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Sure there are things you can do on Android phones that iPhones can't do. But the majority of the cool things involve "rooting" your Android phones.

Curious: what are the cool things that involve rooting? About the only really useful thing I can think of that might require rooting, is tethering. Or installing carrier-specific apps to a different device.

A lot of other cool things are quite possible without root. Just check out what you can program your phone to automatically do using the Tasker app, for example.

But in end, if the OP buys a carrier branded Android phone, the carriers will install their own crapware that can't be removed without rooting it.

A few extra apps in the background list don't hurt. As someone else pointed out, the only really bad carrier fiddling so far is if they lock you into Bing. So you just don't buy that model.
 
Curious: what are the cool things that involve rooting? About the only really useful thing I can think of that might require rooting, is tethering. Or installing carrier-specific apps to a different device

Benefits of root on android

- Remove ads across the entire UI. All free apps will not show ads, nor will they show while you use your browser (Search in marketplace: Adfree)

- Tethering (which you mentioned already)

- Overclock or underVOLT your phone (by changing voltage parameters), thereby giving even better battery life.

- Remove bloatware on Android Devices. No real benefit by doing this, but its possible to do with root.

- Change memory management parameters (search autokiller). This extends battery life.

- You can change UI further with a deodexed/rooted phone. (ex: change look/feel of the notification status bar, change icons, etc)
 
Well I have to say I'm a huge Apple Fanboy but well iOS is getting old. I'm just writing to ask a few questions to others. Has anyone else wanted to experiment with Android? Which android phone do you think is the best on AT&T? I'm not getting rid of my iPhone 4 as I love it too much but I'm starting to crave some Froyo. :(
Your inquiry seems perfectly sensible to me.

How interesting that others chose to be critical, stick their nose in your business, and challenge the values of you and your parents. This comes across as jealousy and great insecurity on their part. Who are they to be so judgmental? Why are they so afraid of treating you with respect? Hmmm... I believe it reveals more about them than they realize.

Cheers... :)
 
Benefits of root on android

Thanks, and stuff like overclocking of course. I do think the ad removal could be useful if it got annoying enough (hasn't yet for me - although they can be distracting if you're watching someone else play Angry Birds - lol).

I got off-track a bit in my post, because what I really started to respond to was the other person's assertion that:

aneftp said:
... the majority of the cool things involve "rooting" your Android phones.

Because I don't think the majority of unique Android "cool" things require root at all. At least nowhere near as much as jailbreaking is required with iOS just to do common Android cool things like active homescreens.

For example, besides widgets, disk mode, phone mode automation, installing different default browsers / picture choosers, etc... I also think that voice input capability nearly everywhere in Android is cool. I find myself typing less and less, whether searching, navigating or just responding to IMs and texts.

In other words, I think even stock unrooted Android starts from a much higher "cool" tinkering level. And that, contrary to some posts, there's no need to tinker at all... but there's a lot less stopping you if you wish to.
 
As others stated earlier, Samsung Captivate is the best on AT&T. Much better than the SE Xperia X10. Just wait a bit for those Tegra 2 powered phones. Dual core 1.2Ghz should be common by next year. And the Snapdragons will have a manufacturing process of 28nm which will reduce power consumption by over 75%!

Honestly, I think you should try out a different OS. Android seems to similar to iOS. Try a WP7 phone. The ZUNE software is really nice to use as a desktop media player. Much better than iTunes for the eye candy. Or just buy a Zune HD. They sell for cheap at CL for like $100-125 for the 16GB. I know you are in the "SWINGERS" stage. You want to still be married to Apple, but you still want to swing into something new.

2011 should be a big year and will get more competitive. iPhone's lead on cutting edge software is narrowing. Think of 2010 as Apple's PEAK, but it is only a matter of time before they decline too. Nothing stays on top forever. Just ask Nokia and Motorola the last four years! I am interested more at the SE XPERIA Z1 (aka PlayStation phone) and the QNX from RIM. I like that the video can still be running in the background on the Playbook while you open another app. It reminds me of the Tegra APX2500 when it was shown back in 2008. 3D UI. iPhone's homescreen looks to static and will eventually be succeeded with a ton of things happening in the background and with far more efficient chipsets. I believe Android and iOS will still be the most popular OSes by 2012, but neither one I would consider the best anymore. Both will be surpassed eventually by lesser popular OSes. Being the best vs popular are two different things. Do people call the Backstreet Boys better artists because it sold more albums than Jimi Hendrix? I personally feel webOS is better than iOS, but the hardware, unpopularity, and apps is what keeps it being obscure. QNX is the like webOS, but with RIM's own twist. RIM purchased TAT which makes 3D UIs. Check out TAT interfaces for Android on YouTube.

Wait for the Motorola Olympus or SE Xperia Z1 by 2011. And if you like the Galaxy S family, then the unlocked AT&T model of a Nexus S will be arrive soon at Best Buy. THE NEXT GEN phones will be dual-core, more speed, less power consuming chips for 2-3x longer battery life, glass-free 3D screens, less static homescreens, have better games, and new OSes that could be flashier than iOS and Android. So far, it isn't here yet. But in time, it will....
 
As others stated earlier, Samsung Captivate is the best on AT&T. Much better than the SE Xperia X10. Just wait a bit for those Tegra 2 powered phones. Dual core 1.2Ghz should be common by next year. And the Snapdragons will have a manufacturing process of 28nm which will reduce power consumption by over 75%!

Honestly, I think you should try out a different OS. Android seems to similar to iOS. Try a WP7 phone. The ZUNE software is really nice to use as a desktop media player. Much better than iTunes for the eye candy. Or just buy a Zune HD. They sell for cheap at CL for like $100-125 for the 16GB. I know you are in the "SWINGERS" stage. You want to still be married to Apple, but you still want to swing into something new.

2011 should be a big year and will get more competitive. iPhone's lead on cutting edge software is narrowing. Think of 2010 as Apple's PEAK, but it is only a matter of time before they decline too. Nothing stays on top forever. Just ask Nokia and Motorola the last four years! I am interested more at the SE XPERIA Z1 (aka PlayStation phone) and the QNX from RIM. I like that the video can still be running in the background on the Playbook while you open another app. It reminds me of the Tegra APX2500 when it was shown back in 2008. 3D UI. iPhone's homescreen looks to static and will eventually be succeeded with a ton of things happening in the background and with far more efficient chipsets. I believe Android and iOS will still be the most popular OSes by 2012, but neither one I would consider the best anymore. Both will be surpassed eventually by lesser popular OSes. Being the best vs popular are two different things. Do people call the Backstreet Boys better artists because it sold more albums than Jimi Hendrix? I personally feel webOS is better than iOS, but the hardware, unpopularity, and apps is what keeps it being obscure. QNX is the like webOS, but with RIM's own twist. RIM purchased TAT which makes 3D UIs. Check out TAT interfaces for Android on YouTube.

Wait for the Motorola Olympus or SE Xperia Z1 by 2011. And if you like the Galaxy S family, then the unlocked AT&T model of a Nexus S will be arrive soon at Best Buy. THE NEXT GEN phones will be dual-core, more speed, less power consuming chips for 2-3x longer battery life, glass-free 3D screens, less static homescreens, have better games, and new OSes that could be flashier than iOS and Android. So far, it isn't here yet. But in time, it will....

What about the Dell streak?! And also which should I choose a 21.5" iMac or something like the Dell streak
 
Well I have to say I'm a huge Apple Fanboy but well iOS is getting old. I'm just writing to ask a few questions to others. Has anyone else wanted to experiment with Android? Which android phone do you think is the best on AT&T? I'm not getting rid of my iPhone 4 as I love it too much but I'm starting to crave some Froyo. :(

The captivate is the best one on AT&T, but I would get a Vibrant, unlock it, root it and then put it on AT&T. Or wait for the Honeycomb phones, or wait for the AT&T Nexus S
 
Wut.. are you seriously comparing the Dell Streak to a iMac.

Yeah. I can't afford both so it's either the iMac or the Dell streak?! But because of my apple fan boyism (if that's a word) I think I'm going to get the iMac
 
Kid, you're calling me poor.. I'm 16, driving a $40k car.. ok? How do you afford this stuff? It's called getting it from your parents! How did I get a car? MY PARENTS. How did I get a phone? MY PARENTS. Man, you seem to know so much about these things but you really don't. I don't care if you got a nano at the age of ten? Honestly, you're talking little money. I could go out and beg my parents to buy an iPad, that will absolutely have NO PURPOSE being a student. I've needed a desktop computer for school work. Now, my parents bought me a laptop to take my computer in school for school work. I wanted a phone, and the only nice phone on ATT is iPhone and I got it. I didn't WANT these things, I needed these things..

My point is, ask your silly questions, but your parents are DUMB enough to spoil you at a young age. God knows how you will grow up..

Post those pictures because I don't trust you.

ALSO! WHICH PARENT takes the older iPhone and gives the kid a new iPhone?

LIES LIES LIES

im sorry to get of topic again but this kid is pissing me off and when i read this thing i felt bad for the op. yea you are spoiled. i dont care how much money u got or ur parents got. stop ragging on the kid when u dont even know him. he came in asking a question and ur spoiled a** came in knocking him up. and no u didnt need those things. ready, u needed a phone so u got the nicest, keyword there is nicest, phone from att. u could have had any phone but u picked that. next u needed a laptop so u could have a computer for school and one for personal use. heres an idea. buy an external hard drive which is a lot cheaper and use that for school files. why did u need a 40k car. a 20k car wasnt good enough for u. the best part of this whole thing is u r so spoiled and ur parents spoiled u so much that u think u need these things. maybe if u lived as a middle class person u would appreciate just having a car or just having a phone.

so back on topic now, op just go to att and try out an android. play with it for a while and see what u think. before u choose do a list of what each phone has and can do and see what u need more so out of both.
 
im sorry to get of topic again but this kid is pissing me off and when i read this thing i felt bad for the op. yea you are spoiled. i dont care how much money u got or ur parents got. stop ragging on the kid when u dont even know him. he came in asking a question and ur spoiled a** came in knocking him up. and no u didnt need those things. ready, u needed a phone so u got the nicest, keyword there is nicest, phone from att. u could have had any phone but u picked that. next u needed a laptop so u could have a computer for school and one for personal use. heres an idea. buy an external hard drive which is a lot cheaper and use that for school files. why did u need a 40k car. a 20k car wasnt good enough for u. the best part of this whole thing is u r so spoiled and ur parents spoiled u so much that u think u need these things. maybe if u lived as a middle class person u would appreciate just having a car or just having a phone.

so back on topic now, op just go to att and try out an android. play with it for a while and see what u think. before u choose do a list of what each phone has and can do and see what u need more so out of both.
Thank you, didn't want to start anymore drama and well after playing with android I found out the only reason I want android is because it's different so I'm going to just get the iMac :)?
 
The captivate is the best one on AT&T, but I would get a Vibrant, unlock it, root it and then put it on AT&T. Or wait for the Honeycomb phones, or wait for the AT&T Nexus S

The Motorola Olympus should be coming in January to AT&T. That is the one I would get if I was with AT&T. The dual core processor will be fast.
 
Personally, I am 16.. The things in the signature are the things my parents bought for me because I don't work. Since when does a kid NEED that kind of stuff?

I honestly don't think his parents were dumb enough to buy him that stuff but I think since he is a REALLY big fan boy that he just wrote that in his signature to make himself look good.

Don't tell people, "I'M A 14 YEAR OLD FAN BOY 'TEHEHEHE'"
and if you honestly want to sound professional, fix your signature and the way you type.

Glad to help you.:apple:

your parents bought you a brand new G37, and you're trying to talk about how his parents would be dumb for buying him several iPods and a few iPhones?

that being said, OP, I'd suggest experimenting with Windows Phone 7 instead of Android, personally I find android subpar in comparison to iOS. It's slower and less smooth, and also more similar to iOS than Windows Phone 7 is. WP7 runs just as smoothly as iOS as well.
 
Kid, you're calling me poor.. I'm 16, driving a $40k car.. ok? How do you afford this stuff? It's called getting it from your parents! How did I get a car? MY PARENTS. How did I get a phone? MY PARENTS. Man, you seem to know so much about these things but you really don't. I don't care if you got a nano at the age of ten? Honestly, you're talking little money. I could go out and beg my parents to buy an iPad, that will absolutely have NO PURPOSE being a student. I've needed a desktop computer for school work. Now, my parents bought me a laptop to take my computer in school for school work. I wanted a phone, and the only nice phone on ATT is iPhone and I got it. I didn't WANT these things, I needed these things..

My point is, ask your silly questions, but your parents are DUMB enough to spoil you at a young age. God knows how you will grow up..

Post those pictures because I don't trust you.

ALSO! WHICH PARENT takes the older iPhone and gives the kid a new iPhone?

LIES LIES LIES

you NEEDED a car? Maybe, I know families where both parents work and the kid needs to be able to get to school/work...but then again, you don't have a job so maybe you don't need it. You certainly don't NEED a 40,000 car. And you may need a desktop/laptop and cellphone, but not the most expensive ones on the market.

There's nothing wrong with parents buying nice things for their kids if they can afford them, but don't make the mistake of thinking you NEED them. That's how you can become spoiled, because you get a mentality of entitlement
 
your parents bought you a brand new G37, and you're trying to talk about how his parents would be dumb for buying him several iPods and a few iPhones?

that being said, OP, I'd suggest experimenting with Windows Phone 7 instead of Android, personally I find android subpar in comparison to iOS. It's slower and less smooth, and also more similar to iOS than Windows Phone 7 is. WP7 runs just as smoothly as iOS as well.

This. WP7 seems like a great platform. Especially come the new year.
 
Well I have to say I'm a huge Apple Fanboy but well iOS is getting old. I'm just writing to ask a few questions to others. Has anyone else wanted to experiment with Android? Which android phone do you think is the best on AT&T? I'm not getting rid of my iPhone 4 as I love it too much but I'm starting to crave some Froyo. :(

Our older son wants the Samsung Captivate. We were playing around with it in the AT&T store for an hour. I didn't like the os compared to the iPhone(only playing for an hour) but what made me jealous was the larger display. We are getting him the Captivate tomorrow and I'm sure I will be testing it. He wanted the Droid X but we don't have Verizon.
 
I have both an iPhone and a Nexus One. Both are very good handsets. ^_^ I like playing around with Android as well.
 
Other than the emulators, what are you expecting to get out of an Android experience that you can't get from an iPhone experience?

I've got both an iPhone 4 and a Samsung Fascinate sitting in front of me here and I'd reach for the iPhone 99 times out of 100. The 1 time I'd reach for the Android is when the iPhone is dead. Its currently my daughters and I'm learning it so I can try and get her a few apps she's been wanting....which, I'm finding, don't exist and I should have just gotten her an iPhone but she really wanted to stick with Verizon sooooo......

I can see how it would be fun to "play" with it, learning a new OS offers its own reward. But there's absolutely nothing in the Android Flea Market that beckons louder or with with more panache than you'll find a dozen times over in the iTunes App Store.

If you want one, get one. No need to rationalize it to anyone but yourself.
 
This thread made me laugh. Thanks for the afternoon entertainment at work.

I don't know either of you, but you both sound like spoiled little kids.

The only parents that buy there kids 40,000 dollar cars with over 300hp and rear wheel drive are parents that don't like their kids very much. Any 16 year old kid is obviously not mature enough to handle them as seen of this thread.

By the way if you were wondering this is the most pointless thread in the world. Your asking for Android advice in a Mac Forum. :rolleyes:
 
To those of you experimenting...

The Fascinate is okay, but the Incredible is still my overall favorite.

No matter which, the very first thing to do is register at http://www.appbrain.com and download their phone sync app.

It's a lot easier to surf apps on their website and buy / mark them for installation later using their phone app.

(They're actually a proxy for the Android Market, but their online site is a lot better.)

PS. Personally, I've had no problem finding quality apps that are the equivalent or better of the ones I used on iOS. eBay, Pulse, USAToday, Slingplayer, Angry Birds, you name it. But then, I'm not a huge game player on phones, if that's what your kids want. I have big screen home systems for that.

PPS. Learn to use the built-in Android voice search and everwhere-voice-input. What a time-saving pleasure.
 
your parents bought you a brand new G37, and you're trying to talk about how his parents would be dumb for buying him several iPods and a few iPhones?

this. I'm 19 years old, and while I drive a pretty nice car, it didn't cost anywhere near $40k, and IMO I earned it. (2003 BMW 330i if anyone is curious... cost $17k when it was bought 2 years ago). My parents bought me the car as a reward for good grades, but I payed for the operational costs. The only time my parents helped me with maintenance is if it was a safety issue and I was short on money.

I'll admit these days my parents are paying more of the operational costs then they used to, but there's a good reason: Last year I was diagnosed with a chronic joint disease, which really limits how much I can work. All of my energy is tapped between school and being in pain every waking moment. When this thing goes into remission some day, I'll repay them.

But I digress: Every parent takes a different approach with raising their child, and you really shouldn't be criticizing them if you're not living with the family and haven't raised a child of your own. I won't necessarily criticize your parents for getting you a G37; maybe you earned it and you're responsible enough to handle such a car. But at the same time, you shouldn't criticize a 14 year old for having a bunch of apple products. For all we know, they were just a bunch of hand-me-downs
 
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