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Android vs Windows Mobile - Functionality

Just a quick question!
How do you think Android will stack up to Windows Mobile when it comes to functionality? Android will certainly look better and be much more finger friendly,etc, but will it be closer to the limits of the iPhone when it comes to copy paste (Android has copy paste, but dont know if it works everywhere), email, contacts, and such? Will Windows Mobile fans be dissapointed or feel crippled when using Android?
Ive played around with the Android SDK a bit, but i havent really gotten a definite feeling if the functionality suits my needs
Cheers!

Yes I am also looking for some forum information on this matter. I would like to know the opinion of anyone who has had a hands on experience with both OS's. Found a nice article in endgadget but I like user opinions better.

I definetly want to know too!
Here is what I want to know for the Droid...
Can you use it as wifi router?
Does it do push hotmail instantly?
Is there logmein support?
Does it work with orb?

i'm moving to Android when Acer A1 liquid is out, then Sony X10a.
Android got free gps navigation with realtime traffic! nice!

segadc said:
I definetly want to know too!
Here is what I want to know for the Droid...
Can you use it as wifi router?
Does it do push hotmail instantly?
Is there logmein support?
Does it work with orb?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Yes
2. No, not that I'm aware of anyway, but you can forward Hotmail email to your Google Account to receive it instantly.
3. Yes
4. Yes
Anything else anyone else wants to know then feel free to post here and I'll do my best to answer it in a reasonable time.
I swapped my Touch Diamond for my G1 and I can do everything that I could do on my windows mobile (although I didn't have WinMo for long)

I've had all of the mobile OS's and always come back to windows mobile. Android is approaching windows mobile when you think of the ability to flash other OS versions and wide range of applications on an open system. But windows mobile gives me true multitasking ability like a desktop computer, and windows mobile can be edited and programmed to be something else. Through haret windows mobile phones can run haret and even android.

dashauns said:
I've had all of the mobile OS's and always come back to windows mobile........
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes I'm heading this way too. Android has been quite a disappointment to me. Initially I was very happy with my new Milestone that replaced an HTC Touch Pro running WM6.1. The performance difference was staggering, there really is no comparison between them. However I just find more and more things missing from Android/Milestone note this list is just a braindump, some of it's in Android, some of it's the packaging for the Milestone, I'm guessing you can tell the difference.
No Outlook Integration, I really think that should have been there out of the box, there are third party apps that i've used with varying degrees of success.
Restricted Video viewing. I used to use coreplayer to view just about anything on WM without any conversions. Now through restricted information on APIs needed to port CorePlayer to ANdroid I'm stuck with a lengthy conversion process when I want to put video on the phone.
No contact lookup while dialing from the keypad, I really miss that.
No note taking, or word editing apps built in.
Can't save attachments in email - wtf!! this is basic functionality, everytime I want to view a word file attached to an email I have to wait while it downloads form my mail server.
Can't foreward some attachment types - crazy crazy
Can't edit original text in replies or forwards - this is basic functionality missing
Cut and paste is awful - ranging from not implemented, to badly implemented depending on where you try to use it.
Can't switch an sd card without rebooting - I don't know if this is milestone specific but you actually can't remove the sd card without removing the battery.
Tethering, I'm using PDANet, I don't think there is a WMWifiRouter equivalent without rooting the phone? So I am using PDANets blueTooth Dun service, much inferior to WMWifiRouters Personal Area Network implementation.
Can't charge from my exisiting Solar charger (Power Monkey Explorer), thats a pain in the ass, not sure why it doesn't work.
Facebook Contact integration, it claims to have it but it just doesnt work
Logmein doesnt work for me, nor do citrix support it for gotomypc
I'll add more as and when.

dashauns said:
I've had all of the mobile OS's and always come back to windows mobile. Android is approaching windows mobile when you think of the ability to flash other OS versions and wide range of applications on an open system. But windows mobile gives me true multitasking ability like a desktop computer, and windows mobile can be edited and programmed to be something else. Through haret windows mobile phones can run haret and even android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
can you explain what you mean with real multitasking? what miss you on android?

Hi guys new to the forum and my first post
So I have both OS I just got a HTC HD2 Winmo 6.5 and a HTC g1 Android
To me the Android is a lot lot easyer to use then Winmo. And the Markit place is the best I have used. But the HD2 looks nice the layout is top notch but when I go behind the HTC front skine and in to the Winmo I get lost and it all so looks like my winmo PDA witch I dont like.
As you can tell im not realy in to phones that much so dont know the correct names for the stuff im talking about lol.
If I could have Android under the Htc HD2 skin I would be happy

eWallet for Android?

I'm looking for an eWallet app, like Ilium Software's eWallet for PPC, which runs both Desktop (WinDOS and/or Linux) and Android PDA.
Joe

joebacsi74 said:
I'm looking for an eWallet app, like Ilium Software's eWallet for PPC, which runs both Desktop (WinDOS and/or Linux) and Android PDA.
Joe
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This looks good: Splash-ID. Has a desktop client as well. I don't use it so I can't say much else about it.
I personally use B-Folders which is a Free app and works great for me.

Security
I am a little suspicious about installing and using certain apps. Many state that they have full access to the phone and internet, meaning they can send all of my personal information elsewhere...and in an e-wallet application, that can be devastating. A goldmine for ID theft criminals... learn some code, and write an e-wallet application. Make it free and watch the information roll right in!
Can b-wallet be trusted? They are based in Spain and Bulgaria. Not much information out there about them.
Splash ID looks great and legit, but $30 is a ridiculous price for this software. $10 maybe for both desktop and phone.

Like the other guy said, B-folders does the exact same thing Splash ID does, and it's free, they are asking way too much money for that app

Have you considered KeePass?
Open source, no internet access (internet access not requested in the manifest upon install) & has an open source desktop counterpart too!
http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-android-keepass-qtw.aspx

I was a long time eWallet user and contacted them recently because they don't have Android or WebOS clients. They said that they have no plans to create anything at this time for other platforms.
Seems like they are not doing well these days. I looked at Splash ID and while it seems okay, they way they license desktop software is insane and I hear that databases are not compatible with other version of their software so if you get a new phone you'd be out of luck.
I am now using CallPod's Keeper. It is very simplistic which I hate but it works with most major phones and desktops (PC & Mac, etc) I run it on my iPhone and Android.

Having used eWallet for a long time, on all platforms (pc, iphone, winmo), I hope they make ewallet for android soon.
Otherwise I have to find a new password program as well...
If enough people mail them, they must sooner or later make an android version
Otherwise I recommend lastpass(.com). Not ecsactly the same as ewallet, but really good. However, it requires internet access...

I am actually hoping for SPB Wallet to made for Android. SPB did announce Mobile Shell for Android so I am hoping they are gonna port more of their software library over as well.

I've been hassling Illium for ages about this, they don't seem interested in the slightest
**EDIT** Hang on, Splash actually charge you more if you buy the desktop and phone client together than if you buy them seperate! How does that work!?!?!

+1 for KeePass.
It is OPEN SOURCE and it does not require internet connection.
And it has desktop app as well, which is good.
For this kind of app which we use to store "sensitive information", I cant easily trust any closed source app.
That's why I am heading to KeePass when I got my Android device (ordered).
sd00 said:
Have you considered KeePass?
Open source, no internet access (internet access not requested in the manifest upon install) & has an open source desktop counterpart too!
http://www.androlib.com/android.application.com-android-keepass-qtw.aspx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Well your wish was partially granted eWallet Viewer.
You can sync with your windows PC and view on your Android, but you cannot add or edit.

awesome, at last..
Now hopefully they do a full version also.. I see a lot of WM6.x users switching to Android at the moment...

double post

Woo hoo!!!!
Finally!
Viewer is good enough for me. It sync's to the desktop too (I've even paid for an upgrade to v7 so this works )

I would like to introduce keywords like AES or encryption on this post. I have been looking on and off for days for an encryption package for Android and pretty much drew a blank, with a couple of notable exceptions. It was only through trying to find out more information about JointLogic (makers of B-Folders) that I stumbled upon this very useful discussion. I also deeply distrust the anonymity of these vendors. I am deeply sorry if I offend them, but these days we are used to look a gift horse in the mouth. JointLogic is trying to make us suspicious of Google with backdoors in their engine, yet we are supposed to trust an anonymous company in who knows where?

I read somewhere that an android version of Ascendo Data Vault could be out sometime soon. Anyone know if there is any truth to that?

FireWallet

wonsanim said:
FireWallet
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
...is a totally different type of app. Good addition to the conversation :roll:

worse of all, the viewer has no SEARCH function!!!
After 8 months and still not a peep.

[Q] Wanting to start creating homebrew applications.

Ok, so I have no experience of working with any type of coding of development except for Adobe Flash. I don't think that really counts though, nor help me here, but I want to start off by saying that I'm simply a 17 year old.
I want to start development of an app to edit the registry. For example, I got the idea for everytime you click a button on the app, it edits something on the registry. Of course, phones will have to be Interop-Unlocked (Which my Samsung Focus is).
So to get on topic, how may I start creating an app for Windows Phone to edit registry and etc.? As I said before, I really don't have much experience, but I would love to learn and help the community.
Thanks in advance.

Bump up....

Ok, basic first steps: do you have the WP7 SDK? You can get it for free, and you'll need it. It includes the tools to build and deploy apps (compilers and so forth).
The project you're talking about is a bit heavy for a first foray into app development, but you can give it a shot. One of the easier ways (for me, at least) to learn things is to look at what other people did, which in coding usually means looking at open source projects. There are a few open-source apps which access the registry.
For example, my MultiTaskToggle app (linked in my sig) works on Samsung and provides an example of how to read and write a specific registry value.
If you want to browse the registry at all, you'll need something different. This can be done, using COM to call native APIs. Look at the Homebrew library (used by the Webserver projects, among others) or WP7 Advanced Explorer (open source, code is on Codeplex). These types of project have two parts: managed (.NET code, typically in C#) that calls the COM interface, and native (C/C++, written using the Windows Mobile SDK) that implements the COM object.
You may want to do some research online to get started, either here on XDA-Devs (though I think most tutorials here assume at least basic knowledge) or elsewhere (even from MS directly) if you're really starting from scratch.

[Q] Looking for an "app protector" app

Hey mates.
Im looking for a wm 7 alternative to the quite nice app protector android app called Smart App Protector.
What i need is the functionality to restrict my wm7 devices so the users cant enter IE, Settings and other functions than those i want them to.
When a user tries to open the browser on a android device with the smart app protector installed, they get prompted for a password, which is exactly what im looking for.
If there isnt an app that does what im looking for, does anyone know a way to restrict at least internet trafic in IE, i still need data connections, but the users wont be allowed to use data except for 1 app.
My first impression of the wm7 - 7.5 is that its very restricted compared to Android devices :S
Thanks a lot for your help.

A quick for-the-record: No such thing as WM7. Windows Mobile is dead. Although some of the underlying code got re-used in WP7, the upper part of the Windows Phone stack is completely new, and the low-level stuff has changed considerably as well. What you're asking for would probably have been quite easy on WinMo.
On WP7, it's a lot harder. There are three ways I can think of. The first and simplest would be a well-modified custom ROM. Another is to modify the policy system to prevent launching iexplore, settings3, and similar programs, but have an app that (once the password is provided) allows changing those policies. Note that we don't yet have full control over the policy system (as a community; Heathcliff74 knows quite a bit but is busy with his Root Tools project). The third would be to try modifying the registry entries for certain operations. The effectiveness of this depends on whether apps are launched directly (by executable) or indirectly (by GUIDs in the registry). If it's the latter, the launch request could be routed through an authorization app first.
Bear in mind, the only one of these changes that is permanent is a custom ROM. Otherwise, the user could hard-reset the phone (losing all data on it but bringing it back to factory default configuration). It's possible to hard-reset just using the buttons; you don't even need to use the touchscreen.

Thanks for the correction, WP7 ofc
Im rather impressed by the performance of the OS so far, but it has many unforseen restrictions for my needs.
Since i only had the windows phone 7 for 1 day so far, i dont have much knowledge about changing what you are suggesting.
I know what you mean, but no idea how to do on WP7.
A custom ROM would be great indeed, but i dont have any experience in that field. Would be great to get a nice configuration tool with a gui to make the needed changes and then a tool to upload the new ROM to the phone...in that simple order
Im also looking for a solution to install software that was supported by windows mobile. Im checking out cheronwp7 at the moment to see if that can do the trick.
It seems a lot like WP7 is 99% consumer minded than business minded compared to old WM, a bit shame imo.

[Q] Mathstudio (Space Time) for Windows Phone 7

Hi everybody, I am an engineer and I think that windows phone is perfect for my needs..so fast and efficient, office integrated, easy to use and many other qualities..the only thing that I can't find for this OS is Mathstudio.
For those who don't know what's this, it's like having a graphic calculator always in your poket. This program doesn't make everything, of course, but many of the most common things can be done with mathstudio.
I was wondering if somebody could port this program from android/iOS to windows phone 7. Otherwise I must always go around with my mobile and with an ipod touch only for this program. I remember that the previous version of mathstudio (called spacetime) exsists for windows mobile 6.5, an other way could be a porting from windows mobile. I wrote to the official developer but he said he won't realse a windows phone 7 version of his program.
Thank you for listening

Porting WinMo apps is technically possible (though hard unless they were written initially in .NET). Making an unmodified WinMo app run on WP7 is very hard and usually requires a custom ROM to run it (the stock ROMs have very restrictive permissions policies that most WinMo apps can't work with). Porting iOS or Android apps pretty much requires re-writing them, which is an expense that some app authors don't find worth doing.
There are a number of graphing calculator apps available for WP7, and the built-in calculator works pretty well for non-graphing functions, but I can understand wanting access to a specific tool. Unfortunately, since I've never used the app you describe, I can't tell you how well any of the WP7 alternatives compare.

I've got an HD7 and I've made on my own an Y-cable to downgrade it, so now I use the DFT's Deepshining ROM..I didn't know it was even possible to run some old WM6 apps on WP7, such a grat news I'll try to find out more about it Can you give me a list of alternative graphic calculators for windws phone 7? I wasn't able to find anywhere Thank's a lot!!!

I just did a search on the Marketplace for "graphing calculator" and got a number of hits.
If you look at the Opera apps for WP7 custom ROMs, those are actually wrappers around the WinMo Opera apps - the wrappers just put the files in the right places and then launch EXEs.

Thank you so much for the help , I had a look on the marketplace and I found different graphic calculators (Graphing calculator, PoketPi, Eval Graph, Grapher Calculator), but none of them can replace mathstudio for the following reasons: they are only in 2D, they don't support the CAS (computer algebra system, the same present in Matlab), you can't write and save scripts or even one algorythm. I will find out more about wrapping for the moment, but I hope it will come a better solution

Unfortunately, MathStudio will never ported on WP7 platform (according to this: http://www.mathstudio.net/forums/discussion/164/platform-requests , check the last post)
The only hope is upcoming Apollo. WinRT (Win8 API) will have C++ compiler and (probably) will support native code, so MathStudio developers can (also - possible, it's not too easy) port their app to Win8.