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signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

Android Phones and migrating from iOS phones, questions

I've only spend a few seconds looking at an Android phone, so I am not familiar with the differences from iOS phones, which I presently own (iPhone 4S). I have questions in case, a year or two from now, I decide to go Android:

What is the difference between widgets and apps, and what are some examples?

Which phones implement microSD slots for adding capacity?

How do I insure I get an droid that will have it's OS updated frequently for security bugs?

What features are important going from iOS phones to Android phones?

What Android phones are currently comparable to an Apple 4S? 5S?

Is there some way I can play with Android on my PC so I can find out if I DO like it?

Drunkula
Premium Member
join:2000-06-12
Denton, TX

Drunkula

Premium Member

A widget is basically an app that resides active on the home screen. Usually they provide updated info (weather for instance) without having to open the app. Tapping on it will often take you into the full version of the app or it could be a shortcut for some other action.

Sadly it seems the current trend is for phone manufacturers to forego including microsd slots. I guess that causes customers to upgrade more often. There are some out there, just have to look.

Important features? I can't really answer that as I've never used an iPhone. Also that's a very subjective question.

Not sure which Android would be comparable to that model.

You can install the Android emulator to a PC. Be forewarned that [I hear] it is incredibly slow. Also I once loaded an Android virtual machine into VirtualBox. It works. But since I was not using it on a touch-enabled device it seemed hard to get used to.
tcope
Premium Member
join:2003-05-07
Sandy, UT

tcope to signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

to signmeuptoo94
said by signmeuptoo94:

What is the difference between widgets and apps, and what are some examples?

Widgets are part of an app. Android has home screens in addition to the app tray. Widgets can be placed on one of several home screens for quick access to data from the app. For example, a weather app might have a widget that shows a 5 day forecast or the current weather conditions. A music player might have a widget that allows quick access to music controls. The Android OS itself has some widgets. For example, a small icon to turn on and off Wifi or turn airplane mode on and off. Whatever is important.
said by signmeuptoo94:

Which phones implement microSD slots for adding capacity?

This would be a list of hundreds of phones. A shorter list is phones that don't have an SD card. I'm not going to spend hours looking at all Android phones made. The list would change in a year anyway.
said by signmeuptoo94:

How do I insure I get an droid that will have it's OS updated frequently for security bugs?

Security patches would be released from the phone manufacture seperate from OS updates. These are usually released pretty quick.
said by signmeuptoo94:

What features are important going from iOS phones to Android phones?

What is important to you might not be important to someone else. Some differences... Android has home screens for instant access to information, not just an app tray. You have the _choice_ of hundreds of phones (hardware) and hundreds of versions of OS (software). You can buy an inexpensive phone or a more expensive phone. All of these options also have downsides as well.
said by signmeuptoo94:

What Android phones are currently comparable to an Apple 4S? 5S?

In what way? All of them if you are talking about phoning someone. All of them if you are talking about apps. Most of them if you are talking about hardware.
said by signmeuptoo94:

Is there some way I can play with Android on my PC so I can find out if I DO like it?

Walk into a phone store and spend 5 minutes with an Android phone or look at a friends phone for a few minutes. It does not take long.

IPhones do what they do very well. Since there is only one, entire companies can focus on only one OS and one phone (hardware). So it can do what it does very well. Android gives you a _ton_ of options (the options are almost endless when compared to iPhone) but this also creates issues. These days those issues are less and less. This is one reason why the Android market is so large. What a phone with a big screen, done. Want a phone with a better camera? Done. Want a phone that wakes up from a locked screen with just a voice command? Done. Want a phone that is water proof? Done.

You really just need to look around and see what is out there.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to signmeuptoo94

MVM

to signmeuptoo94
said by signmeuptoo94:

Which phones implement microSD slots for adding capacity?

As tcope mentioned, in a year (or two), any list given today will be irrelevant.
said by signmeuptoo94:

How do I insure I get an droid that will have it's OS updated frequently for security bugs?

Run a custom ROM (kinda like a jailbroken iPhone). Android (read: Google) can fix security issues pretty quick, but sadly, the phone carriers are responsible for pushing updates and they're generally known to be horribly slow at doing so. Actually, I missed a layer in that.... First, the phone manufacturer has to integrate the update and if they use an "overlay" (HTC = Sense, Samsung = Touchwiz, etc (those are the only two I'm familiar with)), they have to make sure it's compatible and doesn't break anything or too much. Then the phone carrier has to "test" and approve it.
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus to signmeuptoo94

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to signmeuptoo94
After playing around with my friends android phone in short bursts I got one, but I've never owned an iphone, I never liked I would have to use itunes for anything.

Carriers give you a 15 day return period, so if you don't like it you can return it, however do research first, not all androids are equal.

I tend to use mine more like a pda, and even disable carrier data when I'm not using it to save on battery life just like when I used to use a windows mobile phone before the kool-aid phones were around. I do have to say the games, and browsers are better these days. With an android phone you can do just about everything a desktop browser does including watch embedded flash videos in webpages.

Some of the major ones have microsd slots that support up to 128GB cards, but generally if it has a non-removable battery it doesn't support a microsd, however that isn't always the case. The Galaxy S5 for example has a removable battery, and supports a 128GB microsd.

I disabled all the google+ crap on my phone, but you still need an account to install and update applications. You can also disable most, if not all of the carrier crap on your phone you find useless depending on your carrier. Verizon tends to still sell the most locked down phones, and I refuse to have them as my carrier if I can help it.

signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

Does the Galaxy S5's micro SD slot support apps?
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus

Premium Member

If you mean can android install apps to the sd card, yes.

signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

I didn't word it well, thank you, yes. Is this something easy to find out before choosing a model, and if so, how?
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus

Premium Member

Sales websites should list their basic specs at the very least including if they allow you to use a microsd, and if you need more detailed specs they don't provide sites like »www.phonescoop.com/ can be useful.
»www.phonescoop.com/phone ··· p?p=4406

You just need to look, for example the htc one(M8) has a non-removable battery, but still allows you to use a microsd.
»www.phonescoop.com/phone ··· p?p=4422

The google nexus 5 is a great price, but has a non-removable battery in their specs, along with no microsd.
»www.phonescoop.com/phone ··· p?p=4312

These are not the only three phones out there, but these are three of the most popular or marketed android phones at the moment.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to signmeuptoo94

MVM

to signmeuptoo94
Installing apps on the SD card is an operating system function, not phone-model specific.

signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

1 edit

signmeuptoo94 to BlitzenZeus

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to BlitzenZeus
That's an awesome site, thank you! Hall, thank you too.

If I were to get a phone right now, after using that site, and I could afford it, the S5 would be the one. I understand the fingerprint reader doesn't work too stably, but the semi waterproof would be a big one for me (I have to walk around in the rain and often get soaking wet, such as today, I don't have a car). The battery charge life seems really nice too, and that is a big plus. The size might be a little too big, though. Looks like one heck of a nice phone.

Maybe after another year it will be cheap enough that I can get one with a trade in on this 4S of mine.
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus

Premium Member

Just remember, a small thin phone will usually have a smaller battery, but in my opinion they still design them so they can still be held with one hand unless you're a child or little person, however on the largest phones which almost seem like a mini-tablets you might need to use both hands to use them. Just go to a real store, and play with them, not those stupid kiosk places with the plastic demos.

Most just keep trying to make them thinner too, I'd rather have the better battery life instead of "new product XYZ it's now .25 inch thinner!"

lordpuffer
Legalize It Joe!
Premium Member
join:2004-09-19
Old Town, ME

lordpuffer to signmeuptoo94

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to signmeuptoo94
Here's another site that gives you some excellent info:

»www.gsmarena.com/


jvmorris
I Am The Man Who Was Not There.
MVM
join:2001-04-03
Reston, VA

jvmorris

MVM

said by lordpuffer:

Here's another site that gives you some excellent info:

»www.gsmarena.com/

Yes, an excellent site for detailed, comparative information on the hundreds of phones out there. It's not absolutely correct, but it's the best you're likely to find, often providing better information than is readily available on manufacturers' websites.

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall to signmeuptoo94

MVM

to signmeuptoo94
said by signmeuptoo94:

I understand the fingerprint reader doesn't work too stably

Most mid to high-end phones will have numerous gimmicky stuff - just consider them add-ons, not essential things. My wife has the S4 and it has a sensor that follows your eyes as you read off of your phone and it auto-scrolls. Neat, yeah, but she never uses it.... Some people will, of course. There's another one where a video is being played and you turn or move the phone a certain way, it stops playing (I think). Again, yes, it's neat, but if it quit working, how many people would care ?
Mister_E
join:2004-04-02
Etobicoke, ON

Mister_E to signmeuptoo94

Member

to signmeuptoo94
Another important thing to remember when moving from iOS to Android or vice-versa are the app stores/apps. Apps aren't compatible across platforms - apps you've bought aren't transferable to the other platform (you might end up having to purchase an app again on the other platform) and many apps simply don't exist on both platforms.

signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

Sure, I know, but I haven't purchased but 3 apps for the iPhone. About the gimmicks, yeah, there are features that matter and other ones, like Siri, eah, big deal...

Hall
MVM
join:2000-04-28
Germantown, OH

Hall

MVM

Google/Android has their own "Siri" and it's pretty good. I'm not suggesting one or the other is better and I know Siri has been around a little longer than Android's version has, but it does real well....

Hayward0
K A R - 1 2 0 C
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join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL

4 edits

Hayward0 to signmeuptoo94

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to signmeuptoo94
Well first of all get ready for a lot more FREEDOM and a lot less DRACONIAN control Crappleness. Androids are very much fully functional completely open mini PC's.

Yes some don't have SD expansion and diverse USB (Kindlle, some Nexus etc don't) but most do.

I really rarely use my home lapetop PC anymore but for a few things that only exist there, because my ASUS Transformer Tablet is so capable, and because of open source some apps not even on M$ PC corp disallowed to do and even more so and could NEVER exist on an absolutely draconian limited Crapple which goes far beyond DRM stuff to we just want to rip your A a new one because we can and you'll pay for it.

Compared to what an even an unrooted Android can do you have to JAILBREAK a an iDevice and even then far from wide open sky.

Root an Android the world is your opened oyster. And again even unrooted puts an iDevice to shame,
Hayward0

2 edits

Hayward0 to signmeuptoo94

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to signmeuptoo94
said by signmeuptoo94:

Does the Galaxy S5's micro SD slot support apps?

Yes but not universally, some apps have to live in the internal phone space. But if it a 32GB devive not really a big deal that a few do have too.

Odd Thing with ASUS Transformer is move to SD apps only see the virtual SD that is pasrtition of the 32GB mem vs the actual external slot. Where as smaller phones atuall another slot. Really a fault of ANDROID not ASUS... that may or will be corrected seeing all external space not just the first SD that might be only virtual vs real.

All other things like file managers see the ext SD and the 2nd other on Keyboard as well as UBB port... but Move to SD apps can't be moved there.
Hayward0

3 edits

Hayward0 to signmeuptoo94

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to signmeuptoo94
said by signmeuptoo94:

How do I insure I get an droid that will have it's OS updated frequently for security bugs?

Well Thats a biggie and again as much as Apple denies it there too.
Pretty much any Android is going to have one or two supplier upgrades and then they want you to buy a new one.

But again nice thing about open source sometimes hardware limitations, but rooted Androids can be for ever upgraded. Again Apples can't. My Ipod 6 is all it will EVER be in Apples eyes it is dead and gone. Again maybe real old hardware limitations... but Android do what you want. Might mean rooting but while maybe not simple... not the IMPOSSIBLE Crapple makes it when they say day is done buy new or DIE!!! In lite of Android giuse what most ex Crapples decide?? Gonna buy new I want open options... never gpimg to happen on Apple.

And not do funny thing why iOS 6 doesn't work anymore.... it's not INVASIVE enough anymore....Apple NEVER tells you of new permissions Android always does,,, and I have a number of Android apps I have NOT upgraded because of that and old versions still work fine. Apple invade your privacy and never even tell you just a great update. And actually a number of tings I have NOT updated on iPod because of the update permission revealed at same time on Android update Crapple self interestedly did not

Again Apple just newest and greatest.... oh and we are worming your ass if you haven't noticed,

signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

I apologize, I don't understand some of what you write, it's not intelligible to me, but I get the gist, that Android devices could be argued to be more upgradable. But I don't know what you mean by worming my ass. According to the Urban dictionary, worming like when a japanese lover licks the eye of another person, is that what you mean?

Or are you saying that you are hacking me? Why?

Hayward0
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium Member
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL

Hayward0

Premium Member

Apple is very big on total control and not letting their customers know what is really going on. There are many apps common to both platforms. On Android you are told every permission the app will be using and accessing.

There are a number Android apps I have not updated because of new invasive and unnecessary permissions. Apple NEVER tells you these things. Its just an update. Might mention new features but not new permissions.

signmeuptoo94
Bless you Howie
Premium Member
join:2001-11-22
NanoParticle

signmeuptoo94

Premium Member

what did you mean by you are worming me, that was an unsettling comment.

Hayward0
K A R - 1 2 0 C
Premium Member
join:2000-07-13
Key West, FL

1 edit

Hayward0

Premium Member

Apple allows App makers to plant invasive worms in you devices without your knowledge. Android informs you of all apps security and hardware access permissions before install. And any changes at each update.

I have an iPod that has common Apps with my Android Tablet so I know exactly what Apple isn't telling me about those. As the update at about the same time so the changes are being made to both... just Apple never tells you what they are..