What does Android have that iOS doesn't

matttye said:

I have a silent/loud switch on the side of my phone, so it's available on every screen.

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But no Vibrate option in the mix.

onthecouchagain said:

But no Vibrate option in the mix.

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Can't think of a time I would ever have my phone on silent without vibrate, other than a job interview, but I would just turn my phone off for that.

So yeah, definitely not an issue

onthecouchagain said:

Power Toggles: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.painless.pc&hl=en

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Thanks for this tip. I downloaded it after reading your post, and it's brilliant!

So far as the OP question stands: my answer is - It has me

Widget and full filesystem access. Actually I don't even need full filesystem just some is enough. I use ES file explorer with my samba server and I can access all my media on any screen with a hdmi port, projector, plasma or lcd with full DD5.1 or DTS, Full HD video streaming. It sure is sweet.

I have a galaxy note 2, it has real pen input. Not these fat marker type pens designed for capacitive input. Capacitive touchscreens are fundamentally wrong for pen input. The wacom digitizer solves that and you get the best of both worlds.

I know many people will not agree with me, but flash. Yes flash, I love playing flash video because I know many other phones can't. The elitist in me I don't need to wait for HTML5 conversion I can play it right off my phone. It's powerful enough to do so without any trouble.

Specifically certains sites charging for mobile app versions of their website, when you can view them in flash for free!

I'm sad that adobe has stopped support for flash on android right at the cusp of when phones can actually start playing the damn format without any hinderance.

What else.. em full notifications. System toggles from the notification without jailbreaking.

For widgets I have a 24 hour weather widget so I can see what the next day is like without going into another app. One widget is a button so I can turn on the light without going into an app. Saves time, especially in the dark!

Google voice, is better than siri IMO. Actually knows what I'm saying.
Full google services integration.

Peripheral support as others have said, I haven't used it yet.

SD card slot if your device supports it. Expand your storage up to 64GB for $50 instead of $300 as apple would charge you... amazing!

Removable battery, if you felt the need to carry another battery or your current one has given up the ghost, just bring/buy another one.

Screensize, you're not locked into one screensize dictated by the mighty Apple. You have choice, you have variety, you have options.

Quite frankly, I think Android is innovating much faster and better than Apple right now. It used to be the other way around.

One thing I do like about android is the ability to customize your experience. I can decide whether I like Android, iOS or the Windows UIs , all on the same device.

Here is my Android GNex



Here is my "Windows " GNex , running Win 7 launcher from the Play store, with live tiles.



And finally, here is my "iOS " GNex running Fake iPhone launcher, also available in the Play store.

Play Store online > iTunes.

viskon said:

One thing I do like about android is the ability to customize your experience. I can decide whether I like Android, iOS or the Windows UIs , all on the same device.

And finally, here is my "iOS " GNex running Fake iPhone launcher, also available in the Play store.

Image

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This. I have 3 Android devices and each has a different set up. One of them is the iPhone look. Is this the iLauncher?

kenypowa said:

This. I have 3 Android devices and each has a different set up. One of them is the iPhone look. Is this the iLauncher?

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The name of the launcher is Fake iPhone 4S launcher.

NY Times says Apple got rid of Forestall to move ahead with iOS design overhaul.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/NYT-...e-forward-with-an-iOS-design-overhaul_id36185

"You can be sure that the next generation of iOS and OS X will have Jony’s industrial design aesthetic all over them. Clean edges, flat surfaces will likely replace the textures that are all over the place right now.”

Based on this quote, the "overhaul" may only be aesthetics? Ive was known to hate Forestall's skeumorphism. Will the changes be only aesthetics-deep? I hope not.

Intents and broadcast receivers

List of reasons why Android 4.1 > iOS. I find most of these agreeable. Many of these reasons are why I switched over. http://mostly-tech.com/2012/09/30/3219/


Better Voice Search Results – Like Siri, Google Now assists you with everyday tasks. You can ask it a questions and it speaks the answer — while it displays related graphics. But this app now goes beyond Siri because it learns about you through your searches, and automatically alerts you — without you needing to ask for things. For example, Google Now knows when you need to leave for work and from which gate your flight is departing. It also automatically displays things like sports scores, traffic and weather. It will even alert you if there’s a traffic jam and automatically recommends places around you like restaurants. But its biggest advantage, is the relevance and accuracy of the data it provides. Most experts say it’s better than Siri in this area.


Superior Maps & Navigation Services – Although iOS 6 now has 3D maps and turn-by-turn navigation, everyone including Apple agrees Android is ahead when it comes to maps. Google Maps is included on every Android device and has public transit maps (bus, subway and train, walking maps, street view maps, terrain indication, offline maps and cycling maps. iOS 6 Maps is missing all of the preceding. Many of Google’s 3D maps were taken with 3D cameras. Most of Apple’s 3D maps are synthesized by computer, which is why they often look bad. Google Maps are more accurate and contain more detail than iOS 6 Maps. Google also does a better job locating addresses and has a better 3D interface for driving directions. Google Maps also has better traffic reporting. Of course third-party iOS apps do address some of these deficiencies, but no single app can compete with Google today. Google continues to move aggressively in this area by adding new high-res aerial and satellite imagery along with new 45 degree views and indoor maps. iOS 6 Maps are so bad that Apple’s CEO actually apologized for them and is now recommending users use Bing or Google Maps.


A Digital Wallet Which Can Buy Things Today – Apple’s Passport shows promise, but it’s the only digital wallet I know of, which won’t let you purchase anything. Android supports near field communication (NFC) and Google Wallet which lets you buy things at over 300,000+ PayPass cash registers. After setting up Google Wallet on an NFC equipped phone like a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, you simply touch your phone to the payment terminal and the rest is done for you. Google Wallet is currently accepted at more than twenty retail chains including 7 Eleven, Best Buy, CVS Pharmacy, Duane Reade, Einstein Bros Bagels, Footlocker, Home Depot, Jack in the Box, McDonald’s, Peet’s Coffee, Pinkberry, Rite Aid, Sports Authority, Whole Foods and more. You can learn more about Google Wallet here.
Better Data Sharing Between Apps – It’s easiest to explain system intents by contrasting the sharing options between an iOS app and an Android app. When I share on my iOS Notes app I’m given four different sharing choices: Mail, Message, Print and Copy. When I share on my Android Notes app, I’m offered the ability to share via Bluetooth, Google Drive, Dropbox, Email, Facebook, Gmail, Google+, Read It Later, SkyDrive, Text Message, Twitter, Wi-Fi Direct, WordPress Blog and 17 other apps. The actual list of varies depending on which apps you have installed. Google realizes they cannot be best at everything, and allows their customers to choose which apps they want to interact with. All Android apps support this feature.


Touch-to-Share Anything – Android Beam allows any two NFC-equipped devices to send data by simply by tapping them together. This allows Android users to share web pages, maps, You Tube videos, contacts and links to apps. Starting with Android 4.1, Android Beam makes it possible to share photos and video by using Bluetooth for the data transfer. Samsung’s S Beam combines NFC with Wi-Fi Direct. This makes it possible to transfer almost anything — including documents, music playlists, photos and larger videos between two Samsung devices. Here is a video of S Beam in action.


More Advanced Multitasking – Apple places restrictions on third-party apps which run in the background. In most cases, they are suspended and not allowed to communicate with other apps when running in the background. Android has no restrictions like this and supports true-multitasking. This makes it possible to do things which cannot be done on the iOS platform.
Samsung’s “Pop up Play” feature, allows videos to hover, so you can text and watch a video at the same time. It’s also possible to have two apps visible at one time on devices like the Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a good example of what’s possible with true multitasking.


Smart Widgets – Widgets can be placed anywhere and provide you with weather updates, stock quotes, recent e-mails, or your calendar. Widgets are always visible and updated in real-time without needing to launch an app. Widgets also provide easy access to system and application settings. Want to disable Wi-Fi or GPS services? Use a widget. With Android 4.1, widgets are now “smart” and automatically resize themselves based on the amount of room available on the screen. You can get widget-like iOS apps, but they can only run on your lock screen, and some require a jail-broken phone, or third-party software to run.


Open Source – The underlying architecture of the Android is open-source. This makes it much more customizable than iOS. Not only is the Android OS customizable, handset manufacturers like Samsung open source their software for individual phones like the Galaxy S III. This makes it relatively easy for developers to improve on what both Google and Samsung have done to date. A wide range of different custom ROMs can be easily loaded onto rooted phones. These ROMs often have significant benefits over the stock Android OS when it comes to performance, features and battery life. iOS 6 is a closed operating system. Although in theory it can be jail-broken, it’s much harder to do. At the time of this writing, the iPhone 5 had not yet been jail broken. Expert say jailbreaks are going to be harder in the future.


More Advanced Notifications – Although notifications have improved in iOS 6, Android still has advantages in this area. You can tell at a glance what types of notifications have occurred, and clear all with a single click. Android 4.1 also has rich push notifications, which can be expanded and collapsed with a pinch. These notifications offer even more contextual information and are now actionable. That means if you’re notified about a meeting, you can dismiss it right from the notification bar, or email others about the meeting. You can also call or text someone right from the pull-down notification menu.


Ability to Set Default Software – One of the most powerful Android features is the ability to change the default software the OS uses for different tasks. For example, if you want to the Dolphin browser to open any URL (instead of the stock Android browser), just pick the app you want to use. Want to use a different app for turn-by-turn directions or media playback? Pick one, and it will use that app every time. This is an incredibly powerful feature. You can even replace the stock keyboard with a 3rd party keyboard like SwiftKey3. Apple doesn’t allow this.


Easier File Transfers – It’s a major hassle to get anything but photos on or off of an iOS device. With Android devices there’s no need to use iTunes or iCloud to copy media. Just connect a USB cable, and your mobile device will appear on your desktop like a hard disk. You can then drag and drop any type of file or folder to copy (or move) it. This is a really big deal.
Easier Access to App Settings – Android users can either use an in-app Menu button, or onscreen widgets to manage apps settings. iPhone users must use the Settings app every time they want to change app settings, or turn off Bluetooth.


More Open App Store – Although this is a platform benefit, it’s important. Google Play has far less restrictions than the App store. There is a long list of apps Apple won’t allow, including apps which compete with iTunes, free Wi-Fi tethering apps, VoIP apps which use technologies like Google Talk, and great utilizes like Farproc’s Wi-Fi Analyzer. Another Android advantage is the quantity and quality of alternative app stores including: AppBrain, GetJar, Handango, Handmark, and the Amazon App Store, which offers one paid app a day for free. The only apps which can be installed outside the Apple app store are Cydia apps, which are only available for jailbroken devices.
Smart App Updates – Smart app updates is a better way to deliver app updates to devices. Google Play now delivers only the parts of an updated app which have changed to devices, rather than the entire app. This makes the app updates much faster to download, and conserve both battery and data usage.


A More Advanced Keyboard – Android’s in-line spell checker and suggestion modes work better than Apple’s today. The Android 4.1 keyboard now guesses what the next word will be before you’ve started typing it. You don’t even need an Internet connection to see the suggestions. The Android keyboard also lets you add dictionaries, gives you control over auto-correct and has advanced settings.


A Persistent Back Button – Android’s Back button is available at all times. Some iOS apps expose a Back or similar command, but it’s not always visible and available on all screens. This is one of the features I miss the most when jumping back and forth between Android and iOS.
Apps Crash Less – I use iOS 6 and Android 4.1 many hours a day. Apps occasionally crash on both, but I experience more crashes on iOS 6 — especially while using the Safari app with multiple tabs open. Other studies have confirmed that iOS apps crash more than Android apps.


Better Graphics Scaling on Tablets – Android automatically stretches apps so they look good on screens of all sizes. Many iOS apps still have to be blown up to occupy the entire iPad screen. When you do this, the graphics look distorted and funny. Really? I thought this was an issue with Android tablets?


Data & Resource Monitoring – Android makes it easy to see exactly how much data and system resources every app is using (memory, data, battery, etc). It even warns you when you’re getting close to your data cap. This is a really useful feature.


Extensive Customization Options – There are so many ways you can customize Android devices it would be impossible to list them all here. Almost anything can be changed in the Android ecosystem.
Moving Wallpapers – Live wallpapers run on all devices running Android 4.0 and later. They allow you to run cool animations or videos on every home screen, without rooting your phone, or needing to use a third-party app.
Haptic Feedback – The Android OS and most Android devices support haptic feedback. This gives you a little tactile vibration when you type, long press, or touch any of the navigation buttons. This makes it clear your touch was acknowledged, so you don’t have to tap twice. Haptic feedback also makes games much more enjoyable to play.


More Screen Unlock Options – Android now has five different ways to unlock your screen: A slider (which lets you access the home screen or camera), pattern unlock, PIN unlock, password unlock and Face unlock.


Third-party Alternate Keyboards – There are some outstanding third-party keyboard apps that run on all Android phones and have many advantages over the stock iOS 6 keyboard. Some of the best keyboards include Swype, which lets you create words by tracing between the letters on the keyboard. Swype can even sync your personal dictionary across all of your Android devices. SwiftKey 3 goes even further by predicting the next word in your sentence based on past behavior. To save time you can personalize it using your Gmail, Facebook, Twitter or blog posts. This can save you a massive number of keystrokes, as you can see from the screenshot on the right. SwiftKey and other 3rd-party keyboards also have extensive customization options unlike iOS. There are other good keyboards as well. Here’s a good review of some of the best ones.


Full Stylus Support – Although you can use a capacitive stylus on an iOS device, the OS has very limited support for it. You won’t get the same level of expression you get on a Samsung Galaxy Note II, which has 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. iOS also won’t let you toggle between a brush, pencil or eraser by simply holding the stylus above the screen and clicking a button. The stylus on Note II even lets you preview emails, photos or videos by hovering slightly above the screen. Here are some more things you can do with a stylus.


Unlimited E-mail Attachments – iOS 6 only allows you to attach images or video to messages. Android allows you to attach Word docs, PowerPoint presentations or any other document to an e-mail. This is especially important for those trying to use their tablet as a laptop replacement.


Flash Support – Flash may be a dying format which is no longer supported by Adobe on Android 4.1, but it’s easy to install and nice to be able to visit Flash-based websites or play any of millions of Flash videos which are still around.


4.2 should add:

-Photo Steer Panaroma
-Separate log-in accounts for tablets
-Gesture swiping in default keyboard
-Quick Settings pulldown menu
-Widgets in lock screen

The biggest thing for me is being able to simply plug my Nexus 7 into any machine and grab content I want.

I can be at a buddies house and grab a movie off his laptop with it. And play it without issue. Unlike iOS where you have to have a certain file format in order to watch a movie. Or only sync up from one machine.


I also like being able to customize what I see on screen.

I don't want to repeat all good points, just adding a new one:

Dropbox!

In Android I can edit a text file by simply clicking it, add something and save it. In iOS I need to open it in a specific App (iOS can't even recognize *.txt file!), edit it, and then transfer it back to Dropbox - if that app allows Dropbox transfer that is.

One reader ask why he would need access to the file system - I can't i.e. not move movies to another movie app in case one movie doesn't play.

Samsung S-III is less laggy too compare to my iPhone 4 which REALLY has a terrible lag when i.e. the camera is open in the background.

For pads - I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have S-Pen functionality. S-Pen is AMAZING! Finger input is something OK, but reminds me a bit of something kids do in Kindergarten, and that's how I feel often treated by Apple.

Another thing that Android has consistently? A dedicated menu button in each app.

On iOS, sometimes the setting is in the Settings app:




Then other times, you go to the Settings app but the app tells you it's in the app itself:




Ive, please fix.

android has much more customization options, iphone more reliable phone. i choose iphone, hence PHONE. for everything else , i have the ipad

Up until now, I have been an Android user for almost 3 years.
On Android, there is no such thing as "you just can't " as you have on IOS.
That's the beauty of open source. But with the open source, you need to deal with bugs and stability issues.

Not necessarily an OS thing, but I like how certain Android phones have a microSD slot up to 64 GB. I regret not picking up the 64 GB (ATT exclusive) of the HTC One. I can only fit 6-7 HD movies with the 25 GB avail. I will try to remedy that with an Android tablet so I can fit far more movies. And prices of 64 GB cards have been falling. By next year, expect $30-$40 prices.

And if cards get to pricey, I like how certain Android phones have OTG. It can play anything from a USB flash drive.