Android Mobile OS

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

I'm liking my droidx more and more. It does it all and using it can be addictive. At this time I'm leaning toward the dolphin browser. After letting the battery run way down and then recharging the battery life is pretty good. I'm also using the mobile style here on NazNet. Not bad at all.

[Stu Weber]

I have been thinking about getting a droid.... I am more an "apple" guy....I like the iPhone a lot and am loving the iPad....but heard a lot of good stuff about the droid

[Craig Laughlin]

I have been thinking about getting a droid.... I am more an "apple" guy....I like the iPhone a lot and am loving the iPad....but heard a lot of good stuff about the droid

Welcome to the dark side.

[Randy Wise]

The choice for tables is getting interesting - Check out the specs and video on the new Xoom



http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/05/m...ined-by-unann/

[Steven Burton]

Question does the droid have the same problem as the iphone when playing music, body temperature effects the music player. In my case it made it fast forward sounds like the old tapes if you played them and fast forwarded them hello chipmunks.

[Rich Schmidt]

Question does the droid have the same problem as the iphone when playing music, body temperature effects the music player. In my case it made it fast forward sounds like the old tapes if you played them and fast forwarded them hello chipmunks.

What...? I've never heard of or experienced this issue, and I've been using an iPhone since 2007.

[Steven Burton]

Have you tried working out with it? I found out the only time it did this was when I was working out and my wife was told by her aunt that the iphone is heat sensitive and not pressure sensitive. So when I am blaring the ear pieces in my ears while getting in my final reps on bench press which music helps with that. All the sudden I get flash back from my childhood of fast forwarding cassette tapes. Not very motivating I tell you.

[Rich Schmidt]

Have you tried working out with it? I found out the only time it did this was when I was working out and my wife was told by her aunt that the iphone is heat sensitive and not pressure sensitive. So when I am blaring the ear pieces in my ears while getting in my final reps on bench press which music helps with that. All the sudden I get flash back from my childhood of fast forwarding cassette tapes. Not very motivating I tell you.

The iPhone's screen is neither heat nor pressure sensitive. It's touch screen relies on electrical capacitance. I haven't worked out with my iPhone 4, but I used to with my original iPhone, and it never responded to body heat. I took it on some long runs while training for a marathon, with it in an armband case. No problems.

[Steven Burton]

I must just be one of the lucky ones who gets the flawed apple products. :P Also try putting it in your front pocket of your pants and go for the long run and see if what happens :P.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I must just be one of the lucky ones who gets the flawed apple products. :P Also try putting it in your front pocket of your pants and go for the long run and see if what happens :P.

Steven - One of the things that made me go ahead and switch my desktop from a cheaper PC to a more expensive iMac was the numerous stories of good customer support at the Mac Store. Is there one near you? You should try taking your iPhone in and seeing what they say. Quite often they replace them.

[Craig Laughlin]

I'm liking my droidx more and more. It does it all and using it can be addictive. At this time I'm leaning toward the dolphin browser. After letting the battery run way down and then recharging the battery life is pretty good. I'm also using the mobile style here on NazNet. Not bad at all.

Any other ideas for improving batter life? I let it run down and recharge and that helped a lot but yesterday, it died about 6 pm. I had not used it much, mostly phone calls. I am thinking I need to get rid of some programs that are constantly accessing the internet. I have turned off GPS. Any one have any ideas? I have a MyTouch 4G. Love it so far but the battery life issue could be a deal killer. I have another week to take it back.

[Hans Deventer]

Anyone syncing directly with an Exchange server with an Android? So not through Outlook on your PC, but through accessing an Exchange server directly. Experiences?

[Kevin Rector]

Any other ideas for improving batter life? I let it run down and recharge and that helped a lot but yesterday, it died about 6 pm. I had not used it much, mostly phone calls. I am thinking I need to get rid of some programs that are constantly accessing the internet. I have turned off GPS. Any one have any ideas? I have a MyTouch 4G. Love it so far but the battery life issue could be a deal killer. I have another week to take it back.

I don't know. A year later and my Droid still goes all day and overnight too (but I generally charge it overnight). I don't keep wi-fi on and turn it on when I need it. That saves some battery as it's not looking for signals all the time. I do keep bluetooth on all the time though.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Any other ideas for improving batter life? I let it run down and recharge and that helped a lot but yesterday, it died about 6 pm. I had not used it much, mostly phone calls. I am thinking I need to get rid of some programs that are constantly accessing the internet. I have turned off GPS. Any one have any ideas? I have a MyTouch 4G. Love it so far but the battery life issue could be a deal killer. I have another week to take it back.

My experience is very limited and with a DroidX -- one thing I can do, and I assume you can do too is (after you've been off the charger for awhile):
Menu>Settings>Battery Manager - then tap the image of the battery for Statistics. You'll see a graphic of what processes have used what percentage of the battery since it was last unplugged.

Display should be first - mine's at 25% (that's with the display dimmed a bit). For me "phone idle" is second at 17%.

Knowing whether or not there's a culprit draining the battery that you can change will help you know if there's a problem with the phone or battery.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Any other ideas for improving batter life? I let it run down and recharge and that helped a lot but yesterday, it died about 6 pm. I had not used it much, mostly phone calls. I am thinking I need to get rid of some programs that are constantly accessing the internet. I have turned off GPS. Any one have any ideas? I have a MyTouch 4G. Love it so far but the battery life issue could be a deal killer. I have another week to take it back.

Craig - I haven't perceived it as a problem with mine. As far as newer smart phones go, what I read before I bought the MT4G was that it was pretty good. I think that part of the problem with batteries these days are expectations of them. What we are using is hardly simply a phone. It is indeed a computer. And since it searches for a variety of signals at all times (unless you turn them off), the battery is going to run out.

So I generally have a charger with me at all times. If I get in the car, I plug it in. If I'm going to be sitting at a desk for more than a half hour, I pull out the USB cord and plug it in.

As for our phone specifically, I've found that not using some widgets greatly helped. For instance, I had the ESPN widget on mine for the first couple of days, but it dramatically reduced the speed and battery level, so I got rid of it. And I leave my BT and wireless turned off unless I need to use them (I generally leave the GPS on because of how much I get in and out of the car, and also because I don't think that it searches for a location unless an app prompts it to).

[Rich Schmidt]

Craig - I haven't perceived it as a problem with mine. As far as newer smart phones go, what I read before I bought the MT4G was that it was pretty good. I think that part of the problem with batteries these days are expectations of them. What we are using is hardly simply a phone. It is indeed a computer. And since it searches for a variety of signals at all times (unless you turn them off), the battery is going to run out.

So I generally have a charger with me at all times. If I get in the car, I plug it in. If I'm going to be sitting at a desk for more than a half hour, I pull out the USB cord and plug it in.

As for our phone specifically, I've found that not using some widgets greatly helped. For instance, I had the ESPN widget on mine for the first couple of days, but it dramatically reduced the speed and battery level, so I got rid of it. And I leave my BT and wireless turned off unless I need to use them (I generally leave the GPS on because of how much I get in and out of the car, and also because I don't think that it searches for a location unless an app prompts it to).

Wow. Reading these last few posts makes me glad I've stuck with the iPhone (first the original, now the iPhone 4). I charge mine overnight, and that's it. I never think about the battery. I leave WiFi on, since I use it so much. I leave Bluetooth off, since I almost never use it. GPS gets used when I ask an app to find me (Foursquare, Google Maps).

The only times I've run out of juice before the end of the day are when I've spent a LOT of time playing certain games. Some games seem to drain the battery more than others.

The whole "charging it every chance I get" approach would get tiring after a while, I think. I guess that's the trade-off you make for 4G connectivity and widgets...?

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Here's a nifty chart comparing the battery life of Android phones: http://blog.laptopmag.com/android-ba...#axzz1BR85zDEW

[Jeremy D. Scott]

The whole "charging it every chance I get" approach would get tiring after a while, I think.

LOL, not anymore tiring than putting my keys in the ignition of my car is.

I like my battery full and thus charge it when I can. It's never run out on me yet, despite my heavy use. The first thing I said was, "I haven't perceived it as a problem." My point was that sometimes people come into smart phone situations with the battery expectations of non-smart phones. They are not comparable.

There's no doubt in my mind that the iPhone battery life is better than most, but if you were including my post in thinking that the iPhone is highly superior to the MyTouch 4G in battery life, then I didn't convey my point very well. Another factor in comparing Android phones to the iPhone in battery life is that the iPhone doesn't really have true multi-tasking. So it's not that the iPhone battery is all that superior (though it is at least a little better), but that Apple restricts what the phone can do at the same time, thusly conserving battery. Android users need to do that restricting themselves (limit widgets, etc.).

I could be wrong, but I don't think that there would be any difference in battery between using 3G or 4G.

Craig - one more thing for you: I keep my phone on the mid-level screen brightness. Perhaps you have it on the highest?

[Rich Schmidt]

LOL, not anymore tiring than putting my keys in the ignition of my car is.

You still use keys?

Just kidding. I'm glad you've found both a phone and a routine that work well for you. I'm just saying that, for me, that would get frustrating. (Edited to add: I probably wouldn't mind it at all if I bought one of those nifty car-dock-thingies. I often leave my phone out of my pocket in the car, so I can grab it easily if it rings. I'm sure I'd get used to setting it in a dock-charger-thing instead of in my seat.)

My point was that sometimes people come into smart phone situations with the battery expectations of non-smart phones. They are not comparable.

There's no doubt in my mind that the iPhone battery life is better than most, but if you were including my post in thinking that the iPhone is highly superior to the MyTouch 4G in battery life, then I didn't convey my point very well. Another factor in comparing Android phones to the iPhone in battery life is that the iPhone doesn't really have true multi-tasking. So it's not that the iPhone battery is all that superior (though it is at least a little better), but that Apple restricts what the phone can do at the same time, thusly conserving battery. Android users need to do that restricting themselves (limit widgets, etc.).

It's true that sometimes people have unrealistic expectations for smartphones... but apparently it's also true that different smartphone makers have different ideas of how smartphones should handle themselves. You mentioned that Apple conserves battery life by restricting what apps can and can't do in the background. From my perspective, this is a strength, not a weakness. You seem to see it as a needless restriction. But then, you also don't mind plugging your phone in multiple times a day.

I could be wrong, but I don't think that there would be any difference in battery between using 3G or 4G.

I thought I remembered reading articles after the EVO 4G came out (with all of its battery life woes) that said the 4G radio used more juice than the 3G radio. I could be wrong. Or perhaps the hardware and/or software have improved since then, rendering any difference negligible. I don't know.

Sorry... I wasn't trying to hijack the thread. I'm glad there are options in the smartphone world -- iOS, Android, WP7, WebOS, BlackBerry. Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses.

[Bud Pugh]

Anyone syncing directly with an Exchange server with an Android? So not through Outlook on your PC, but through accessing an Exchange server directly. Experiences?

Hans,
Yes, I am syncing directly to an Exchange server with my Droid X. I am quite pleased with it. Works flawlessly though I am sure that it must use a bit more battery life than if I wasn't syncing. I initially used an app to handle this chore but when Android 2.2 came out it was native to the OS.

Bud

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Here's a nifty product that makes my Droid X easier to use as a Navigation device. I've been quite impressed with it as a GPS. It does everything our TomTom does and more. The other day I used it to go to a store I'd never been to. However, I accidentally reversed a couple of numbers in the street address and ended up 4 blocks from where I meant to be. I pulled off onto a side street to look at the address again and when I looked at the Droid X it had switched to street view (I guess because I was supposed to be at my location. The view on the screen was exactly the view I had out the windshield (only the trees had more leaves on them). Amazing.

Anyway, when I saw how good it was as a GPS I decided I needed to mount it so I could see it better when I am driving. I already have some stuff mounted in the pickup so space and a mounting approach is a bit of a challenge.

Then I found the "Mountek MT5000" for $20. This nifty bit of engineering uses the slot of the CD player for a mount! The "teeth" barely reach into the mouth of the CD Player, and you can go on playing CD's - but have to remove the mount to replace the CD's. I have a 5 CD unit anyway, so CD's don't need to be replaced very often anyway.

Beyond that, even if you do need to remove it it only takes a second. If you have a CD player and are looking for a mounting solution, you might want to check out this device. I got it from an Ebay store, but I found this link to it on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Mountek-MT5000.../dp/B004E5W3D4

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I've been quite impressed with it as a GPS. It does everything our TomTom does and more.

It was one of the reasons we stuck with Android. Having had the first phone (the G1), I watched as traffic reports got better and better. The genius of using our phones to assess data got better with the increase in Android phones.

I bought this mounting device for $13. It's been great so far, but looking at yours, I think I'd like it better. We have three different disc slots and I think I'd like it better in the middle than on the left, where I put ours.

[Jon Twitchell]

I wish there was a universal standard on car mounts... You should be able to buy two pieces... one custom made for your vehicle, and one custom made for your device... and they snap together at a universal ball joint. Then you can interchange your GPS cradle with your phone cradle. I have this mount by i.Trek, which fits a Garmin nuvi cradle. I'd like to find a Samsung Vibrant cradle that has the receptor for that same ball joint. I suspect (but don't know) that something like this might work for me.

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

If you have an Android and use Chrome on your computer you might want to check out twin extensions: "Phone to Chrome" and "Chrome to Phone." Install Phone to Chrome from the Market and get Chrome to Phone as an Extension. Once both are installed and set up you can send links to web pages, text copied to the clipboard of either one, etc. back and forth.

Also, if you use Chrome, you can sync bookmarks, etc. from the computer to the Android. I have been using Xmarks trial version, but you can sync Chrome to the phone and get the same results using the Chrome sync extension plus the Chrome Marks lite app. In fact, I have Xmarks running on desktop and laptop computers, Firefox and Chrome. It sounds complicated, but it isn't. On my desktop, running Firefox, I create a bookmark. Then, when I go to my laptop and open Chrome, Xmarks syncs the new bookmark. THEN, Chrome also syncs the new bookmark with my Android to Chrome Marks. All of it happens seamlessly.

[Bob Evans]

Anyone syncing directly with an Exchange server with an Android? So not through Outlook on your PC, but through accessing an Exchange server directly. Experiences?

Mine worked nicely at work and we have an exchange server there. The key thing to know is the server mail address. Its usually mail.compnyname.org or com

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

A new Google Docs for Android is out - lots of nice features: http://lifehacker.com/#!5796237/goog...ion-to-android

[David Parker]

I am conservative in regards to technology. As a Realtor, too much of my livelihood depends on it. I have been on the Palm platform for many years. All my MLS software (lockbox key, roster, listings) is embedded. Our lockboxes are infrared and the older Palms allowed me to open them directly with my Palm. All my contacts, calendar, and notes are through Outlook and syncing with Palm has always been smooth. Once something works well for me, I don't mess with it.

But I have now been dragged kicking and screaming into the Droid world. My last Palm was a Centro and as it started to have problems I found there was simply no replacement. After much research I went with the Motorola Droid Bionic. Am with Verizon and was out of contract. Got a good deal and I must say I am shocked at what I had been missing.

Read a great deal about the challenges of keeping Outlook synced with it, and just decided to give the Google apps a try and consider leaving Outlook. Oh my...wish I had done this earlier. The contacts are great. Much quicker and cleaner edits, lots of options, and I love the seamless automatic updates. And the pictures. Not as thrilled with the calendar, but it is okay. Just a couple of quick .csv exports/imports and I was done. Forever. No more hassles syncing. The MLS stuff is excellent, and I was able to reduce my monthly data feed to a $16 per month plan from a $35 per month plan on the Palm. The Bionic can get much of the data without the proprietary MLS feed. Opening lockboxes requires a bluetooth/infrared fob that cost me a one time fee of $50, and it is something else to keep track of, but I think it was worth the trade-off to save $20 per month.

The phone blows me away. Just stunned. The screen, the speed, the applications, wow. Just wow. And my battery life is excellent. From what I had heard, I thought I would have to charge during the day, and I don't. So far, I have 20-40% of battery left at the end of the day. I do toggle off GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi when I don't need it, but I'm not sure I really have to.

Have only had it a few days, but I am really impressed.

[Rich Schmidt]

I am conservative in regards to technology.
...
But I have now been dragged kicking and screaming into the Droid world. ... Got a good deal and I must say I am shocked at what I had been missing.
...
Have only had it a few days, but I am really impressed.

Congrats! Sounds like quite an upgrade!

I have the feeling that a lot of people would have experiences similar to yours... if they would just give a current/modern smartphone a try. But change is hard, especially when what you have is (mostly) working for you.

[Gary Creely]

I am conservative in regards to technology. As a Realtor, too much of my livelihood depends on it. I have been on the Palm platform for many years. All my MLS software (lockbox key, roster, listings) is embedded. Our lockboxes are infrared and the older Palms allowed me to open them directly with my Palm. All my contacts, calendar, and notes are through Outlook and syncing with Palm has always been smooth. Once something works well for me, I don't mess with it.

But I have now been dragged kicking and screaming into the Droid world. My last Palm was a Centro and as it started to have problems I found there was simply no replacement. After much research I went with the Motorola Droid Bionic. Am with Verizon and was out of contract. Got a good deal and I must say I am shocked at what I had been missing.

Read a great deal about the challenges of keeping Outlook synced with it, and just decided to give the Google apps a try and consider leaving Outlook. Oh my...wish I had done this earlier. The contacts are great. Much quicker and cleaner edits, lots of options, and I love the seamless automatic updates. And the pictures. Not as thrilled with the calendar, but it is okay. Just a couple of quick .csv exports/imports and I was done. Forever. No more hassles syncing. The MLS stuff is excellent, and I was able to reduce my monthly data feed to a $16 per month plan from a $35 per month plan on the Palm. The Bionic can get much of the data without the proprietary MLS feed. Opening lockboxes requires a bluetooth/infrared fob that cost me a one time fee of $50, and it is something else to keep track of, but I think it was worth the trade-off to save $20 per month.

The phone blows me away. Just stunned. The screen, the speed, the applications, wow. Just wow. And my battery life is excellent. From what I had heard, I thought I would have to charge during the day, and I don't. So far, I have 20-40% of battery left at the end of the day. I do toggle off GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi when I don't need it, but I'm not sure I really have to.

Have only had it a few days, but I am really impressed.

Imagine how much more impressed you would have been with an iphone. (okay I had to be the obnoxious iphone gadfly)

Those high end android devices are really nice. The google powered turn by turn is something is something I envy on those phones.

[David Parker]

Imagine how much more impressed you would have been with an iphone. (okay I had to be the obnoxious iphone gadfly)

Those high end android devices are really nice. The google powered turn by turn is something is something I envy on those phones.

I did consider the iphone. Several in my office have them and love them. But this thing just does so much more and I like the 'open' nature of the android system. And since I keep my phones for years, I don't like not being able to replace the battery myself.

[Gina Stevenson]

Congrats! Sounds like quite an upgrade!

I have the feeling that a lot of people would have experiences similar to yours... if they would just give a current/modern smartphone a try. But change is hard, especially when what you have is (mostly) working for you.

And then there are those of us still using "just a phone" who wouldn't mind i'net on-the-go added, but not for $20-25 (if I correctly recall from last fall's sales pitch when I needed another phone) more/month!

I did consider the iphone. Several in my office have them and love them. But this thing just does so much more and I like the 'open' nature of the android system. And since I keep my phones for years, I don't like not being able to replace the battery myself.

Huh? One has to take their iphone somewhere else to have the battery changed? Had no idea!

[Gary Creely]

I did consider the iphone. Several in my office have them and love them. But this thing just does so much more and I like the 'open' nature of the android system. And since I keep my phones for years, I don't like not being able to replace the battery myself.

Ya the battery issue is a double edge sword. The trade off for the changeable battery is considerably less battery life. I think you can have apple change the battery out for $99.

The thing with smart phones is when your contract is up it makes sense to upgrade because the the subsidy on the phone is so dramatic (like $400)- get a new device and ebay off the old one. I also don't think you will get as much life out of a modern smart phone as some of your older phones.

With an iphone, when I ger a new one I just plug it into itunes and it is exactly as my old phone was, down to my progress on games and bluetooth connections. The point there is upgrading is no fuss.

The interesting thing with the iphone is they have been allowing upgrade for each new phone if you got the last model when it first came out. What makes that interesting is it has been on a 1 year product cycle (a little longer this time), so every year ATT has been giving me a $400 subsidy. So when this new phone comes out at $199 I can get it, ebay off my old one for $300 and have a new phone and $100 in my pocket, or keep the old one as a back up.

[Rich Schmidt]

The interesting thing with the iphone is they have been allowing upgrade for each new phone if you got the last model when it first came out. What makes that interesting is it has been on a 1 year product cycle (a little longer this time), so every year ATT has been giving me a $400 subsidy. So when this new phone comes out at $199 I can get it, ebay off my old one for $300 and have a new phone and $100 in my pocket, or keep the old one as a back up.

They don't allow everyone to upgrade on that cycle. I won't be able to, for example. But that's because I have the cheapest plan possible. (Well, almost. I kept my grandfathered-in unlimited data plan.) The more you pay each month, the more likely they are to approve you for an earlier-than-two-years upgrade.

It should be interesting to see what Apple announces at today's presentation... starting just 1 hour and 40 minutes from now!

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Took time today to unroot my Droid X, install the update being pushed by Verizon, and then re-root it.

It takes a lot less time to type that sentence than it took to do all that. Part of the problem is that it has been so long since I did the rooting that I couldn't remember what programs did what! Anyway, I'm now current again till the next update when I'll have to relearn it all again.

[Bud Pugh]

Scott,
I'll assume you re-rooted your X? May I ask what your purpose for rooting was/is? Mobile hotspot? Shut down the "drainware"?

I need to un-root mine, too. I had hoped to set mine up for use as a mobile hotspot but never could quite figure it out. If you would like to share your process (or a link to someone else telling how its done), I might try again.

I'm usually pretty savvy with this kind of thing; I think I let fear of "bricking" get a hold on me.

Bud

[G R 'Scott' Cundiff]

Scott,
I'll assume you re-rooted your X? May I ask what your purpose for rooting was/is? Mobile hotspot? Shut down the "drainware"?

I need to un-root mine, too. I had hoped to set mine up for use as a mobile hotspot but never could quite figure it out. If you would like to share your process (or a link to someone else telling how its done), I might try again.

I'm usually pretty savvy with this kind of thing; I think I let fear of "bricking" get a hold on me.

Bud

I used this one: http://www.psouza4.com/Bionic/
Discussed here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1238472

My biggest challenge was remembering what app I used to freeze the bloat - and until I "thawed" them, the update wouldn't go through. In my case, I used this one: https://market.android.com/details?i...nttek.am&hl=en although it isn't as popular as this one: https://market.android.com/details?i...l1bUJhY2t1cCJd

Hope this helps.

[Bud Pugh]

I'm pretty sure I didn't just "freeze" apps but deleted them. I think I have to return to the pre-rooted state in order to update to Gingerbread (my last update was to system version 2.3.340). I'll dig around on the web to find out how to do that again.

[Randy Wise]

I did consider the iphone. Several in my office have them and love them. But this thing just does so much more and I like the 'open' nature of the android system. And since I keep my phones for years, I don't like not being able to replace the battery myself.

I think "malware" concerns should also be considered. Android seems too open in that respect.

R.

[Mike Schutz]

Bringing this thread back from the dead:
My current phone - Motorola Droid - still works fine in every area except one, it no longer serves as a phone. Even on speaker mode you cannot hear calls. This is not good since we no longer have a land line.

Now that Verizon gives me an option, I must choose: iPhone or stay with Android.

What Android phones are actually comparable to iPhones?
Is the iPhone battery still a problem?

Opinions?

[Gary Creely]

What Android phones are actually comparable to iPhones?

Droids, htc thunderbolt, illusion - basically the ones that cost $200ish will be in the ballpark with the iphone.

Is the iPhone battery still a problem?

No

Opinions?

Yes


Here is the long and short of it

Android pros:
Turn by Turn gps navigation
Larger screen options
Tighter google integration (although the iphone is not too bad)
Replaceable battery (which can be a con, iphone typically has better battery life)

Iphone pros:
Best camera of the smart phones
Tight apple integration
Easier UI
More consistant OS support
Apple store service