Convince me that I need an Android

[Guest Narlhotep]

I'm running AMDZero's Lite Rom overclocked with Ibrythill's Titanium and full version of SU2U on my O2 and it rocks. Listening to WMplayer and using Bing with voice nav simultaneously the batclock mem is still in the green! I use Voice command -w- bluetooth to skip tracks/switch to artist/make calls while driving. It can tether if needed and Uzard does flash, (Opera 10 for more finger-friendly browsing). I open work spreadsheets so jammed with macros that no Blackberry can handle them. Plays DivX like a dream. I cannot even make the phone crash by trying at this point-if i open too many apps it just shuts some down, and SK tools shadow services looks after my RAM.

BUT, I love new toys and good old Verizon is actually calling me to tell me that if I become their slave for another two years I can get Iphone 4 or Android stuff at deep discounts.

SO, Tell me what I can't do with the O2. I see posts giving lots of love to other phones, but quite frankly the WM7 stuff redefines restricting capabilities on a device (I checked out an AT&T HTC-looked good, but what I read about it sounded purely evil.) Android has a lot of fans, but what does it do that I can't?

Convince me because new tech stuff is like a drug and I'm jonesing :D

[Guest Narlhotep]

Huh, maybe no one is looking at this because they have all abandoned their O2s? When I browse these posts looking for tweaks/new ROMs I see a lot of "WM 6.5 Pro is dead" talk or "I don't like my O2 because of X," but no one can tell me why I should look for a better phone? Just give me one function that an Android can do that an O2 can't and I will get one.

[Guest kdkinc]

Huh, maybe no one is looking at this because they have all abandoned their O2s? When I browse these posts looking for tweaks/new ROMs I see a lot of "WM 6.5 Pro is dead" talk or "I don't like my O2 because of X," but no one can tell me why I should look for a better phone? Just give me one function that an Android can do that an O2 can't and I will get one.

*****This is your new Android talking ****

If your want to be a fruit,get the iPhone, HOWEVER the iPhone 5 is coming soon which will be way better (if its comes to VZW) mainly 4" screen is rumored.

HOWEVER seeing that your into modifying phone GO Android. You have to ask yourself where have all the GREAT chefs gone ?

Now how many have returned back to Windows ?

You should also realize that Winmo phones are LOW in users as compared to IOS or Android market share something like 5% . There are graphs available to back up what I just stated..

Just some quick thoughts , Also really think about a one year contract ! The extra you pay is well worth not having the frustration of waiting one more LONG year. (the second year is longer.really)!!!

Look at the "ThunderBolt"

Best to ya :D

:D :)

[Guest problematika]

actually, O2 run now Windows and Android too (which is still in beta phase). :D just search this site a little bit! :D

[Guest awarner]

I would say if you like to flash ROMs just to get your phone in a workable state then Android otherwise forget WM and go for WP7, as it puts the others to shame.

Also Android is getting too fragmented which will cause future support issues, as soon as a new device gets released the ROM creaters move on leaving the last"best" device to slowley die and not be updated anymore.

[Guest kdkinc]

I would say if you like to flash ROMs just to get your phone in a workable state then Android otherwise forget WM and go for WP7, as it puts the others to shame.

Also Android is getting too fragmented which will cause future support issues, as soon as a new device gets released the ROM creaters move on leaving the last"best" device to slowley die and not be updated anymore.

Having a DX I can't agree with you completely.

The fragmentation of Android is seriously over rated. Even with my Locked bootloader the Developers are doing great things.

Moto's bootloader will be defeated but then theres always HTC.

I hope WP7 pulls it off but I personally won't be looking a Windows phone in the near or distant future. Heck I've even gone to Linux LOL !

I wish that MoDaCo's android forums were as robust as the Windows side . I truly miss the teamwork feeling.

:D :D

[Guest amdzero]

I might as well drop my 2 cents in the bucket...

Android is where its at. period. Sure its still a "new" os, but take a look around you and tell me that you don't see half your co-workers using an android based phone. I'm an electronics junky and I've had all kinds of PDA/Phones before. So what can android do for you NOW that you can't? Well to be honest not much. The O2 is a rock solid device. I loved doing all kinds of things one it. But the truth of the matter is that android is just faster. At everything. I'm not an app guy, but there seems to be a billion of them out there.

The biggest difference between my O2 (wife's phone now) and my SF (Fascinate) is the speed. The browsing on my phone is actually usable. I can zoom to websites and the load time is sooo much smoother. Integrated flash is awesome.

While there were far more games on PalmPC/PocketPC/Windows Mobile devices, None of the games I play on Android have any issues. Especially with screen resolutions.

The Gorilla Glass on most Android devices (and iphones) is awesome. I've dropped all kinds of stuff on my phone and no scratches on the glass at all.

In my eyes its not like android can do anything that winmo can't, its just that it does it better, faster and with grace. The phones are amazing now, but if you are happy with the O2, I'd say ride it out until more Mature 4G phones become available. If you stay with VZW, the thunderbolt will have voice over LTE. So you can talk on your phone and surf the web at the same time (still not sure why this is actually useful).

Honestly the only thing that pushed me over to android was the free phone. I got my SF for free on Thanksgiving through Best Buy promo. Its the best "free" phone I've ever had.

[Guest Narlhotep]

My answer is the one I already knew. Amdzero, my guru, speaks the truth: Since O2 is working for me now I should wait until the next generation improvements make it truly obsolete. I should not give in to my insatiable lust for new toys.

BUT, as long as the ball is rolling:

To my new Android-when I get an email with an excel spreadsheet attached, what do you do with it? Do you get along with MS office?

awarner-

Am I being told urban myths about WP7 when I hear: no accessible file structure-all sync through Zune. SD cards must be highest speed AND are not seen as distinct drives, but entirely integrated into the main mem. Bing has been disabled so that there is no voice guidance. All apps through the official app store with no way to install custom programs. Does the OS really reinstall when SD cards are removed/added? Has Microsoft really made changes from its original concept to give carriers more control over or usage of the device? Oh yeah and no cut and paste-was that just between programs our is that no cut and paste at all?

Edited February 15, 2011 by Narlhotep

[Guest amdzero]

...To my new Android-when I get an email with an excel spreadsheet attached, what do you do with it? Do you get along with MS office?...

When an email comes in, I can zoom in and out with ease unlike winmo where I have to scroll everywhere. I click on the file and I can either save it or open it. I use ThinkFree Office for all my office docs. Its easy to use.

Oh, and I just thought about something else I can do with my android phone, that I couldn't do with my Omnia II... I can download and flash roms directly from my phone. I can also back up all my programs, and restore them individually. That's more powerful than you might think. I mean I can restore, for example, Moon+ Reader Pro (an ebook app) and when I open it, it has my theme, my book and even my preferences just like I'd been using it the whole time. Meanwhile I just flashed the phone a few minutes before. I thought I would miss my stylus, as I used it all the time for swyping and opening/closing programs, but now with the capacitive touch screen, I can glide my finger with ease. I mean I just BARELY skim the surface and it registers, unlike the Omnia 2 with its resistive touch screen, I had to apply a decent amount of pressure.

[Guest Narlhotep]

Arrgh. Just as I decided that I would stick it out with the O2, you try to lure me away. I heard that the bluetooth and voice command don't work like I'm used to. I was told that if I say "Call Home" and my new Android misinterprets it as "Call Joe," the call will start without confirmation. This could be bad if I really did not want to call Joe. Looking at the Facinate it says "Advanced Speech Recognition,"-this could mean anything. Are there Droid apps that customize speech recognition?

On other notes:

kdkinc - I'm pretty sure you can be a fruit w/o an iphone 4, so that really isn't an argument for buying one (or were you saying that we shouldn't get one, I was confused) :D Will the iphone 5 make us superfruits :)

I'm anxious to hear from awarner. I really want to want a WP7, but I expected it to be a truly multi-function, open platform device and it really sounds like, well the opposite of that. I wanted MS to one-up the iphone in functionality, but from what I've read they have one-upped it in proprietary lockdown dreck instead :D

Edited February 16, 2011 by Narlhotep

[Guest Omega Ra]

When it comes to WP7, by the end of the year it will have multi-tasking, better skydrive integration, the copy/paste (who really cares though) and many other fun options like working with your kinect on your Xbox, plus the Xbox live integration is awesome. I have played with them in the store and can't wait until one gets to Verizon. As far as sideloading apps and such...where there is a will, there is a way :D ChevronWP7 and homebrew... So WP7 is still new, but it is going to be catching up soon. Don't rule it out yet.

[Guest awarner]

amdzero the problem you have is that you are comparing your Android to Windows Mobile and not Windows Phone 7

Don't and stop comparing it to a technically out of date OS like Windows Mobile is not even in the same league as Windows Phone 7.

Speed WP7 just as fast as android if not faster.

Zoom in on web sites? old news Wp7 does it as well, now with the update announced see how it compares to iOS it blows it out of thye water.

Gorilla Glass quite a few WP7 devices have it.

Voice command works perfectly, I use it all the time but for now using voice for Bing searches is limited to the US but that will be changeing.

Storage cards issue, now in reality do you actually need to change cards all the time? who can honestly say that they listen, watch and play everything on a 16GB device in a day or even in a week on holiday? people are generally just lazy when it comes to storage on devices, they chuck everything on and then don't play or use most of it from one day to the next.

Now file systems and storage, on WM I used to use file manager all the time, why? because it was basically a mess since having the HD7, in the four months of using the phone every day I've never thought about the need for a file manager.

I would like to add a cutomisable hub to list my apps but that's not the same thing.

The storage card is not supposed to be removed as WP7 only sees a single storage system, how many times in WM and Android do people say the phone has forgotten or can not see the card? on WP7 it's not possible and so like the file manager everything is organised so you don't have to worry about installing an app here or having ringtones there etc.

Now the update will give you copy and paste, multi tasking and for me the best part is office sync with my SkyDrive.

The social aspect of linking Facebook, Twitter etc in one place as standard saves time switching between apps just to get updates just works.

I posted the following in another topic but saves me typng it all again :D

The People hub gets all your contacts together in one place and it's easy to link Facebook and email account contacts together so you don't have a long list of the same contact over different accounts. Seeing their live status or add something to FB is quick and esy.

Camera, even when the phone is not woken up, just press the camera button for a few seconds and you are ready to take a picture then upload it to SkyDrive or FB in seconds. Photo hub lets you view your photos but can also display your friends images from facbook so you can see what everyone is upto.

Zune for your music and videos not video converting anymore my HD7 just plays what I copy over to it from Zune on the PC plus just charge your device and you can sync with Zune over your home WiFi or by usb cable if you wish.

Zune also enables you to install and view download history, so if you lost your device you have a record of evything you have downloaded and bought.

Most importantly Zune also enables you to backup and restore before applying an update, and you can even roll back if there was a reason to.

Xbox Live got an Xbox at home? take your gamer profile, avatar and friends with you. Compare games and send messages as you would at home plus live games also give you achievements if you are into your gamer score.

Unless you have an Exchange server for Outlook you will need to have a Live account and with Outlook extender you can sync your Outlook with your Live mail account for your phone contacts, email sync.

Bing maps and local search work well, press the search key and type your question and that's it.

All that is standard, no extra apps required to get it working. To get the best you need your Live account and if you do not have one or an Xbox you can set it up from the device, no need to go to your pc first.

You also have Live tiles so if enabled they update and not just sit there as a static icon trying to look pretty, I have installed a twitter app called Beezz witch has a Live tile so you see updates so you can keep on top of the tweets you are following.

There are a few issues and features WP7 need like customising ringtones and bluetooth transfer etc but they will be sorted in time, remember this is technically a first gen device and it's only four months old and growing fast.

Until you can have a proper play with a WP7 device don't dismiss it you are not doing yourself any favours.

As I have said many times before I would not swap my HD7 for anything (unless nokia produce their WP7 device with a decent camera) I tried Android with the Tmobile Pulse and it just did not work out of the box for me I had issues after issues HD7 took minutes to setup and get running at full speed.

[Guest Narlhotep]

awarner

First, it was not Amdzero who was questioning the functionality of WP7. He was telling me how an Android could do everything that my O2 currently does faster and as he put it "more elegantly." I was really mixing two topics in this post and I apologize.

But, that being said you have responded very well to my concerns about WP7 and I now face even more choices should I give up my O2. I seem that WP7 is really just not for me at the moment but it may be in the future. I like Xbox integration and camera functionality. As I said I really want a new Windows phone, yet a couple of the dismissals of my concerns indicate that that you and Omega Ra may not be using your phone in the way that I have become accustomed to:

"the copy/paste (who really cares though)"-I really feel that this disables the phone greatly- pasting from spreadsheets, word docs, and web into other docs/emails is how I use the phone for productivity. Updating a weekly spreadsheet with the daily numbers from the phone and emailing it to the boss, copying a quote from a website for Facebook, or keeping a rolling to-do list in doc format by pasting from the bodies of e-mails are good examples.

No distinct drives or creatable/nameable folders is also a hindrance, and let me be clear on this- Laziness is not a problem, it is the point. I want all docs from the boss to be in a folder called THEBOSS and I never delete any of them (so I really don't want them mixed with other docs). All music on the card, and yes it is overloaded and unedited-I set the wmplayer on random for over 2000 tracks, hit play from the homescreen and let it surprise me and if I run out of room I buy a bigger card and preload it with the tracks before inserting it in the phone.

Please before you respond, understand that I know that all this will have an equivalent function on WP7 eventually and most likely I will eventually have a WP7. My problem is that released software design concept opted for a proprietary Sync interface (Zune) rather than drag and drop with folders and drives amongst other issues. The fact is that I may just be scared of change (or of my wife's wrath after I spend another couple of months tweaking a new device right after I mercifully decided that my current O2 is in its final form.)

Another thing to consider is that what I want may never exist. I want as close to a laptop/desktop (with a GPS and phone of course) as possible in the palm of my hand without getting as large as a tablet. These guys who cook WM 6.5 may have gotten me as as close as I'm ever going to get and I think they are fantastic. It is my opinion, which will probably meet with great contention, that the software designers for new hand-held devices are all following the iphone. I will quote my favorite iphone freak, my sister-in-law. After she looked at my O2 she said: "Oh my god it's so customized. I could never use that. I need my phone to tell me what I want to do with it." :D

[Guest awarner]

Copy and past is in the update that will be released in a matter of weeks.

Until the skydrive access in the update I can not comment on folder access as that may be an option within the SkyDrive itself, plus with SkyDrive all docs will be backed up automatically I would imagine.

Tweaking for a few months on WP7 will not happen, out of the box it works and that's about it, but you do need to have a proper play with any device before deciding to change. Perhaps an WP7 device is more suited for your wife at the moment, that way you get her a nice shiney new device and you get a chance to get to understand the new system.

I presume as you are emails docs etc then you do not have access to an exchange server for the business? The Omnia2 is old now and while it was a great device (my daughter has stolen mine now)the WM OS does look tired and slow.

As I said from the start, if you want a device to flash and tweak to your hearts content then Android is the device to go for, if you want something easy to use then WP7 but check out what the SkyDrive update has.

[Guest Narlhotep]

Lol, don't get me started on my company's (they will remain nameless) antiquated systems. Server 2000 with XP on all workstations and Lotus, for Pete's sake, LOTUS! When I say that I fear change, it may be a valid fear. Company standard issue mobile is Blackberry, not the new, slick ones either. My clunky, slow, convoluted WM 6.5 is actually light years ahead of what anyone else I work with uses. To make a new mobile device useful in conjunction with my work is just not practical at this time. Once again, what I want may not be in the cards (great new hardware with a classic style, but improved, OS). I'll stick with O2 and maybe pick up a new Verizon branded WP7 or Thunderbolt Android whenever that happens. Considering how long it took for them to get the iphone, everything may have fallen into place by then.

Thank you all for your help, you have saved me time, frustration, and $$$ :D

[Guest kdkinc]

Lol, don't get me started on my company's (they will remain nameless) antiquated systems. Server 2000 with XP on all workstations and Lotus, for Pete's sake, LOTUS! When I say that I fear change, it may be a valid fear. Company standard issue mobile is Blackberry, not the new, slick ones either. My clunky, slow, convoluted WM 6.5 is actually light years ahead of what anyone else I work with uses. To make a new mobile device useful in conjunction with my work is just not practical at this time. Once again, what I want may not be in the cards (great new hardware with a classic style, but improved, OS). I'll stick with O2 and maybe pick up a new Verizon branded WP7 or Thunderbolt Android whenever that happens. Considering how long it took for them to get the iphone, everything may have fallen into place by then.

Thank you all for your help, you have saved me time, frustration, and $$$ :D

ThunderBolt way sooner then you think....next week'ish (new word)

[Guest jaycarl]

i came to the conclusion along time ago that most users of the O2 on this forum don't use their phones for business which is why apps are not important to them and you read things like "who really cares though" about cut & paste. When I heard WP7 didn't have cut & paste and other features I enjoy on my now outdated O2, I vowed to never support such a brain dead company again (productivity is everything in my business). Microsoft has their heads so far up their ass it seems like they purposely killed a good Mobile OS idea (oh what WP7 could have been).

Right now I am very happy with my O2 thanks to amdzero and other folks here. When I do upgrade it will be an android device. amdzero's above post made me question how much I can increase my mobile productivity using the faster SF. The reason I am not jumping on the samsung fascinate since i can get it for free is, for the life of me I cannot find out if you can use a program like wmwifirouter to create a hotspot without paying another $20 a month. I use that program daily, not only does it save money but its very reliable and there are so many ways it can be used for work and pleasure.

If I could create a reliable hotspot on the SF for free I would probably upgrade to the SF today since my O2 is starting to look very used and abused.

[Guest amdzero]

i came to the conclusion along time ago that most users of the O2 on this forum don't use their phones for business which is why apps are not important to them and you read things like "who really cares though" about cut & paste. When I heard WP7 didn't have cut & paste and other features I enjoy on my now outdated O2, I vowed to never support such a brain dead company again (productivity is everything in my business). Microsoft has their heads so far up their ass it seems like they purposely killed a good Mobile OS idea (oh what WP7 could have been).

Right now I am very happy with my O2 thanks to amdzero and other folks here. When I do upgrade it will be an android device. amdzero's above post made me question how much I can increase my mobile productivity using the faster SF. The reason I am not jumping on the samsung fascinate since i can get it for free is, for the life of me I cannot find out if you can use a program like wmwifirouter to create a hotspot without paying another $20 a month. I use that program daily, not only does it save money but its very reliable and there are so many ways it can be used for work and pleasure.

If I could create a reliable hotspot on the SF for free I would probably upgrade to the SF today since my O2 is starting to look very used and abused.

Well get your paddles ready, cuz its time to jump ship! There is a FREE, I repeat FREE wifi tethering program available once you root your phone. And of course why would you have an android phone NOT rooted? That's like buying a car and never looking under the hood.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, android doesn't yet do anything that winmo can't do; it just does it FASTER and with STYLE.

[Guest Bryan W.]

Well don't everyone get an android, I need cooks here so I can squeeze every once out of my Omnia 2.

As it turns out, I require the use of a particular program that only runs on Windows Mobile 2003 - 6.5.. Yes, its a curse....

So please, keep a few of you! I like having you guys advance the frontiers of Win Mo 6.5!!!!!!!

Thank you cooks and all you hard workers!

[Guest amdzero]

Well don't everyone get an android, I need cooks here so I can squeeze every once out of my Omnia 2.

As it turns out, I require the use of a particular program that only runs on Windows Mobile 2003 - 6.5.. Yes, its a curse....

So please, keep a few of you! I like having you guys advance the frontiers of Win Mo 6.5!!!!!!!

Thank you cooks and all you hard workers!

I'm curious, what program is it?

[Guest Bryan W.]

Its a indexed and searchable library of books and periodicals since about the 50's.

Its hard to use on a phone, but its good when I need to lookup something in a pinch.

I'd get a tablet, but there are no nice Windows tablets out there, at least until 2012 says the tabloids.

[Guest cliffco823]

I appeciate this thread! I am seriously considering the HTC Thunderbolt. Although the rumored battery life issues are scary. Althought the O2 has been GREAT to me. I am "feigning" for a new gadget.

[Guest odeveca25]

Im jumping ship to android as well, 2 years of O2 was enough, luckily it lasted that long. Now getting thunderbolt in a few days finally a fone I can actually surf the web and get emails With. I was so frustrated with the lack of response and speed that I just wanted to break a hole through the glass, hardly ever enjoyed using touch screen only made voice calls

[Guest Sb.]

Just to add my 2 cents like everyone else.

Had an i900 omnia for 2 years, to be honest the phone was s*** but the constant flashing of new ROM's especially when WM6.5 came out made it fun as there was a fascination to have the phone run faster, smoother and reliable which didn't even happen at the end but the company here at Modaco made it a great experience nonetheless. Then the chefs slowly moved on and the old crew disappeared and I stopped flashing, then WP7 came out and I went to check it out cos it was time to move on, wow, I was left speechless as it was going from one extreme to the other and I thought should I as I wont be able to flash new Rom's and you cant change the UI and no file explorer etc etc the list goes on. A few months went by and my old phone was really starting to s*** me so went online to see the prices of WP7 and they were about $600-700 Aus for HTC HD7 and Omnia 7 or Samsung Focus, checked out eBay in the U.S and seen that the focus was selling for around $330 and ended up buying one.

All my worries about flashing,UI, file explorer and all the other crap I had to do to have a decent phone were gone.WP7 is quick,smooth and reliable, the only real problems for me are marketplace chokes up once in a while and the camera is not the best. It transfers files and syncs like lightning, everything that you enter is put in place and category automatically so there is no need for file explorer. The home page has live tiles and you can add or move things around as you please and change theme color to your liking and I don't seem to have a need anymore to change the UI as it looks great and works flawlessly as is. Everything has been simplified so you use your phone faster and less to do other things you like just like in the commercial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHlN21ebeak .

Cant recommend it enough! but just like everything else, sometimes it comes down to personal choice!

Good luck!

[Guest pma7779]

I have seen the droid side and it is good.

I have been a dedicated windows fan and for the last 2 yrs I had an i920. I ran every rom on it that people created and customized it every which way. It was finally time to upgrade and I wanted to switch to windows phone 7 but of course Verizon didn't have it yet.

I went with the Samsung Fascinate. Damn is it good. Again, I am a dedicated windows fan but I have to say that droid is by far the best OS for a phone.

All I can say is make the switch, everyone.