Topic: Android Phones - Apps and stuff

[.adam]

Quick question. I have a rooted Desire, and I am currently running the MIUI ROM which I really like. I have a nandroid backup of my previous ROM. If I run a backup of my current MIUI ROM, will it overwrite the previous backup or does it created a separate backup allowing me to recover from a variety of backed up ROMs. Thanks.

Each backup is saved independently. You can go back to whatever backup you want at a latter date.

[DK]

What phone would you Android experts suggest for someone looking around now?  I have an iPad and iPod but want to see if there is anything out there that seriously competes with the iPhone.  I don't want to become an Apple junkie just because it would be easy to do so.

Obviously it needs to be a decent phone but I would mostly use it for apps and Internet browsing.  I am no technophobe but how easy is it to downloads apps etc on Android and do you need a laptop to load the updates (like you do with iTunes and Apple products)?

Should I be looking at a HTC?

[jason42]

What phone would you Android experts suggest for someone looking around now?  I have an iPad and iPod but want to see if there is anything out there that seriously competes with the iPhone.  I don't want to become an Apple junkie just because it would be easy to do so.

Obviously it needs to be a decent phone but I would mostly use it for apps and Internet browsing.  I am no technophobe but how easy is it to downloads apps etc on Android and do you need a laptop to load the updates (like you do with iTunes and Apple products)?

Should I be looking at a HTC?

Yes go for a HTC, you won't go wrong. Get the top spec phones and you will love it. Connect it to your home WiFi and you download apps from the market place as easy as I am typing this out... Top phones...

[PaulV]

What phone would you Android experts suggest for someone looking around now?  I have an iPad and iPod but want to see if there is anything out there that seriously competes with the iPhone.  I don't want to become an Apple junkie just because it would be easy to do so.

Depends how much you want to spend. The top two phones at the moment are the Samsung Galaxy S2 and the HTC Sensation. If I was getting a new one now, it would be the Samsung.

[.adam]

As an owner of the Samsung mentioned by Paul, I can confirm that it is a beast of a phone. Nothing on the market can touch it.

And to DK, installing apps is done in the exact same way as on your iPhone - via the Android Market. As an added bonus, you can sign in to the Android Market on your computer, browse apps, hit 'Install' and your phone will automatically install the app.

Updates to the OS are usually done OTA (over-the-air). It's a simple "Click yes to update" job.

[Graeme]

I can confirm that it is a beast of a phone. Nothing on the market can touch it.

Many review sites give the Sensation the edge due to better resolution screen, better camera, HTC Sense 3.0 and the aluminium back as opposed to the plasticky feel of the Samsung.

Both very good phones in their own right but I have the HTC Sensation and would not swap it for the Galaxy having played with both.

[.adam]

Many review sites give the Sensation the edge due to better resolution screen, better camera, HTC Sense 3.0 and the aluminium back as opposed to the plasticky feel of the Samsung.

Both very good phones in their own right but I have the HTC Sensation and would not swap it for the Galaxy having played with both.

Haha, thought I might find a Sensation owner after I clicked post. Most sites I've read slightly preferred the Samsung.

Whilst the HTC has a higher resolution, the consensus seems to be that the Samsung S-AMOLED+ has something going for it with darker blacks and better viewing angles.

The weight issue was a key thing for me and the Samsung is just so light, quite a bit lighter than the HTC. The cameras seem to be pretty equally matched but most sites praise the shutter speed of the Samsung in comparison to the HTC.

HTC Sense is far more attractive than TouchWiz but for me, as an avid LauncherPro user, the skin on top of Android was almost irrelevant.

The build quality of the Samsung, whilst being plastic, is superb and there's not a hint of 'creaking' that some plastic devices seem to suffer with. I'd highly recommend it.

It's a case of each to his own and coming from a Desire previously, I decided on a change and went for the Samsung. I've not regretted it.

For a good review, check out TechRadar:

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/htc-sensation-vs-samsung-galaxy-s2-961874?artc_pg=1

[DK]

Thanks for the advice guys,  I checked out the Sensation and Galaxy S2 today and it's going to tough to split the two.

[.adam]

Forgot to mention KiesAir - file transfer via your web-browser (so long as your phone and computer arre on the same network). Fantastic bit of software.

[CarraAgger]

Forgot to mention KiesAir - file transfer via your web-browser (so long as your phone and computer arre on the same network). Fantastic bit of software.

Seconded!  Bit slow though mine especially when downloading 1080p videos from the galaxy s2!  But that's obvious!

[CarraAgger]

Thanks for the advice guys,  I checked out the Sensation and Galaxy S2 today and it's going to tough to split the two.

I've just got the S2 with Voda mate.  It's astonishing!  Read the views on the web.  I think it pips just about everything

[filthy1980]

Anyone else's poweramp (apk version) stopped working

mines saying license not valid

[redy]

I think the Evo 3d is another phone to add consider.

Evo 3D vs Samsung galaxy S2 vs HTC sensation.

Although there isn't that much difference between the evo 3d and sensation, one possible difference is evo 3d being faster than sensation. The 3d thing is likely a gimmick although will have to wait and see.

[LOKKO]

swype 3.0  beta just came out, downloading it now

[edit] its much better

[DK]

I've just got the S2 with Voda mate.  It's astonishing!  Read the views on the web.  I think it pips just about everything

Thanks mate, it does look impressive.

Thing is, I have an iPad, Xbox etc etc so I am not particularly bothered about movies and games on my phone as I have other devices for that.  Therefore, to me, the S2 just looks huge (and the Sensation too to a certain extent) if you are not using the screen for those kind of things.

The biggest thing I get out of smartphones are the apps (sports, news, maps, shares etc) so it doesn't need to have a huge screen, just to look good and have a fast processor as I would use it to check something quickly and then put it down again.  I probably need to keep looking

[darubio]

The apps I used a lot are

Evernote - Such a great app and its free on the android. You can take text,pic, and video notes and sync it autmatically to your computer.

WhatsAPP - Again its free on the android, really cool app if you want to have a text convo with a group of your friends on androids and other devices like Blackberry & iPhones. I use this mainly to chat at the same time to my friends.

And other apps I use..mainly cos I read a lot of stuff online.

I have Mashable, Entrepreneur, StumbleUpon, TweetDeck, Soccer Live Scores, Dropbox, Greader, Liverpool RSS, Skype, JustPictures, HD Wallpapers, Job Search,  and a few others lol

Thats pretty much it. I have HTC Hero!

[.adam]

What is this Liverpool RSS of which you speak?

[Naughtykid]

How good is the HTC Desire?

Can't decide between that and the I Phone. It'd be a no brainer for me if my current phone, HTC Hero, wasn't a complete pile of shit.

[Something Else]

How good is the HTC Desire?

Can't decide between that and the I Phone. It'd be a no brainer for me if my current phone, HTC Hero, wasn't a complete pile of shit.

desire is very good, the first one does have a shit battery though, but i manage ok.


In other news, Texty is just brilliant

[Naughtykid]

desire is very good, the first one does have a shit battery though, but i manage ok.


In other news, Texty is just brilliant

By the second one, do you mean the HD version?

[callanlfc5times]

I have only just discovered go launcher and I'm loving how customisable it is, but I'm looking for a few tips on how to get the best out of it? For example I cant seem to use sense widgets on it for news, friend stream, weather, clock, favourites is it possible to get replacement widgets for these with go launcher? Also does anyone have some really cool themes/layouts they can suggest?

[Shevchunko]

Many review sites give the Sensation the edge due to better resolution screen, better camera, HTC Sense 3.0 and the aluminium back as opposed to the plasticky feel of the Samsung.

Both very good phones in their own right but I have the HTC Sensation and would not swap it for the Galaxy having played with both.

Agree with this 100%
I have the Desire but went with my friend to advise him on a phone to get and played with both of these. Both great phones but you really cant beat the build quality of a HTC, plus if you dont want to mess on with the phone installing custom roms and running the risk of bricking it the HTC Sense 3 is fantastic.

Got it running on my Desire with no hiccups, great UI.

In my personal opinion, get a HTC, regardless of model you really can't go wrong. I sadly am a Apple fanatic so I'll more than likely upgrade to one when I can even though it isnt neccesarily better than the models HTC have out. Unless I can control my urges, then it's HTC.

[Something Else]

By the second one, do you mean the HD version?

by first one I have the normal desire. Had an iPhone 4 before it. Desire beats it hands down,just battery not great. No idea if hd is better, heard some say its worse.

[PaulV]

I have only just discovered go launcher and I'm loving how customisable it is, but I'm looking for a few tips on how to get the best out of it? For example I cant seem to use sense widgets on it for news, friend stream, weather, clock, favourites is it possible to get replacement widgets for these with go launcher? Also does anyone have some really cool themes/layouts they can suggest?

With Go Launcher, I have used the Go Contacts widget, Beautiful Widgets (£) for the clock/weather (although you may prefer Go Weather or Fancy Widget). I am currently trying Digital Click Widget for a simple clock, with a separate weather widget (Aix Weather or  Snowstorm weather)

I don't use Friendstream, but Twicca is my favorite twitter client, and I use News Republic sometimes.

[choi]

is applanet working for anyone?

[Gigantic Lamb]

No mines not working the past few weeks pal..

[stevensr123]

has anyone had a go of the motorola xoom?

[Paul-LFC]

Running stock SGS2 with TouchWiz at the moment. If I install one of these custom launchers and I don't like it, can it be easily uninstalled/disabled and reverted back to how it is at the moment with the stock launcher?

[.adam]

Running stock SGS2 with TouchWiz at the moment. If I install one of these custom launchers and I don't like it, can it be easily uninstalled/disabled and reverted back to how it is at the moment with the stock launcher?

Yep. Just uninstall and your Launcher will reverto to stock.

[stevedo]

My desire hd is going dog slow on web page loading. Nothing obviously been changed. Any (sensible) suggestions how to rectify ta?

[Chakan]

Do the apps covered in here work for I-Phones as well?

[Something Else]

My desire hd is going dog slow on web page loading. Nothing obviously been changed. Any (sensible) suggestions how to rectify ta?

try a different browser?

[.adam]

Do the apps covered in here work for I-Phones as well?

An Android app needs to be developed independently from an iPhone app. Sadly, devs tend to focus their attention more on the iOS development side of things rather than Android at the moment but this is starting to change. MOs tof the time you can get an Android app that'll do the same job as an iOS one.

[.adam]

My desire hd is going dog slow on web page loading. Nothing obviously been changed. Any (sensible) suggestions how to rectify ta?

Clear your browser cache and history. If this doesn't fix it, give Dolphin HD a whirl. If you're still experiencing slow speeds, it's likely that your connection is either bad or your data speed it being throttled. Give your mobile provider a call to check.

[Chakan]

An Android app needs to be developed independently from an iPhone app. Sadly, devs tend to focus their attention more on the iOS development side of things rather than Android at the moment but this is starting to change. MOs tof the time you can get an Android app that'll do the same job as an iOS one.

Ah ok thanks for that. My first i-phone arrives this weekend.
Will have a look around and see if there is an i-phone app thread.
Ta.

Edit: found one.

[.adam]

You won't struggle for iOS apps. There are literally hundreds of thousands of them. It's us poor Android users who have to search for alternatives

[stevedo]

Clear your browser cache and history. If this doesn't fix it, give Dolphin HD a whirl. If you're still experiencing slow speeds, it's likely that your connection is either bad or your data speed it being throttled. Give your mobile provider a call to check.

Great, thanks all seems ok now.

[Something Else]

Right. I'm on the HTC desire and want an idiots guide to rooting and the benefits. Anyone want to link me up or explain?  Thank you.

[danwms]

I have gone from an iPhone to android and I have not had one app that I was used to using which I can't get on android. In fact I think it's the opposite. I have found some recent appsmthat you can MOT get for iOS.

[JayH93]

Anyone know what the HTC Wildfire S is like? Looking on getting that soon.