So I bought an Android phone today...

[Jonathan]

Well i got it a few days back actually.

Don't worry my apple crowing days are over, Muzuma mobile took it off my hands today for a tidy sum

So this isn't about what is better (cus it's too plainly obvious)

I got the HTC Desire, same size as iphone but larger overall screen.

LOVE Android, it's incredible, only 2 main downfalls - email client is TOILET and so it the SMS interface leaning towards the poor side of things. Rest makes up for it though - it's a total YES man phone.

Do this - 'YES' - ok now do that 'YES' - superb.

VERY impressed with the Android app store (Market) lightning quick to use and a lot of free, rather good programs.

One of my real blows was losing my £6 Planetarium on my iPhone

However the Android has a fee one, Google Sky that uses the phones pan, tilt and compass to show you exactly what you're looking at - superb.

Integration between flickr, facebook and contacts is breath taking.

Any tips on the mail / sms side of things ?

I hope Google sort it out - really they could do a LOT worse than to copy the iphone here.

[rogerch]

Keep us up to date on that, I'm a free aps, Linux kinda guy, so I'm interested, I just realised my mobile, Sony Ericcson is almost 4 years old, still serving me well though.

[andydclements]

I'm on an HTC Android phone as well, I've not gone to iPhone so cannot compare them but it's certainly a step in the right direction from my old HTC Windows one.

[Bibs]

[Boots]

Glad you are happy with your new phone as Roger said keep us posted and maybe us sheep may follow your lead

[jimmybondi]

I have the Sony-Ericsson VIVAZ with 8M pixel camera and HD video capability & Symbian S60 5th edition OS and I am happy with that... does this make me a dork?

Edited June 18, 2010 by jimmybondi

[rocket63]

What ya got Bibsy ?

[Jonathan]

Try Dolphin HD browser.

[Quicker]

I'm using the HTC Hero (andriod 2.1) right now - hoping to get our hands on the EVO soon.

It does go through periods of ramdom slowness.....

[rmcooke]

Went to a developer thing at Microsoft the other day. Apparently they think they are 'back' with Windows Phone 7. Personally, I think there is no way back from the depths they have sunk to. For me apple are too controlling in their terms and conditions and what they will and will not allow on the App Store. I think Android is probably the way to go although I have my eye on a Nokia N900 which is properly open unlike Android. Though not as open as the Openmoko which was the last phone I bought. Does this make me a geek?

Edited June 18, 2010 by rmcooke

[Bibs]

This is for you...

[Jonathan]

I like google as a company, I think they like to push boundries (maps, Earth, street view...albeit slightly contoversial, it is amazing) only reason I got the Desire.

Windows seems a little un-sorted, Android isnt perfect but the better of the 2, Apple is good for those who want solid works but less functionality.

Apple has too many drones to really worry about competition - ironically there are thing I miss from the thing !

E-mail and messages are ace on the iPhone in comparison to Android who just got it terribly wrong - or perhaps they just can't copy the best system (iPhone)

Apple are going in the wrong direction as well for me, resting on their laurels - iPhone was amazing when it was out but their designers seem to have hit a creative brick wall with the new one.

Apple is Iraq under Saddam, Android is Iraq under the Yanks....depending who you are both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Google is "how do I do xxxx ?" - Apple is "why can't I do xxxx ?"

For someone like me who wants control, customisability, features, freedom and not being charged for every click then Android wins absolutly hands down.

Even the satnav is free...and it's just as good as tomtom / Navigon (navi-gone LOL)

Edited June 18, 2010 by Jonathan

[Vulcan Grey]

I had Android 1.0, 1.1, 1.6, 2.01 on my HTC Touch (Vogue) Windows phone for a few years.

I recently had the HTC Hero running 1.5 and later 2.1, I sold that to a co-worker.

Now I have the HTC EVO 4G on Sprint.

I love it, so fast and responsive. I also love the Outlook exchange integration on the HTC Sense phones like the Hero, EVO, and Incredible.

The twitter and Facebook integration is very nice too, even though the normal Facebook app sucks.

[Bibs]

I've got a Dell Streak. It's big, very big but for the other positives to this negative I *think* I'm happy with the compromise. It's on a 14 day take-back either way but I'm as impressed as I thought I would be with Android initially. I must admit it doesn't seem as slick as an iPhone and there aren't as many slick apps but for functionality, usefulness and for what I want to use it for it's much better

[Jukka]

I have got a Samsung Galaxy S. It's an Android phone. I like it!

It's totally different than my earlier Nokia phones. New interesting world for me.

Now I'am trying to find interesting apps from Android market.

[Bibs]

http://mashable.com/2010/08/02/android-outselling-iphone-2/

The worm has turned...

[Simon350S]

That said, Nielsen’s stats also suggest a fair number of Android users – 21% to be exact – still have iPhone envy and would like to make the switch for their next device. The opposite is true for only 6% of iPhone owners. It will be interesting to see how an iPhone on a different carrier might change the dynamics of this ongoing battle.

iPhone envy hey!

Jon you knows you have it mate!

[Vulcan Grey]

I got Android 2.2 (Froyo) on friday for my HTC EVO 4G...

Might have jumped the gun, since HTC pulled the link and sent a note saying that it wasn't ready for release...

Seems to be working fine though.

[Iconic Ride]

Hi, Travis. How's the skiing in August? Some serious uphill hiking involved I suspect.

Sounds like you're using Sprint as your carrier, as I think they're the only ones offering the EVO 4G at the moment, Yes, no?

Today I went out to replace my aging headset, and ended up with the Motorola H17txt, which (as the suffix implies) supposedly will read inbound texts (SMS) through the earpiece, and can translate 150 acronyms as well. There is even the suggestion that the process will work in reverse, ie, "speak-create" a text message to send. (Pretty soon the technology will exist to actually simply speak to a person on the phone in real time. Just kidding). The only requirement is that you download the "MotoSpeak" app to your phone. A potential problem is the fact that AT&T (my current carrier) is very stringent about the use of 3rd party apps. And, of course, you need a "smartphone" to make use of it all.

And that is how my afternoon ended up being dominated by several hours of getting spun up to speed on all things "smart," or at least a significant fraction thereof. The "premium" choices available to me with AT&T are (of course) the iPhone, the new Black Berry "Torch," and the Samsung "Captivate." It is the latter that I'm seriously considering as my initiation into Android (2.1 for the moment, 2.2 available shortly). The BB Torch got panned in several reviews, especially not recommended for folks who have not been BB users in the past (I have not). For whatever reason, I have no particular craving for an iPhone, even the 4G version now available. And it's not the reception issue that puts me off. Just never been a Apple apostle in the past. I guess that puts me in the 27% to 28% mentioned in Bibs' link above that are bringing about the shift away from iOS to Android. It remains to be seen if I will be among the one in five Androidians who later suffers from" iPhone envy."

The Captivate has only been out for a few weeks. Has anyone on the forum had experience with it? Specifically would like to know if there are any issues with the MotoSpeak app being downloaded to it (assuming AT&T allows this). Am also wondering if the Android 2.2 update will permit "name dial" (through the headset), as this is a feature on my current phone that I use a lot. I have read that the update will permit "voice commands," but have not seen any specific mention that that includes the name dial feature as well.

[Vulcan Grey]

Hey John,

Skiing in August is ok... Just took my nephews to St Mary's "Glacier" last week. Still skiable snow there, it's receding less than usual. Hiking is required, though not too bad even on my ankle that is still healing from a sprain (3rd deg.) on July 4th.

On AT&T the Captivate is the best phone IMO. The new Samsung Galaxy S class phones are very nice... though still Samsung.... Which is to say that they usually have quirky software added on top of the OS. AT&T's plan structure seems weird too. They have the fastest processor available (hummingbird), very nice displays, some of the best specifications anywhere. AT&T doesn't have much ability to limit what is installed on the Android phones, not like they did with the old windows phones, if there is a will there is a way with Android. They do however limit what applications can use on their network, for example no video conferencing on 3G...

I do like my Sprint and HTC phones. They pretty much don't care what you do with them. They are also the first with the Android 2.2 update, except for the Google Nexus One, which got the update first due to it's basic Googleness.

The Android 2.2 phones can now take voice direction, for instance I can say" navigate to Denver Colorado" and the phone will launch the turn by turn navigation software (free btw) and navigate me from my current GPS coordinates to Denver, with one button press.

It will also compose a text message by voice, or go to the internet and play music by a certain band/musician, all by voice.

I even have an application that will translate spoken words to several other languages, "Translate blah blah blah to French", and then speaks the translated phrase back in a robotic voice.

Android 2.2 does support voice dial over bluetooth, though I have not tried it yet.

I also have a $4 app that connects to an OBDII car via bluetooth and can run diagnostics, log engine data with GPS, altitude, and speed, and read and clear trouble codes! Works on Elise and Exige too.

I have even used my phone to tension my Esprit timing belt with an acoustic frequency analysis application

They are really impressive!

Edited August 14, 2010 by Vulcan Grey

[Iconic Ride]

Thanks for the reply, Travis. That language app of yours might come in handy should I hire an Austrian ski instructor next season. "Bend zee knees, John!"

Your comments on the Captivate are encouraging. Most reviews I've read are positive (highly in many cases), with some minor gripes such as battery life (though some individual reviewers actually listed it in the "plus" column--go figure), and a glitch in the GPS program that will supposedly be fixed by next month, perhaps coinciding with the 2.2 update. One of the benefits of Android (know I'm "preaching to the choir" here) is the ability to use Google's GPS program as, apparently, the AT&T program sucks.

A bit of online research last night led me to a page showing a Motorola "H17txt AT&T" designated headset in conjunction with an Apple 4G iPhone. Would you by any chance know if a "carrier designation" would imply that only that specific headset is compatible with that carrier's texting software on that specific phone? Seems to me that a headset labeled "universal bluetooth" on the box ought to "pair" with any bluetooth phone, certainly for basic communications. But does it have to be a "proprietary, carrier specific" headset to enable the "fancy" stuff (like "text to speech") to work? At the moment there is no H17txt AT&T "assigned" to the Captivate. Hopefully the MotoSpeak download will work for any phone, which makes me suspect that the AT&T suffx (found,to no one's surprise, on their website) is strictly a marketing ploy to get you to purchase the headset from them instead of a 3rd party vendor.

Of course, the ironclad way for me to find out is to purchase the Captivate and give it a go. I just feel better knowing what I'm up against before taking the plunge. But this is why God made receipts, non?

Cheers (and pray for snow),

John

[Vulcan Grey]

It looks like the Motospeak is available for android

http://www.androidauthority.com/index.php/2010/06/24/video-demo-of-motorolas-h17txt-bluetooth-headset-and-motospeak-for-android-app/

so it should work, assuming it is available for the version of android that the Galaxy S is running (2.1 for now).

Should work fine.

[Iconic Ride]

Great link to a very informative video demonstrating the headset and the MotoSpeak app. Keeping my fingers crossed about the Captivate compatibility. Feeling pretty confident about it now.

Thanks again, Travis.

[rogerch]

A friend of mine is looking for a new phone. All you can get from him, trembling like a jelly, tears rolling down his face, and a broken voice-----

--------"I just wanna make phone calls"

[Vulcan Grey]

I finally tried out my voice dial using my bluetooth. It's a Plantronics Voyager 855 that also does stereo audio over bluetooth.

I turned on the voice dialing function and left it running in the background. Later I hold the call control button 2s and then it asks me to speak a name. It dialed the correct phone number!

This is a new feature with Android 2.2, not available on 2.1 or less.

Google voice command is fun too.

http://googlemobile.blogspot.com/2010/08/just-speak-it-introducing-voice-actions.html