Article: My Professional Opinion of the Android Platform and Current Implimentations

**Potemkine** · 01-18-11, 01:16 PM

Bunni, if you think its not ready, we can always de-list it and work with you to get it up to your snuf. The editors thought it was article worthy and so they promoted it to article. Such is the power of the mighty all seeing editors

**Bunni** · 01-18-11, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by Potemkine

VERY thorough review Bunni. I like it. However, there are a series of things that I disagree with on your article, and will address with a blog/article of my own from written by someone who has the Samsung Captivate (the AT&T Galaxy S phone). I'll try and have that done at some point in the near future because I feel that you may be having a different experience than I because it is the "Droid" by Verizon platform as opposed to the native "Android" experience I am receiving from AT&T. Don't get me wrong, I have MORE than my fair share of gripes with AT&T and Samsung with my phone.

True the root denial sounds directed at verizon, but even more so directed at the natural platform (along with the remaining points) and googles approach.

Keep in mind that i do prefer the android platform over alternative mobile platforms. The blog was only meant to voice my disappointments and critiques with the platform at face value.

That said, i am very interested in hearing your opinion from a different angle!

**WileECyte** · 01-18-11, 03:16 PM

My Android experience was a bit colored by the fact that the original Motorola Droid got 'stock' Android. There's no crapware on there mandated by Verizon. There's no custom interface like Motorola's "Motoblur" or HTC's "Sense". Unfortunately, there's no phone on the market anymore where you can get this experience, short of paying through the nose for one of the Google developer platforms.

**Alundil** · 01-18-11, 04:27 PM

I've been looking, more and more, into Android based phones as well. Excellent article, though i am not discouraged. I fully plan to root the device (whichever the lucky one is) and make hay with the latest android OS 2.3 at this point. Since I've never gone to warranty on any of my phones previously I am not terribly concerned about the loss of it (potentially).

But, with other smart phones that I've rooted (both on Verizon though Windows Phones XV6700 and XV6800 respectively) I was always able to grab a copy of the factory ROM just in case I needed to flash it back for some reason.

If the same thing is possible on the Android side then no worries. As for the different handset makers' UI crap. I really haven't seen any of them that I like. They all look like they are trying to "iphone" their phone. If I wanted an iphone I'd have bought an iphone.

Look for other faux paus in the news over the coming months like that from Sony and the PS3 root "key" built directly into the hardware. Can you say DOH.....and now a mod/root free for all on the PS3?

Bunni (and others), if there are additional thoughts, comments about android as a platform keep em coming.

**Walkerxes** · 01-18-11, 05:08 PM

Originally Posted by Bunni

Oh wow, when did this get promoted to an article? O.o The blog entry is literally only a quarter (could not post the entire article due to blog length limitations) of the full article and that was the first rough draft O.o

Good. Then there will be a part 2

**Gumby** · 01-19-11, 11:41 AM

nice review Bunni,
I just recently got a Motorola Defy (AMAZING hardware, ok software) and I agree with much of what you have said. I think you may be able to get a better review though by not using a Motorola phone. MotoBlur is responsible for many of your complaints. You should root that and try an unofficial ROM without the MotoBlur. I think a lot of your complaints would go away.

**king_of_hearts** · 01-20-11, 03:09 PM

What Gumby said.

I love my HTC Hero. Sure it's dated now, but rooted and running Cyanogen Mod 6.1 (Android 2.2) has given new life to my device. [HTC said the Hero wasn't powerful enough for 2.2, it's all about the marketing.]

A strictly 'Google experience' phone like the Nexus one provides the newest updates for the phone, basically cutting out the middle man (HTC, Motorola, et al). Those middle men are the creators of this 'fragmentation' issue. Hardware manufactures want you to upgrade your device every time a new update is released from Google.

The phone manufactures are the ones holding back android, not Google. Considering Android is open source (you can do your own compile if you so choose), Google has no choice but to let the manufactures do what they want with it.

The most difficult part of all this Android business is the device drivers. Basically the modders must reverse engineer drivers for devices because the drivers aren't released under the same license (GPL) as Android, thus hardware manufactures aren't required to release them.

As long as devices keep getting rooted, and the mod community keeps releasing updates, I will continue to use Android in all the greatness that Google intended.

**...bigdog...** · 01-22-11, 04:34 PM

my girls' windows 7 phone is a joke for apps and utilities compared to my droid phone. And good luck with the whole "root" freedom on an iphone.

dogging on droid...when droid is the only game in town that even gives you a remote chance at having some openness and freedom on your smart phone.....is ridiculous.

google maps navigation......makes iphone and windows7....on its own....a joke.

and a 4G droid......hot damn. Load in easytether, or pay for hotspotting.....and you're set at cellular 25Mbps on the laptop.

**asianator365** · 01-29-11, 01:18 AM

I love my Droid...haven't had any problems with it.

**kANG** · 02-03-11, 02:05 PM

Droid is the shit...this article is ridiculous....what can you compare a Droid with...nothing...besides maybe an iphone...Android is better because they give you hardware options which is key when it comes to phones because people need different options....Software is smooth and VERY customizable...You are knit picking at every little minor thing you can find...Android is the best operating system on the market plain and simple...