from two issues. First, the curated store versus free-for-all store. Second, device fragmentation. The later is more of a problem for the development side and thus requires dev's spend less time on "fit & finish" and more time tweaking their apps for the thousands of hardware variations. This is an issue that most dev's view as a problem for the android market (See link below). This problem also keeps some prominent dev's away from android all together (such as EPIC games). Looking at several apps that are available on both platforms, iOS apps not only look better, but in many cases some functionality has been gimped on the android app. There was a writeup about this recently to which I can't find but I was able to locate one of the screen capture comparisons of FaceBook from that article.
(due to forum rules I can't make these active links yet )
FaceBook Screen Shot:
wpuploads.appadvice.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/facebook.png
Dev Survey:
\/\/w\/\/.readwriteweb.com/mobile/2011/04/poll-android-fragmentation-issues.php
Don't get me wrong, I like several features about android, but when it comes to the Android Market versus App Store, iOS takes the cake.. or in this case the dough $$$. I have more android devices than I do iOS devices, However I have only purchased one app from the android market. I have an iPhone 4, iPhone 3Gs, iPad 2 (WiFi), Motorola Atrix (still sad about locked bootloader), HTC Inspire, Sony Xperia X10, HTC Aria (CM6), Samsung Captivate, and a Nexus.
Summary, In small portable devices like Smartphones and Tablets, Hardware and software working in concert is of greater importance than the PC of yester-year. That being said, for Android's license model to work like Microsoft's windows license model has for PC's, Google needs to have established hardware specification / form factor windows that can be reliably tested against. Secondly, they need to separate the core OS and the UI framework so they can allow vendors to customize their UI inline with the framework, which would allow Google to release an update to the core OS without the need to wait for the vendors to customize the core OS with their UI. Users could then update to the most current OS, and vendors can customize and tweak their UI to add new features of the new OS and release an updated UI when it's ready. Right now, the more consistent approach to iOS & Apple hardware is yielding better apps that are more profitable for dev's.
P.S. sorry about the run-on sentences
jondwillis said:
I think the market should add a tablet app filtering option to find the ones that aren't blessed by Google.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree completely. True there's (probably) more than those 64, not sure how to find them. But finding iPad only in iTunes is easy enough, especially from the device itself.
I think no matter how it's sliced, there's less for the xoom or tablets in general than there is for iPad.
I really hope that trend changes, I suspect it won't until honeycomb is released to the public tho
This must be my 6th tablet if I include the 'first out of the post' compaq tablets eons ago, a toshiba laptop/tablet, 2 different ipads and an advent vega, so I'd like to think I've got a fairly balanced view on tablets.
I won't get into any of the usual iOS/Android flames, suffice to say in my opinion after a week of using Honeycomb on the Xoom, Android is much more suited to a tablet format than iOS on an iPad, which is really just a big phone, albeit a very slick one.
I'm sure most on this forum will be used to acting as guinea pigs for new technologies and that's a choice most of us have made by getting this device to see the possibilities of an Android tablet, so a few bugs was expected. A couple more updates and there's no reason why Android tablets will be just as slick as an iPad (as it is in the smartphone world now).
Now the hardware just needs to improve. While the Xoom is nice solid tech, it is heavy. I was trying to use it standing on up a train and after a while, it was particularly uncomfortable to use. The screen could be brighter too.
My one unexpected observation though is the screen size. Is it me or is a more rectangular 10.1" just not as easy to type on as the squarer 9.7" iPad?
I find that the wider screen means the keyboard either takes up all the screen or is squashed and the keys are not as easy to use. When I had the iPad, I found typing in landscape mode absolutely no problem. On the Xoom it's not quite as easy to type quickly on.
Anyway, just my opinion... while each day I like honeycomb more and more, I'm not entirely convinced that the Xoom will be my final Android tablet.
thx. xoom's really a sweet device, although it has few bugs. enjoy mine very much too
The think about android is that you can change the UI the way you like, you can have the sweet thumb keyboard app and that problem its solved. I find it hard to the ipad will let you change that UI keyboard setting.
I agree the xoom is too heavy, maybe they should realese a keyboard like asus transformer so it can be held in the lap (sorry for my english).
The screen on the xoom is the same as a widescreen monitor you use on a pc. The ipad is somekind of cropped. you can tell if you play videos on ipad...they dont fit the screen.
The only think that im a little sad about the xoom is devs arent interested right now to release honeycomb support. Not even all google apps have honeycomb support but i guess its matter of months or maybe they are waiting for xoom 2
I also had my Xoom for a week, and like you enjoy using it so far.
You can try to install this thumb keyboard for easier typing, even though it’s in beta, I have not had any problems use it.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1055327
I only took the Xoom on the train for one day and also found it difficult to use. My issue is more to do with the size than the weight. So I went back to use my Galaxy Tab and leave the Xoom for mainly home use.
The only real issue I've found with Honeycomb/my Xoom is the chronic shortage of apps designed for tablets specifically.
VaKo said:
The only real issue I've found with Honeycomb/my Xoom is the chronic shortage of apps designed for tablets specifically.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes , my thoughts exactly !
SwiftKey tablet beta resolves any typing issues, I've been using it since before it went public beta, was part of the early testers. They've already listened to many of my suggestions, which is just great IMO.
i totally agree about the apps. I'm willing to wait...but is it me is the number of apps going down the market? It was 67 a few days, 64 yesterday and 60 rightnow.
Sent from my Xoom using XDA Premium App
Does anyone notice that number of apps for tablet on android market decrease overtime ? The first day i got my xoom, there were 67 apps, 2 weeks ago: 64 apps. now there are 60 apps.
I wouldn't worry to much about the apps, with the huge list of android tablets dropping this year we can all expect to see a rather consistent flow of new apps......Hopefullly
tritran18518 said:
Does anyone notice that number of apps for tablet on android market decrease overtime ? The first day i got my xoom, there were 67 apps, 2 weeks ago: 64 apps. now there are 60 apps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because when you click "Featured" Android Tablet apps, those are just "Featured". There are actually WAY more than that (150+) Honeycomb "optimized" apps in the Market.
It would be considerably more useful if there was a tablet part of the market, similar to iTunes having an iPad only part. There's no easy way to identify tablet optimized apps.
This is from a UK XOOM and I've a feeling that for some reason, Market is different in europe.
The fact that lists like this exist says volumes about the state of tablet support in the android market, but here is one of the user-compiled lists of apps that are either optimized for or work well with honeycomb:
http://forum.androidcentral.com/mot...al-optimized-honeycomb-apps-list-n-170-a.html
There's also the game compatibility thread in the xoom apps and themes section here on xda.
great resource... thanks!
scratch that... android c+?)&@l only allows 'registered users' to view links. Way to support open source guys!
Agreed. I'm sure the list is useful, but that kind of garbage makes me keep right on walkin.
yea its ridiculous
Is it that hard to register a free account?
in all honestly you should all already have android central accounts...it's the most popular android development site...
Xoom Gripes
First off, for what I use it for, my Xoom is better than my iMac and my MacBook Pro. That said, I have a couple of issues with it.
I hate the placement of the ports. I got a case from KeviKev (which is the bees knees), and I cannot prop it up while charging without putting strain on the cable/port.
When plugged-in to my TV (HDMI), the screen orientation changes in a very strange way. I turned the tablet upside-down so I could prop it up with the HDMI cable plugged in, and the picture on the TV went upside-down, too. I know I can lock the orientation, but I would like it if it were more intelligent about the way it handles screen orientation.
These flaws (if I can even call them that) are not an issue when I use the tablet out on the street, or when I lay it down on its back when I'm not really using the screen anyway. There isn't much that I can say about my Xoom that isn't praise. I have the U.S. 3G version and I live in Germany, and the lack of mobile broadband isn't a complete turn-off like I had anticipated. Kudos to Motorola and Google.
I recently got myself a Nexus 4, my first Android phone, and had been using it as my main phone for the past five days. I come from the iOS world (keen jailbreaker) and my initial reactions were very positive:
Love widgets and how convenient they can be
Love the extent of customisation
Love the big screen and clean UI in general
Love the hardware (camera and speed)
Love Google service integration (maps, contact, calendar) = just works
However, there is one aspect that really bothers me and I wanted to hear what other people think.
APPS.
iOS apps are often more polished than their Android equivalent, in another word they contain less bugs. I find Android apps crash more often and some of the functions don’t always work. Example: I found a bug in Skype that the ringing tone continues to sound even after the call is connected. Skype has been around for so many years and yet there is a bug?
.
Android don’t always get the newest or most updated apps because it is easier for developers to create apps on iOS. This can lead to some core function of an apps missing compare to their equivalent on iOS. Example: I have a Synology NAS at home that acts as my media hub, which can be remotely accessed by Synology-made streaming apps on the iOS. On Android, the video app isn’t available and the music app is very buggy and lacks some very core functions.
.
Due to the ever increasing range of Android devices, that is at a pace faster than iOS devices, I feel there is a greater chance of an Android device becoming unsupported by an app than an iOS device. This means potentially one has to upgrade to a new Android device sooner than they can afford or wish to.
.
There is a greater range of apps, including games, on iOS. Example: I really would like a decent photo editing app, such as Snapseed, on my Android but can’t seem to find one that I like. Official Simplenotes app is also unavailable on Android.
I suspect the defragmentation of the Android ecosystem is, in part, responsible for the problems I mentioned and it’s something I don’t see Google can do much about anytime soon. Therefore, in my mind, the situation is likely to remain the same for a while which makes Android less appealing to me. Understandably, it is a complex and widespread issue that is inherent in the Android world.
Sorry about my boring post but I have two days left to refund my Nexus 4. Should I keep it or refund it?
Thanks guys
hankdu said:
I recently got myself a Nexus 4, my first Android phone, and had been using it as my main phone for the past five days. I come from the iOS world (keen jailbreaker) and my initial reactions were very positive:
Love widgets and how convenient they can be
Love the extent of customisation
Love the big screen and clean UI in general
Love the hardware (camera and speed)
Love Google service integration (maps, contact, calendar) = just works
However, there is one aspect that really bothers me and I wanted to hear what other people think.
APPS.
iOS apps are often more polished than their Android equivalent, in another word they contain less bugs. I find Android apps crash more often and some of the functions don’t always work. Example: I found a bug in Skype that the ringing tone continues to sound even after the call is connected. Skype has been around for so many years and yet there is a bug?
.
Android don’t always get the newest or most updated apps because it is easier for developers to create apps on iOS. This can lead to some core function of an apps missing compare to their equivalent on iOS. Example: I have a Synology NAS at home that acts as my media hub, which can be remotely accessed by Synology-made streaming apps on the iOS. On Android, the video app isn’t available and the music app is very buggy and lacks some very core functions.
.
Due to the ever increasing range of Android devices, that is at a pace faster than iOS devices, I feel there is a greater chance of an Android device becoming unsupported by an app than an iOS device. This means potentially one has to upgrade to a new Android device sooner than they can afford or wish to.
.
There is a greater range of apps, including games, on iOS. Example: I really would like a decent photo editing app, such as Snapseed, on my Android but can’t seem to find one that I like. Official Simplenotes app is also unavailable on Android.
I suspect the defragmentation of the Android ecosystem is, in part, responsible for the problems I mentioned and it’s something I don’t see Google can do much about anytime soon. Therefore, in my mind, the situation is likely to remain the same for a while which makes Android less appealing to me. Understandably, it is a complex and widespread issue that is inherent in the Android world.
Sorry about my boring post but I have two days left to refund my Nexus 4. Should I keep it or refund it?
Thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure, it's easy to develop a "polished" app with no bugs when your consumer audience is using a handful of IOS-based devices. The reason Android apps SEEM more buggy is that there are hundreds of different devices that use the Android OS. Problems are going to arise due to differences in hardware, but a good developer nails these problems and their app will evolve into a polished, bug-free work of art.
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 PM ----------
hankdu said:
Sorry about my boring post but I have two days left to refund my Nexus 4. Should I keep it or refund it?
Thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To answer your question, though, you should keep it. There's not a WHOLE lot going on with the nexus yet because of availability issues, but bugs will be squashed. Have patience. As more devs get their hands on it, it will get a lot better.
Refund it - that is one more device available for us on the play store ?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I won't tell you that you're a fan boy, or that you're stupid for thinking the way you do. It's clear.
Ask yourself this: are apps what you need to make your phone productive and useful?
I asked myself this question and found out, no. I use core apps like chrome, power amp, twitter and they're all well polished apps.
The freedom of the OS matters more to me than the apps, then again android apps are that bad.
Good luck
Return it. You want to just use the phone, as a phone.
ios is for you.
Photo apps
hankdu said:
I recently got myself a Nexus 4, my first Android phone, and had been using it as my main phone for the past five days. I come from the iOS world (keen jailbreaker) and my initial reactions were very positive:
Love widgets and how convenient they can be
Love the extent of customisation
Love the big screen and clean UI in general
Love the hardware (camera and speed)
Love Google service integration (maps, contact, calendar) = just works
However, there is one aspect that really bothers me and I wanted to hear what other people think.
APPS.
iOS apps are often more polished than their Android equivalent, in another word they contain less bugs. I find Android apps crash more often and some of the functions don’t always work. Example: I found a bug in Skype that the ringing tone continues to sound even after the call is connected. Skype has been around for so many years and yet there is a bug?
.
Android don’t always get the newest or most updated apps because it is easier for developers to create apps on iOS. This can lead to some core function of an apps missing compare to their equivalent on iOS. Example: I have a Synology NAS at home that acts as my media hub, which can be remotely accessed by Synology-made streaming apps on the iOS. On Android, the video app isn’t available and the music app is very buggy and lacks some very core functions.
.
Due to the ever increasing range of Android devices, that is at a pace faster than iOS devices, I feel there is a greater chance of an Android device becoming unsupported by an app than an iOS device. This means potentially one has to upgrade to a new Android device sooner than they can afford or wish to.
.
There is a greater range of apps, including games, on iOS. Example: I really would like a decent photo editing app, such as Snapseed, on my Android but can’t seem to find one that I like. Official Simplenotes app is also unavailable on Android.
I suspect the defragmentation of the Android ecosystem is, in part, responsible for the problems I mentioned and it’s something I don’t see Google can do much about anytime soon. Therefore, in my mind, the situation is likely to remain the same for a while which makes Android less appealing to me. Understandably, it is a complex and widespread issue that is inherent in the Android world.
Sorry about my boring post but I have two days left to refund my Nexus 4. Should I keep it or refund it?
Thanks guys
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here comes a list of photo apps I hope you will like. I have them all installed on my Note 2 and am often forced to use more than one of them to get the results i wish. This does not however bother me. Nor does it bother me that some cost over a whole $1 to buy.
PicsPlayPro + great for making basic adjustments - no sharpness or fine rotation
Pixlr - this is brand new and very promising. Has both fine rotation and sharpness - no historgram or curves like PicsPlayPro
TouchRetouch +fantastic at removing annoying objects or people from plain backgrounds - you must know it's limits
Afterfocus + the best I know of for getting that shallow portrait depth of field.
Aviary
SketchBookPro - this is more of an art program but you can import pictures add layers, text and paint to retouch. - you need the S-Pen
PicSayPro: lots of gimmicky filters and effect +++layer masks!!
The following are a collection that are both camera and filters or just cameras
Vignette
LittlePhoto
MagicHour
HDRPro ProHDR? +++very good for landscapes, interior architecture -don't try photo people
Picturesque + some amazing effects can be achieved with this app. Check out #picturesque on Instagram
Lastly Cymera needs to be mention for its 5 different cameras, its fun filters
Hope this helps. Welcome to android.
Oh, I almost forgot my favourite camera FV-5. Silly name great camera.
I would never get an Android tablet because of the lack of premium quality apps. I would want apps like Garage Band which Android has nothing remotely close to. Like on a PC the app selection for a tablet is the most important aspect of the device, and iOS crushes Android in that department.
I can live with the limited premium app selection for a phone because I dont use my phone as a computer or for doing serious tasks.
dankoman said:
Sure, it's easy to develop a "polished" app with no bugs when your consumer audience is using a handful of IOS-based devices. The reason Android apps SEEM more buggy is that there are hundreds of different devices that use the Android OS. Problems are going to arise due to differences in hardware, but a good developer nails these problems and their app will evolve into a polished, bug-free work of art.
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:03 PM ----------
To answer your question, though, you should keep it. There's not a WHOLE lot going on with the nexus yet because of availability issues, but bugs will be squashed. Have patience. As more devs get their hands on it, it will get a lot better.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After some thoughts and insightful opinions from other android users - I have decided to keep the device. You are right, the availability is an issue at the moment and I believe android apps are only going to be come more polished as time pasts.
qwahchees said:
I won't tell you that you're a fan boy, or that you're stupid for thinking the way you do. It's clear.
Ask yourself this: are apps what you need to make your phone productive and useful?
I asked myself this question and found out, no. I use core apps like chrome, power amp, twitter and they're all well polished apps.
The freedom of the OS matters more to me than the apps, then again android apps are that bad.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've made some very good points and I seemed to have forgotten the key here is how I intend to use the device. All the core apps I use are all very polished on Android and, in fact, I like them more than on iOS because of all the available customization options. iOS at the moment has no jailbreak for many of their new devices and I foresee jailbreaking becoming more and more difficult. I enjoy the freedom on Android. Thanks for your advice :good:
Dmwitz said:
Here comes a list of photo apps I hope you will like. I have them all installed on my Note 2 and am often forced to use more than one of them to get the results i wish. This does not however bother me. Nor does it bother me that some cost over a whole $1 to buy.
PicsPlayPro + great for making basic adjustments - no sharpness or fine rotation
Pixlr - this is brand new and very promising. Has both fine rotation and sharpness - no historgram or curves like PicsPlayPro
TouchRetouch +fantastic at removing annoying objects or people from plain backgrounds - you must know it's limits
Afterfocus + the best I know of for getting that shallow portrait depth of field.
Aviary
SketchBookPro - this is more of an art program but you can import pictures add layers, text and paint to retouch. - you need the S-Pen
PicSayPro: lots of gimmicky filters and effect +++layer masks!!
The following are a collection that are both camera and filters or just cameras
Vignette
LittlePhoto
MagicHour
HDRPro ProHDR? +++very good for landscapes, interior architecture -don't try photo people
Picturesque + some amazing effects can be achieved with this app. Check out #picturesque on Instagram
Lastly Cymera needs to be mention for its 5 different cameras, its fun filters
Hope this helps. Welcome to android.
Oh, I almost forgot my favourite camera FV-5. Silly name great camera.
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WOW! THANK YOU! That has saved me so much time and they all look very intriguing! One of the positive things about Android is that there seems to always be a lite version to try out before one decides to upgrade to the full version. I may be wrong with what I said earlier about couldn't find a good photo editing app. Again, much appreciated for your recommendations :good:
idividebyzero said:
I would never get an Android tablet because of the lack of premium quality apps. I would want apps like Garage Band which Android has nothing remotely close to. Like on a PC the app selection for a tablet is the most important aspect of the device, and iOS crushes Android in that department.
I can live with the limited premium app selection for a phone because I dont use my phone as a computer or for doing serious tasks.
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I know what you mean - i got an ipad and that is what I use if there is an iOS app that I really want to try out. Its very hard to give up ios completely.
After reading the responses I got from this thread, I have decided not to return my N4. Here goes why:
None of the android apps is buggy to the extent that they are unusable. I suspect since JB has only just been released, bugs will be ironed out gradually. Android apps may not have all the functions as their iOS equivalent but the missing functions are not absolutely vital to me. There are usually some work around for the missing feature, such as use another app or just simply use a laptop. Many of the core apps I regularly use on my phone are polished on Android. In fact, I actually prefer the experience of these core apps on Android more than on iOS. The amount of tweaking I can do is simply too much to give up after having enjoyed the freedom of doing so. When I first unzipped a file on the N4, oh my, I was like “sweet!”.
I had forgotten that the key to my choice between iOS and Android was how I intended to use my phone. Having recognized this the choice between the two systems was an easy one - Android was clearly better (for me):
gmail and youtube apps were both better
video playback supported more format
reading experience was amazing thanks to the amazing screen
web browsing was wayyyyy smoother
apps were better integrated into each other
Looks like the N4 is here to stay
Thanks everyone for your input!
idividebyzero said:
I would never get an Android tablet because of the lack of premium quality apps. I would want apps like Garage Band which Android has nothing remotely close to. Like on a PC the app selection for a tablet is the most important aspect of the device, and iOS crushes Android in that department.
I can live with the limited premium app selection for a phone because I dont use my phone as a computer or for doing serious tasks.
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Click to collapse
I am exactly the opposite. I can't really do anything on iPad since what I do need jailbreak at least. I need a Tab that could run Linux, or access one. I'm waiting for the day it comes to some Android Tablet and then buy 1. I now have an iPad that is sitting somewhere. Ever since I received my Nexus 4 I have never touched the iPad again. I don't have an Android tab to compare, but my friend's tab are pretty bland. It's pretty much a blown up version of the phone.
You can run Ubuntu on N7.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
I would defiantly agree with you. iOS apps are more polished on the whole. While this isn't 100% true, I feel like many apps on iOS are more trustworthy and more likely to just work. Android on the other hand you have to filter through a ton of crap...
But then a polished Android app is just as functional as a polished iOS app. There is no reason why a well made app for iOS would be better than a well made Android app.
hankdu said:
I
[*]Due to the ever increasing range of Android devices, that is at a pace faster than iOS devices, I feel there is a greater chance of an Android device becoming unsupported by an app than an iOS device. This means potentially one has to upgrade to a new Android device sooner than they can afford or wish to.
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I think you feel this way because you come from the Apple ecosystem. As a quick and dirty Apple developer I find myself getting increasingly frustrated with our newer OS updates breaking things. Even pulling sysinfo seems to be different with every OS they release.
Google as well as their app developers are both well aware that most of the android community is still running on Gingerbread, so I don't think you'll see your Nexus 4 go out of style anytime soon. Keep in mind that you also have a Nexus device, and will in all likeliness be one of the first to taste Key Lime Pie whenever it's released.
Warrior1975 said:
You can run Ubuntu on N7.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
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I know. Thats why i said that. Wait until the day you can run Ubuntu on iPad.
sent from my straight out of limbo 2 Nexus 4 using XDA-premium
wngmv said:
I know. Thats why i said that. Wait until the day you can run Ubuntu on iPad.
sent from my straight out of limbo 2 Nexus 4 using XDA-premium
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I must have misunderstood your post. It seemed like you were waiting for Ubuntu to come to an android tab from the way you worded it.
Sent from my SGH-T999 using xda app-developers app
You chose well. I had every iPhone from the original to the 4s and I do agree with you that apps seem more polished, but that's not everything. I've actually read articles where iOS apps crash more than android, but apple's way of programming will hold a still of the last image on the screen until the app restarts, all without the user knowing... Now, I have no proof of this, it's just something I read.
As for android, there's just more that can be done even without rooting. I was so tired of the jailbreak cat and mouse game with apple, but everything that I couldn't get on iOS, is all right there on android.
My last point in beating this dead horse I'd that this entire response was easily written by using Google's stock swiping keyboard! Nothing like that with apple....
Sent from my De-Sensed HTC Vivid using xda premium
I consider myself lucky to have a jail broken ipad 3. Jailbreak is declining and it's a pity.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZP0Bos0plE
I noticed this video posted yesterday by GSMArena giving a quick review of the new Note 12.2 Pro. What struck me was that it doesn't appear to have the new UI and button layout that we have seen on other 12.2 Pros. This would strongly suggest to me that the new UI software update has been added as an after thought and should mean that we'll see it on our Note 10.1s.
There are other recent videos where people who have been sent review odules of the Note 12.2 don't have the new UI or the "Recent App" button... http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-NotePRO-12.2-Preview_id3537
I'm now really confused as to what Samsung are playing at. Have they released 2 versions of the Note 12.2 Pro? One which looks exactly like the 10.1 with updated software and another version which has a new button layout as well as new software? Or, are these review models "old" prototypes, that have been ditched in favour of the new design/software all together?
We might not see the magazine UI any time soon, actually.
*** To me it's a big plus since it was only "pretty" without much function. At least from what I saw throw CES footages. ( I do not need to see all these samsung widgets update with their push on their Samsung hub goodies.)
The the UI is refreshing, but we might see stuff that leans away from that of what we saw at CES.
http://www.zdnet.com/samsung-may-dump-windows-like-magazine-ui-downplay-custom-apps-7000025779/
Google doesn't seem to like the new Samsung stuff. However, I must say - the Samsung Touchwiz aesthetics are the next in line for the "worst looking interface", right behind iOS 7. It needs to update ASAP.
Alasdair91 said:
I'm now really confused as to what Samsung are playing at.
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Join the club. The manual is what you need to go by and it has the new "recent apps" capacitive button in it.
It doesn't mention M-UX by name and instead introduces the concept of "Content home screens [M-UX]" and "Classic home screens [TW]. So it's possible that the sample in the GSMArena video was pre-production and the decision about moving from menu to recent apps for the capacitive button wasn't finalized yet. That sample also could have both Content and Classic home screens available but GSMArena set the home page to a Classic home screen.
Samsung should have introduced the recent tasks button on the N10.1-14, called it the Note|Pro 10.1, shipped it without M-UX, and then introduced a "Premium Suite" to bring it up to the level of the other 2014 premium tablets that were announced later. From the leak we appear to be getting 4-window Multi View and I'm assuming the rest of the updated Multi View features with it. So they'll either have to customize the N10.1-14 compared to the rest of the 2014-line to retain the menu button's function or damn the torpedoes and keep the existing icon and make it perform the "recent apps" function and hope existing users are capable of figuring it out.
Here's the Note|Pro 12's manual if you want to review it...
http://downloadcenter.samsung.com/c...28617/SM-P900_UM_EU_Kitkat_Eng_D06_140124.pdf
---------- Post added at 01:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 PM ----------
soys4uc3 said:
We might not see the magazine UI any time soon, actually.
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Click to collapse
Then Lucy's going to have some 'splainin to do. The UK watchdogs and tribunals won't be thrilled that a feature Samsung's marketing on their e-commerce site was never intended to be offered. And in a reasonable time after it was added to the site thus influencing people's purchasing decisions.
Alasdair91 said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZP0Bos0plE
I noticed this video posted yesterday by GSMArena giving a quick review of the new Note 12.2 Pro. What struck me was that it doesn't appear to have the new UI and button layout that we have seen on other 12.2 Pros. This would strongly suggest to me that the new UI software update has been added as an after thought and should mean that we'll see it on our Note 10.1s.
There are other recent videos where people who have been sent review odules of the Note 12.2 don't have the new UI or the "Recent App" button... http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Samsung-Galaxy-NotePRO-12.2-Preview_id3537
I'm now really confused as to what Samsung are playing at. Have they released 2 versions of the Note 12.2 Pro? One which looks exactly like the 10.1 with updated software and another version which has a new button layout as well as new software? Or, are these review models "old" prototypes, that have been ditched in favour of the new design/software all together?
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Click to collapse
From their review:
"However, since our prototype unit didn't come with the latest version of TouchWiz, so its UI is slightly different from what the final units will have. We'll be updating this chapter when we get a completely finalized unit."
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
toyanucci said:
From their review:
"However, since our prototype unit didn't come with the latest version of TouchWiz, so its UI is slightly different from what the final units will have. We'll be updating this chapter when we get a completely finalized unit."
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
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This is what makes me think it even more likely the 10.1 will see the newer software too. If the 12.2 was originally made unning the exact same software as the 10.1, then there is no reason as to why the 10.1 wouldn't get it.
Alasdair91 said:
This is what makes me think it even more likely the 10.1 will see the newer software too. If the 12.2 was originally made unning the exact same software as the 10.1, then there is no reason as to why the 10.1 wouldn't get it.
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Yup! I just want it to come out now! Lol. And though I would love Magazine UX, the main reason I want it is the optimization of the software. Check the review below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yl6XLkmlVY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
That's the NotePro wifi only (exynos) final software and hardware. The software is butter smooth, same exact hardware as our note 10.1 2014. Doin basic stuff like in the video above I get lags and glitches which is annoying, so looking fwd to this update forealz!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
I installed tsf on my Galaxy Note 2 recently. It is also butter smooth. Maybe you can try it on your 10.1
toyanucci said:
Yup! I just want it to come out now! Lol. And though I would love Magazine UX, the main reason I want it is the optimization of the software. Check the review below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yl6XLkmlVY&feature=youtube_gdata_player
That's the NotePro wifi only (exynos) final software and hardware. The software is butter smooth, same exact hardware as our note 10.1 2014. Doin basic stuff like in the video above I get lags and glitches which is annoying, so looking fwd to this update forealz!
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
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Just realize that this video is showing the Snapdragon 800 variant... Sad that Samsung can optimize their own CPU better than another company's...
alias747 said:
Just realize that this video is showing the Snapdragon 800 variant... Sad that Samsung can optimize their own CPU better than another company's...
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The review is of the exynos version, the reviewer is incorrect. If you notice on boot it says P900, that's the exynos version, also when he shows the right side there is no sim card slot. All wifi only (simless) versions are exynos.
Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
Big thx for the links. But that magazine ui is pathetic in my opinion. It's just some square widgets for Samsung apps only and flipboard shortcuts. Zero added functionality or efficiency improvement over regular android home screens. There are way better tools to configure and customize your homescreen in the play store.
It's just another thing I'll disable/uninstall with titanium backup. Thx for nothing Samsung they should have put all that design and programming effort into refining and tuning their apps like s note etc. Samsung is making products that fit my needs very nice in terms of hardware and Android fits my needs in terms of software anyway. But on the software side Samsung is just throwing stuff at you. They never stick to anything. They release a new design and instead of improving it, they throw it away and start from scratch usually going into opposite directions. At least that's how it feels...
The Android launcher is amazing. And all the custom launchers in the play store make it even better. Stop trying to fix it Samsung. It ain't broken!
Looking forward to Bugfixes and performance update though.
clouds5 said:
But that magazine ui is pathetic in my opinion. It's just some square widgets for Samsung apps only and flipboard shortcuts. Zero added functionality or efficiency improvement over regular android home screens.
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Android sucks on displays over 7-8". As it is, Google's done nothing to help maximize the additional screen real estate and improve the user experience on large format devices. If fact, throwing a phone UI on a 10" tablet actually makes it worse. M-UX is Samsung's attempt at improving the Android tablet experience. Edge-to-edge widgets at least make better use of the display and size to increase the amount of info that can be shown on a single page and within a single widget. How well it works, how big an improvement it is, and whether it's a good or bad idea comes down to execution (both initially and over time). So to your point it could be a disaster or it could be great. I'll withhold judgment until I get to see how it works with the way I configure my tablets.
I can't think of a worse device for Android purists to buy than any Samsung Note-series. In edition to the normal Samsung gee-gaws it's got all the S Pen and advanced Multi View stuff piled on. KNOX now makes it worse because you place your warranty at risk to root and mod a Samsung device. People who don't like Samsung's s/w shouldn't buy Samsung devices and then complain after the fact. It's not like they didn't know what they were buying. It's like buying a diesel car and saying it's "awful" compared to a car with a conventional gas engine. This may be shocking but I like some of Samsung's s/w editions a lot more than some of their Google-native equivalents. There wouldn't be a Note-series if it were up to Google. So people should buy what makes them happy and if they're purists they definitely bought the wrong device if they're in this forum.
BarryH_GEG said:
Android sucks on displays over 7-8". As it is, Google's done nothing to help maximize the additional screen real estate and improve the user experience on large format devices. If fact, throwing a phone UI on a 10" tablet actually makes it worse. M-UX is Samsung's attempt at improving the Android tablet experience. Edge-to-edge widgets at least make better use of the display and size to increase the amount of info that can be shown on a single page and within a single widget. How well it works, how big an improvement it is, and whether it's a good or bad idea comes down to execution (both initially and over time). So to your point it could be a disaster or it could be great. I'll withhold judgment until I get to see how it works with the way I configure my tablets.
I can't think of a worse device for Android purists to buy than any Samsung Note-series. In edition to the normal Samsung gee-gaws it's got all the S Pen and advanced Multi View stuff piled on. KNOX now makes it worse because you place your warranty at risk to root and mod a Samsung device. People who don't like Samsung's s/w shouldn't buy Samsung devices and then complain after the fact. It's not like they didn't know what they were buying. It's like buying a diesel car and saying it's "awful" compared to a car with a conventional gas engine. This may be shocking but I like some of Samsung's s/w editions a lot more than some of their Google-native equivalents. There wouldn't be a Note-series if it were up to Google. So people should buy what makes them happy and if they're purists they definitely bought the wrong device if they're in this forum.
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I agree with you on some points. Google indeed hasn't done anything to improve tablet experience. But for me there is enough customization available through the play store to change that.
I also agree with Samsung devices being bad choices for purists. I have a different idea about Android in general. When I choose a product I primarily look at the hardware but I want to be in charge of the software. That's why I could never buy an apple product. You're not happy with the soft keyboard? Go f*** yourself. i got this tablet because it has exactly the hardware I want. But in terms of software you have less and less freedom with Samsung... Some of their stuff is amazing some of their apps are just annoying and bad. And that is OK as long as you can get rid of them or replace! M-UX seems a step in a different direction with deep integration. As I said as long as I can delete/change it I don't care what they do.
So I agree, it's nice that Samsung is trying. But like this with only a handful of options for the widgets it's just a waste of time and resources. I used the magazine app a few times already. But it's just a launcher for flipboard. It doesn't add anything it only makes it look nice. And I always choose functionality over looks. That's just how I am
clouds5 said:
Some of their [Samsung's] stuff is amazing some of their apps are just annoying and bad.
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Click to collapse
Agreed.
I used the magazine app a few times already.
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Click to collapse
Are you talking about today's My Magazine or the new Magazine UX. They have nothing in common other than a block layout and "Magazine" in their name.
M-UX seems a step in a different direction with deep integration. As I said as long as I can delete/change it I don't care what they do.
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Click to collapse
So far based on the media the worst case scenario is you have to have at least one M-UX page and the rest can be "classic." The M-UX page doesn't have to be set as "home" either. I'm still reserving judgment until I can play with it personally. I have 21 widgets and 12 of them are Samsung's. If those 12 widgets have been made more interactive, provide more info, and are better aesthetically I'll probably be happy. If not I'll probably end up with one M-UX page (probably my home screen) with the basics like weather, e-mail, messaging, social on it and set the flanking pages up in classic just like they are today. I'm not saying M-UX is the answer to Android on 10+" tablets but I am giving Samsung credit for some innovation in trying to make content more suitable for large format displays. The jury's out until we all get to form our own conclusions based on some hands-on time.
BarryH_GEG said:
Agreed.
Are you talking about today's My Magazine or the new Magazine UX. They have nothing in common other than a block layout and "Magazine" in their name.
So far based on the media the worst case scenario is you have to have at least one M-UX page and the rest can be "classic." The M-UX page doesn't have to be set as "home" either. I'm still reserving judgment until I can play with it personally. I have 21 widgets and 12 of them are Samsung's. If those 12 widgets have been made more interactive, provide more info, and are better aesthetically I'll probably be happy. If not I'll probably end up with one M-UX page (probably my home screen) with the basics like weather, e-mail, messaging, social on it and set the flanking pages up in classic just like they are today. I'm not saying M-UX is the answer to Android on 10+" tablets but I am giving Samsung credit for some innovation in trying to make content more suitable for large format displays. The jury's out until we all get to form our own conclusions based on some hands-on time.
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Click to collapse
Cool to see you can have folders in magazine ux too
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
BarryH_GEG said:
So far based on the media the worst case scenario is you have to have at least one M-UX page and the rest can be "classic." The M-UX page doesn't have to be set as "home" either. I'm still reserving judgment until I can play with it personally. I have 21 widgets and 12 of them are Samsung's. If those 12 widgets have been made more interactive, provide more info, and are better aesthetically I'll probably be happy. If not I'll probably end up with one M-UX page (probably my home screen) with the basics like weather, e-mail, messaging, social on it and set the flanking pages up in classic just like they are today. I'm not saying M-UX is the answer to Android on 10+" tablets but I am giving Samsung credit for some innovation in trying to make content more suitable for large format displays. The jury's out until we all get to form our own conclusions based on some hands-on time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
See i use one single Samsung widget but that is the beauty of Android. Every device is unique because every user can customize it exactly for their needs. But I can certainly live with a m-ux page. Even if it's just to show it off to my apple worshipping friends
You're right. Let's wait and see until we have it in our hands. Maybe I end up liking it as well.
clouds5 said:
See i use one single Samsung widget but that is the beauty of Android. Every device is unique because every user can customize it exactly for their needs. B
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Came over to this reading about M-UX - nice quotations about androids beauty.
I use 0 widgets...only single 1 page of NOVA launcher with app shortcuts - stock rom, rooted - and heavy debloated. I really like to sit my apps in ram, not to be killed by heavy TW launcher and heavy fancy widgets and bloat - all of my apps that i really use open instantly where i left them - and i am really just a 10 apps user. (Yes, but most used one is JumpDesktop to remoting to my server - so 95% of work is done on Windows machine .
A review of TabPro 8.4 is out with some screenshots of the M-UX or whatever you wanna call it:
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_pro_8_4-review-1042p4.php
I think that looks kinda neat, and could be somewhat useful if it's fast.
C2Q said:
A review of TabPro 8.4 is out with some screenshots of the M-UX or whatever you wanna call it. I think that looks kinda neat, and could be somewhat useful if it's fast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It all depends on what Samsung's included widget and shortcut wise in M-UX. If it's a lot of stuff that's highly used it should be cool. For folks that use a ton of third party widgets not so much. I wonder is Samsung's publishing a M-UX API so third parties can provide M-UX widgets also? I hope we get the revised notification panel and other menus. The one's we have just look goofy on such a large display.
It'll be interesting to hear the board's opinion of M-UX once more people are using it. Even in this thread it's pretty clear how varied people's use of apps and widgets are. Time will tell...
BarryH_GEG said:
Android sucks on displays over 7-8".
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Click to collapse
I disagree with many of the sweeping statements made in this post.
In the last couple of years ive seen play up their tablet support from almost nome to sections dedicated to tablets.
What in the heck is an android purist? Is this some sort of apple hybred? Ive been on android for four years and this is pure nonsense. An os is to serve you not you the os .
As for "worst tablet", of the seven android tablets i own this is the best experience ive had. My desire is to have the best tablet and tablet experience for my needs. I want extra memmory features "pure android" doesnt support. I have always thought a pen may be the best imput for a tablet. "Pure android"? I could go on.
What makes this tablet different than all the other large android tablets? Its the features? If this tablets features fit your needs then it may be the "best" android tablet for you. If not not.
Yes i would like more flexibilty from samsung to trim tablet down. I dont like button layout. No its not perfect, but its pretty darn good.
Woody
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
woodsonmh said:
I disagree with many of the sweeping statements made in this post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Certainly your prerogative.
In the last couple of years ive seen play up their tablet support from almost nome to sections dedicated to tablets.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Android's been awful at scaling apps between resolutions and display sizes. It's up to the individual app developers to figure out how to get their apps to display properly rather than have the OS manage it. Here's an example of viewing two apps I use for local supermarkets in landscape, the viewing orientation by design for 10" tablets. Ironically both are produced and managed by WebGrocer on behalf of the respective brands. Do you think this is the user experience people with large format tablets should be having? Would you find something like this in the Apple App Store?
Which of these two navigation/notification bar approaches are best for a 10" tablet where the user's hands are typically closer to the bottom? The first one with tiny text placed at the top because it was originally designed for phones or the second placed at the bottom which was designed for tablets and now retired?
What in the heck is an android purist? Is this some sort of apple hybred? Ive been on android for four years and this is pure nonsense.
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An Android purist, at least to me, is someone who thinks whatever Google feeds them is what God intended and anything Samsung, HTC, Motorola, LG, and Sony do to alter or supplement Android is the worst form of blasphemy. If it weren't for Samsung's additions to Android, especially S Pen and Multi View, I'd seriously consider Apple products. Yes, you give up flexibility and openness but at least the apps are consistent, well designed, vetted before being made available, and simply and predictably work. I'd never own a Nexus device because I think the UI is bland and flat and I think in many cases OEM's do a better job than Google with specific apps (EG: Gallery, Camera UI, Dialer).
An os is to serve you not you the os . As for "worst tablet", of the seven android tablets i own this is the best experience ive had. My desire is to have the best tablet and tablet experience for my needs. I want extra memmory features "pure android" doesnt support. I have always thought a pen may be the best imput for a tablet. "Pure android"? I could go on.What makes this tablet different than all the other large android tablets? Its the features? If this tablets features fit your needs then it may be the "best" android tablet for you. If not not. Yes i would like more flexibilty from samsung to trim tablet down. I dont like button layout. No its not perfect, but its pretty darn good.
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Sorry, don't understand this section.
I'm in the market for an eInk device to be used exclusively for non-ebook purposes. I need something with the battery life of an ereader as opposed to that of an LCD based tablet. My application does not require the flashy color, or the fast redraw of an LCD, it's simply going to be an interface for a control system of sorts. The UI will not require scrolling but be primarily page based, and no high frame rate video. The most advanced thing that might be displayed is the occasional slow update grayscale "video" (maybe a frame or two a second at the most but even that's not terribly likely). Touch is required and a lit screen would be a big plus (hence the list of devices I mentioned). I also require wifi connectivity, cellular is not important and would never be used.
I do like the idea of using a device that runs Android as it would give me a greater number of options for development. While I may stick with HTML5 and JS I also like the possibility of writing a true Android application. I'm not interested in Android Play or any of the other Gapps, though I suppose I could sideload them if I feel the need. I will most likely be running a very simple custom launcher so that the device operates more like a purpose built embedded platform rather than a general purpose Android tablet.
My question is what device would the experts here at XDA recommend I use? The Kindle has the benefit of the 800 pound gorilla that is Amazon but it doesn't run Android natively. Nook has the benefit of a decent sized company behind it, the fact that it runs Android, the downside is I'm not entirely clear on how long B&N will stand behind their eInk devices. Kobo is the little guy in the corner, I know next to nothing about the company, the build quality of the device, or the future of the eInk devices, but like the Nook it appears to run some version of Android.
In truth, it's not really all that important that the device I choose be offered forever. This is a personal project, nothing that's going to market. What's more important is hackability, Android, and at least the possibility for newer custom Android ROMs to be installed.
Thank you for your help.
--adam
P.S. If this is the incorrect forum for this I apologize.
I think a Nook and a native Android app will be fine for control purposes.
I'd avoid the whole HTML5 stuff.
It's easier to get lean, mean, responsive if you stay away from browsers.
There is already enough interchangeability among Android devices.
E-Ink options
True grayscale video of any quality would be a stretch as you'd likely be dealing with refresh flashing between frames at even 1fps. Every hack I've seen for improving refresh behavior involves switching to 1-bit color depth. Some solutions preserve the appearance of grayscale through halftoning like a newspaper photo at the expense of image resolution.
One thing's for certain about the Nook Touch series, you'll never get anything newer than android 2.1 on it. A number of closed binary drivers need to be replaced for truly custom firmwares and you'd be limited on RAM anyhow. You will not be able to expect B&N to stand behind the product line in the future. Note that the most recent 4gb NSTglowlight lacks an SD slot and is thus more difficult to root. That said, I'm very pleased with my Glowlight as a bare-bones Android device.
The Kobo Aura HD tablet would at least get you Android 2.3 and is rootable. I'm not certain how strong its developer community might be. One advantage over the Nook seems to be more even distribution of light across the display surface but I can't confirm from hands-on experience.
If you're comfortable with Linux, you might want to consider the Onyx Boox. There's at least a few scraps of information on the manufacturer's site about developing custom Qt apps for the Boox platform. Onyx has announced new tablets using Android but they don't seem to be available in the wild yet.
PocketBook out of Europe supposedly makes all sorts of e-ink Linux tablets, little, big, and waterproof; I'll be damned if I could tell you how to buy them though. Any evidence of purchasable shipped product I can find in English regards old models and dates from a couple of years ago.
Personally, I'm hoping the Earl GPS/walkie talkie Android tablet makes it out of vaporware.
dayofthedaleks said:
Note that the most recent 4gb NSTglowlight lacks an SD slot and is thus more difficult to root.
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Not so. Now that the development on USB booting has been done, it's trivial.
See: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51742352&postcount=373
Renate NST said:
Not so. Now that the development on USB booting has been done, it's trivial.
See: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=51742352&postcount=373
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I stand corrected!
dayofthedaleks said:
I stand corrected!
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Consider the Onyx Boox T68. Similar specs to Kobo Aura HD, and it runs Android 4.04. A bit more expensive, but maybe what you're looking for.
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I echo the t68 comment. I got mine from Amazon a few weeks ago and it even shipped with prime shipping and was only $200. Totally worth it as an EReader. IDK of it would work for your purposes. But it comes with the play store and I haven't had any issues with it installing any app I've thrown at it.
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