Let me start with a confession. I am an Apple fanboy. However, I became bored with iOS. I just could not and cannot get excited about the iPhone 5. Three friends of mine bought the Galaxy S3 and waved them in my face. The interface was so alive and colorful! How glorious it looked. In comparison, my iPhone looked drab. I became obsessed with Android. I was dreaming of Android. I lusted for Android.
So I went out and bought a Nexus 7 to see what Android is really all about. I have spent a week working with it almost non-stop. I gave up my iPad during this period. Android has a fairly steep learning curve, but I've really got the hang of it by now.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have to say that Android is years behind iOS and the Apple ecosystem. Android is positively primitive. It's like going back to the kind of fidgety phones we have before the iPhone. Its nothing like the silky smooth experience of iOS and iCloud.
However, I have found Android to be great FUN, especially the widgets and live wallpapers!!! More fun than iOS by far. I guess that's what people must like about it. The fun factor should not be underestimated. So I really do like my Nexus 7, not because its good, but because its enjoyable. Thats why I will keep it.
In comparison, the iPad and iPhone look dead. There is no movement on the screen until you launch an app. Perfect, but boring.
I had read that the apps on Android were inferior to iOS apps. I have certainly found that to be true with respect to RSS readers. On Android, I have tried D7, gReader Pro, NewsRob, and Reader HD. They are OK, but just OK. They cannot be compared to the vastly superior RSS reader apps on iOS, especially Mr. Reader (superb!), Feeddler (very good), and Reeder (good). Perhaps inherent limitations in Android prevent the development of excellent RSS apps. (I can discuss my thoughts regarding RSS readers further if anyone wants me to get into the details.)
I use X-Plane flight simulator app on iOS which is wonderful. The X-Plane app on Android sucks. For instance, when I land at SFO or Innsbruck on iOS, the airport buildings are all there in glorious 3D. On Android, they are missing completely. And on Android, I cannot see the cockpit instruments and the outside view at the same time.
I have found Safari iOS6 to be far better than Chrome. Reading List and Reader mode on Safari are excellent and there are no equivalents on Chrome. Also I have found it much harder to find bookmarks on Chrome.
I had problems with the Android stock calendar app which does not work well with iCloud, so I looked for a better calendar app. I went with Business Calendar, which is just OK. I could not find a calendar app gets even close to the usability of iCal on the iPad or iPhone.
Siri iOS6 DESTROYS the Android version. But I suspect that will improve on Android. It needs to!
On the other hand, speech dictation for composing e-mails and notes on the Android is great and I found it to be better than iOS, because you can see what youre saying very quickly and easily delete the last thing you said as there is a pop-up for that. Very nice.
Scrolling on the Nexus 7 is jerky, even with the butter in Jelly Bean. Thats one of the things that gives it a primitive feel. Perhaps its not a problem on other devices.
To summarize, there are some really nice things about Android and its fun, but iOS leaves Android in the dust. The idea of switching to Android as a primary device is a non-starter.
So I began to wonder, why did my three friends opt for an Android phone as their primary device? Then the penny dropped. All three of them have told me at one time or another that they hate Apple. They will never buy anything Apple. So they love Android because theres nothing else and as I have said, Android is fun.
In conclusion, I would never switch from iOS to Android. However, I will continue to enjoy my Nexus 7 and use it as a companion to my iPad.
So I went out and bought a Nexus 7 to see what Android is really all about. I have spent a week working with it almost non-stop. I gave up my iPad during this period. Android has a fairly steep learning curve, but I've really got the hang of it by now.
I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but I have to say that Android is years behind iOS and the Apple ecosystem. Android is positively primitive. It's like going back to the kind of fidgety phones we have before the iPhone. Its nothing like the silky smooth experience of iOS and iCloud.
However, I have found Android to be great FUN, especially the widgets and live wallpapers!!! More fun than iOS by far. I guess that's what people must like about it. The fun factor should not be underestimated. So I really do like my Nexus 7, not because its good, but because its enjoyable. Thats why I will keep it.
In comparison, the iPad and iPhone look dead. There is no movement on the screen until you launch an app. Perfect, but boring.
I had read that the apps on Android were inferior to iOS apps. I have certainly found that to be true with respect to RSS readers. On Android, I have tried D7, gReader Pro, NewsRob, and Reader HD. They are OK, but just OK. They cannot be compared to the vastly superior RSS reader apps on iOS, especially Mr. Reader (superb!), Feeddler (very good), and Reeder (good). Perhaps inherent limitations in Android prevent the development of excellent RSS apps. (I can discuss my thoughts regarding RSS readers further if anyone wants me to get into the details.)
I use X-Plane flight simulator app on iOS which is wonderful. The X-Plane app on Android sucks. For instance, when I land at SFO or Innsbruck on iOS, the airport buildings are all there in glorious 3D. On Android, they are missing completely. And on Android, I cannot see the cockpit instruments and the outside view at the same time.
I have found Safari iOS6 to be far better than Chrome. Reading List and Reader mode on Safari are excellent and there are no equivalents on Chrome. Also I have found it much harder to find bookmarks on Chrome.
I had problems with the Android stock calendar app which does not work well with iCloud, so I looked for a better calendar app. I went with Business Calendar, which is just OK. I could not find a calendar app gets even close to the usability of iCal on the iPad or iPhone.
Siri iOS6 DESTROYS the Android version. But I suspect that will improve on Android. It needs to!
On the other hand, speech dictation for composing e-mails and notes on the Android is great and I found it to be better than iOS, because you can see what youre saying very quickly and easily delete the last thing you said as there is a pop-up for that. Very nice.
Scrolling on the Nexus 7 is jerky, even with the butter in Jelly Bean. Thats one of the things that gives it a primitive feel. Perhaps its not a problem on other devices.
To summarize, there are some really nice things about Android and its fun, but iOS leaves Android in the dust. The idea of switching to Android as a primary device is a non-starter.
So I began to wonder, why did my three friends opt for an Android phone as their primary device? Then the penny dropped. All three of them have told me at one time or another that they hate Apple. They will never buy anything Apple. So they love Android because theres nothing else and as I have said, Android is fun.
In conclusion, I would never switch from iOS to Android. However, I will continue to enjoy my Nexus 7 and use it as a companion to my iPad.
