I am in the middle of fleshing out my follow-up article for Apple, Google and an 800 pound Gorilla. While writing, I started to realize that many of the opinions I hold and the opinions of those that commented were viewed from only one side, Google’s side to be more specific. Not only that, but as most of us here at this site, and others from technology blogs that have responded to my original post, all view things from a geeks perspective. We don’t mind getting our hands dirty, we don’t mind searching for and adding 3rd party apps into the mix, let alone custom ROMs, to make up for any shortcomings we come across. Your average user more than likely does mind.
I think that for me or anyone for that matter, to give any sort of honest, informed opinion on any possible needed changes to Android, I would need to know why a consumer would choose the competition over it, from a first hand account. I know that a few of you in the comments stated you have both devices, but lets face it you’re a gadget geek so your reasoning is obviously skewed as well.
I would obviously like to hear from as many people as possible. The problem is that this is a pretty Android centric site. That is where you the reader comes in. I need you guys & Girls to help us get this page and the following questions out there, in as many ways as possible, be Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, G+, submissions to other blogs, email, IM, Pony Express or whatever else you can come up with. I know a good deal of us have friends that fit into one of the categories below. Id like to hear from them. They do not need to give any sort of long form explanation, I just need to know the basic idea of why they chose what they chose or planning on choosing.
If those that do come here to leave an answer and fill out the poll could also send out this page that would be great! I would really like to get as many opinions as I possibly can.
Yea I’m begging, what of it? It’s not like it’s beneath me or something. :ºP
Please leave a comment on one of the following:
-If you own an iPhone, please let me know why you chose it over an Android/Google phone. What would it take for you to be swayed away from Apple? IE what would Google need to change in the platform for you to consider a switch?
-If you own a Blackberry and are thinking of making a switch, what are going to be some of the deciding factors of your choice in platform? Likewise if you own a blackberry and are not thinking of making a switch to Android, Microsoft or Apple, why is that? What would need to be changed to move away from your crackberry?
-If you choose Microsoft’s new WM7 platform what influenced your decision to do so?
-If you still rock a standard cellphone, what aspects would sway your decision in choosing any of the smartphone platforms available?
You can choose as many entries in the poll as you like, but to give us a better idea of your decision-making please choose the ones that are most important to you.
Loading …About the Author
Had 3 iphones and got sick of having to ask steve jobs if I could put things on my phone – it was slow, getting slower by the day, the apps were rubbish / poorly written and I felt constrained constantly.
Chose android due to it’s open and flexible nature.
Further, being a developer, was interested in the “you can develop an app that uses ALL parts of the phone’s OS and hardware” rather than then pinned-down iOS.
The dev language (java) that it uses is more industry-relevant to me (C / C# / .net) – so it’s a reusable skill rather than a niche “apple only” framework (i.e. it’s worth learning in it’s own right).
Made the leap and never looked back.
I purchased the HTC Desire HD this summer because: 1) HotSpot Wifi, 2) it was $29.95, 3) large screen, 4) Android 2.3.3 and It’s just EASY to use!!! I love the HotSpot feature, very useful with my 10.1 ASUS Transformer Tablet.
I have a htc sensation only reason 8 mega pixel camera 1080p record oh yeah dual core of 1.2 GHz so yeah once I root it it’ll be a beast
My first smart phone was a Blackberry Pearl 8130. I bought it because I wanted a smart phone and it was pretty much the only thing Bell had at the time. I liked it for the first little while and enjoyed playing games and using BBM. But the phone was slow and clunky and I wanted more.
When it was time to upgrade, I did lots of searching around to figure out what I wanted. My options were an iPhone, BB storm (or hold out for a storm 2), or Android.
I wasn’t leaning towards another BB as I had used them and the new OS was the same as the old one and I really wasn’t impressed with the direction BB seemed to be heading.
I was never a fan of Apple products. I had used Mac’s before for work, and generally wasn’t impressed so that drew me away from the iPhone. I did however like how easy an iPhone was to use, and the limitless number of apps available. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the costs. It seemed like everything with Apple cost money and I’m an extremely cheap person.
Finally when I was looking at Androids, it seemed like the phones were much cheaper, most of the apps were free, and it was open source so there were tons of developers out there making new apps, enhancing the OS and going well above and beyond what the OS Makers had planned. Being a developer myself, this seemed appealing.
So I bought my first phone of a Galaxy i7500. Not the best phone around, but it was cheap, and the best Android phone Bell had at the time. About 3 weeks in, I started modding it and installing custom roms. I wasn’t happy with the phone, but I loved Android. I started looking for a new phone and ended up with an Atrix.
I’ve even turned a few BB and iPhone users into Android lovers. They see how open and free everything is compared to what they’re used to and instantly love it. Plus the phones that are coming out are much better.
I highly doubt I will own another phone unless something comes out that can REALLY triumph over Android, but I think that’s unlikely.
My first smart phone was a Blackberry Pearl 8130. I bought it because I wanted a smart phone and it was pretty much the only thing Bell had at the time. I liked it for the first little while and enjoyed playing games and using BBM. But the phone was slow and clunky and I wanted more.
When it was time to upgrade, I did lots of searching around to figure out what I wanted. My options were an iPhone, BB storm (or hold out for a storm 2), or Android.
I wasn’t leaning towards another BB as I had used them and the new OS was the same as the old one and I really wasn’t impressed with the direction BB seemed to be heading.
I was never a fan of Apple products. I had used Mac’s before for work, and generally wasn’t impressed so that drew me away from the iPhone. I did however like how easy an iPhone was to use, and the limitless number of apps available. The only thing I didn’t like about it was the costs. It seemed like everything with Apple cost money and I’m an extremely cheap person.
Finally when I was looking at Androids, it seemed like the phones were much cheaper, most of the apps were free, and it was open source so there were tons of developers out there making new apps, enhancing the OS and going well above and beyond what the OS Makers had planned. Being a developer myself, this seemed appealing.
So I bought my first phone of a Galaxy i7500. Not the best phone around, but it was cheap, and the best Android phone Bell had at the time. About 3 weeks in, I started modding it and installing custom roms. I wasn’t happy with the phone, but I loved Android. I started looking for a new phone and ended up with an Atrix.
I’ve even turned a few BB and iPhone users into Android lovers. They see how open and free everything is compared to what they’re used to and instantly love it. Plus the phones that are coming out are much better.
I highly doubt I will own another phone unless something comes out that can REALLY triumph over Android, but I think that’s unlikely.
Three categories I wish were in the poll:
Hardware configuration: I won’t own a phone with a battery I can’t change myself.
Apps: Lots of good, solid applications; my Android now has most of the capability I’d crafted into my old Treo 700. And Google provides many apps Apple can’t replicate, especially at the low, low price of NOTHING.
Flexibility: I can customize the interface and add widgets to my heart’s content.
Three categories I wish were in the poll:
Hardware configuration: I won’t own a phone with a battery I can’t change myself.
Apps: Lots of good, solid applications; my Android now has most of the capability I’d crafted into my old Treo 700. And Google provides many apps Apple can’t replicate, especially at the low, low price of NOTHING.
Flexibility: I can customize the interface and add widgets to my heart’s content.
I didnt want the iphone when it came time to upgrade for several reasons. First and biggest reason…I did not want to go “BACK” to AT&T. Hated them from the start. Also my wife hated them…see, she lost her job when Big old AT&T stomped out the competition. So the Wife decided she wanted an Iphone but not AT&T. So we went Android when it was time to upgrade. We both and BB’s and loved them. As time went on I found out the Uncle Steve would decide for his children what apps he would allow on his phone…wait….what? That turned me off big time. As I got to use the Android devices I found how you could customize them. Change launchers, wallpaper and even the Icons. They became just Fun to play with. Now the wife on the other hand has had a really bad experience with them. Two devices in a row gave her troubles. Force close issues, radio issue and things like that. But after she got this last one her opinion changed. We played with the Ipod touch and found it really wanting. You can play apps, put things in groups and such but it is just not the same. You cant “make it yours.” Her words. She Loves putting weather apps and clocks on her “home” screen and checking in on Facebook without having to launch an app. I am a tech person so rooting and such is nice. I have played with different ROM’s and really just love them. The Biggest issue I can see, I have said it several times, not all OEM’s are the same. They always have to release a maintenance pack to fix bugs. This should have been done before they released the phone not after.
I started with an iphone, got seek of the control freek called Apple and the poor battery life, had a couple of Blackberry’s as work provided phones. Went from Iphone to HTC Desire great phone poor battery life and not liking touch typing. Bought a Samsung Galaxy tab and then realised that my phone requirements had changed as my tab was used mostly for internet, social media etc didn’t need to have Android phone any more. So actually thought about what I wanted, most of my internet etc would be provided by my Tab. Needed good battery life, good camera, good email, full qwerty keyboard, facebook and twitter and capable of good calls, Satnav. Eventually went back to a Blackberry Torch, 3 days without charging!!! qwerty keyboard etc.
Best of both worlds, Android on my Tab and more suited phone rather than early adopter mistake.
I have a ThunderBolt. I’ve been using nothing but HTC’s and will stick by them. Started out with a Nexus One, then had a Glacier (MT4G) for a few days, then a Droid Incredible. When it came time to get a new phone at VZW, I hands-down wanted the ThunderBolt. LTE, 32GB microSD included, and hefty specs, even though it’s going to be phased out soon by the multi-core phones. But the large dev support and amount of custom roms/kernels is what sold me.
Now, I’ll be the first to say that I was about to reconsider because of the reviews: battery life, reboots, intermittent data connectivity, etc etc. Well let me say this: It’s an amazing phone plagued by a weak stock battery, junk stock software, and immature radio firmware. Once I loaded up an extended battery, CyanogenMod7 (RC1.2 at the time, now at RC1.7), the latest radio pulled from leaked RUU’s, and leankernel, the ThunderBolt became an AMAZING phone that exhibited not a single one of the issues that gave the ThunderBolt its bad wrap.
In summation: out of the box it was garbage. But rooted and tweaked properly, best phone I’ve ever had.
I started with an Open Moko (anybody remember that?) and went to a G1 as soon as it came out. Moved from the G1 to the G2 – which was about my only choice, because I absolutely need a hardware keyboard (trying to SSH to Linux servers when most of your screen is taken up by a virtual keyboard is just painful.) I like GSM and dislike Verizon and AT&T, so that made T-Mobile about my only carrier choice. I could see switching to Sprint if they had a phone that was supported by CM7 and had a hardware keyboard. I could also see using a tablet as my primary phone, if any of the carriers in the US would allow tablets to make phone calls (as they do in Europe.)
I didn’t take your little survey because none of the radio buttons there were what mattered most to me – I’d have clicked “Android” and “CyanogenMod” and “Hardware Keyboard” if there were buttons for them.
I started with an Open Moko (anybody remember that?) and went to a G1 as soon as it came out. Moved from the G1 to the G2 – which was about my only choice, because I absolutely need a hardware keyboard (trying to SSH to Linux servers when most of your screen is taken up by a virtual keyboard is just painful.) I like GSM and dislike Verizon and AT&T, so that made T-Mobile about my only carrier choice. I could see switching to Sprint if they had a phone that was supported by CM7 and had a hardware keyboard. I could also see using a tablet as my primary phone, if any of the carriers in the US would allow tablets to make phone calls (as they do in Europe.)
I didn’t take your little survey because none of the radio buttons there were what mattered most to me – I’d have clicked “Android” and “CyanogenMod” and “Hardware Keyboard” if there were buttons for them.
My first phone was a sidekick 2 in 2006. Great “kool” UI. Easy to use. And the QWERTY keyboard! I based my later purchases on the sk3 and HTC herald on that reason. QWERTY. When announcements of a Google phone were brought to my attention I bought the g1 on release. Great phone with a QWERTY keyboard
. Customizing became a new hobby! Fonts, customizable launchers, and easy to use wallpapers were what really got me going! Flashing roms every week became an infatuation.
Knowing that I didn’t really have the best income (minimum wage) I felt limited to my 2 year upgrade discount. In regards to upgrading I knew I had to get top of the line when the dualcore phones were announced yet struggled with a sluggish g1. I learned that I could potentially “rent” phones off contract from Tmobile one month at a time until a tegra 2 phone was released. On the 3rd month I was told I couldn’t keep doing that so I went back to my g1 until the g2x was released.
I was very excited to be in line for a phone I was actually going to by first day. (Waited in line for the first iPhone not to buy but to enjoy the experience and make a few bucks off my spot. Even though they had plenty lol). I get to the Tmobile store a town away at 6 am to find out I’m the only one waiting. 3 hours pass.. still. The only one waiting. I had some issues with signal the first few days I got my phone. Screen bleeding and such as well turned me off of LG. But none of that mattered. It was fixed with a replacement and then I was able to fully enjoy an unlocked bootloader minutes out of the box. Cm7 was delicious upon release but I’ve now turned to miui for its easy customization and beautiful interface. I love this phone and its entirety.
To sum it all up… I prefer a 4inch screen with an unlocked bootloader to customize as I please with great battery life (18 hours is good for me. Don’t have to worry about screwing up battery stats by charging to early and don’t have to worry about my phone dieing mid day) dual core processor with snappy animations.
Android, processor, design, HTC, able to root for stock, high end specs
Speed, App Availability, Screen Size (bigger is better), UI Intuitiveness/Elegant Simplicity. A 5″ iPhone screen (or bigger). Anything that can fit in jeans front pocket with max screen would be great. On a side note, my Kindle fits in most jeans and Khaki pants pockets. I’m not suggesting something quite that big. The biggest screen that is not insane would be a device to be coveted. A mini iPhone iPad hybrid.
4G LTE! This is also huge. I love my iPhone but won’t upgrade until I can get one on a 4G LTE network.
I’ve been team #Android without backtracking, since my first G1, so above all else, I knew when I chose my latest phone, it’d have to be OS: Android. Aside from that, I wanted a lightweight, aesthetically appealing, large screen device with an above average camera. Battery life was also really important because my Mytouch Slide 3g would die after only about an hour of use (though, I think I had a faulty battery…or two). The ability to tether without having to use an app was also a +1 for me. My one regret in choosing the Tmobile LG G2x was, being the serial texter that I am, no physical keyboard is kind of a killer for me.