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lucius.zen said:
A lot of people have been complaining about UI and browsing lag. I have absolutely no lag, I thought it was because I have cleanROM, but ppl with custom ROMS still complain about lag. I am like Mary Poppins when it comes to keeping my infinity clean, which has led me to beleive the lag most people see is because they have too many homescreens, widgets, and unnecessary crapware. It doesnt matter how powerful your machine is if it is not used efficiently it will lag. If you want to get rid of lag, consider using a simpler set up. I only have 1 homescreen, 3 widgets, zero icons anywhere (including app drawer). I only have 12 downloaded apps, and only 1 runs in the background - GMD Gesture Conrol - which allows me to access everything i need at anytime with no more than 2 gestures. This allows me to multitask like a beast and delete everything else (widgets, icons, homescreens, etc.). The moral of the story is.....
Take a very long hard look at every app, every setting, and every widget, and ask yourself "is this really necessary" - If you would rather throw away your tablet then disable it, keep it, if not, get rid of it.
I havent disabled all animations either, just the unnecessary ones, looking good and being functional are not mutually exclusive.....in all walks of life lol
When in doubt, remeber the adage....
Aint nobody dope as me im dressed so fresh so clean
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Click to collapse
Although, obviously, I agree that loading up any device to the very brim with crap, I hardly believe that the developers in here (who are much more experienced, I assume, than you and me combined) haven't looked at that aspect as well. I myself have a spartan desktop (no icons, no widgets), but even then I sense some lag here and there.
It's device-specific to boot, so I think -- speaking generally -- it's a bit too easy to tell people to throw their widgets and icons off the homescreen and TADAAA... the lag is gone. I think it is more complicated. I'm happy it works for you, though.
MartyHulskemper said:
Although, obviously, I agree that loading up any device to the very brim with crap, I hardly believe that the developers in here (who are much more experienced, I assume, than you and me combined) haven't looked at that aspect as well. I myself have a spartan desktop (no icons, no widgets), but even then I sense some lag here and there.
It's device-specific to boot, so I think -- speaking generally -- it's a bit too easy to tell people to throw their widgets and icons off the homescreen and TADAAA... the lag is gone. I think it is more complicated. I'm happy it works for you, though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There a lot less developers on here than you think, take a look at some of the questions that are asked, its not hard to tell most people on here are not developers (also why this is posted in the "general" section). I agree that while we each have the same hardware, not all hardware is equal, manufacturing isnt perfect, no doubt, not all cpus of the same model get the same performance. Also, take a look at some of the homescreens, etc, that are posted, and its somewhat obvious that most people do not have a spartan setup. While I am not suggesting people throw everything away, something simple like cleaning the hell out of your system can make a significant difference, more so than what a general user would expect. This advice is obviously NOT for developers who know their stuff lol
lucius.zen said:
There's a lot less developers on here than you think. Take a look at some of the questions that are asked....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe your user experience input is a good thing!
Most Androidians myself as well are not the all knowing developer types.
What I see most is folks just wanting basic info to reach a fully functioning comfort level.
When someone like yourself can speak in simple terms and offer a boot up all the better!
The Infinity forum is one of the best.
There are some great folks in here!
I hope I have articulated this reply a bit better (and nicer) than my first one. It was running late ( deep into the night already) after a pretty busy day, and I still had a lot of stuff to do. Not good for my energy level and state of mind, LOL. I apologize if you felt crossed, or if I hit a nerve. That was never my intention.
lucius.zen said:
There a lot less developers on here than you think, take a look at some of the questions that are asked, its not hard to tell most people on here are not developers (also why this is posted in the "general" section).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I fully agree, but I wasn't referring to them and their own devices -- rather, it's them who develop the ROMs we are running, and they are doing pretty amazing stuff eliminating lag at its basis. Keeping a system clean is the cherry on that cake.
I agree that while we each have the same hardware, not all hardware is equal, manufacturing isnt perfect, no doubt, not all cpus of the same model get the same performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was exactly my point regarding the effect being device-specific -- both in regards to the origin of the lag and the solution to that nasty issue.
Also, take a look at some of the homescreens, etc, that are posted, and its somewhat obvious that most people do not have a spartan setup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You formulated that quite nicely. I am a bit surprised that some people can actually get their 700 to boot up with all the crap.
While I am not suggesting people throw everything away, something simple like cleaning the hell out of your system can make a significant difference, more so than what a general user would expect. This advice is obviously NOT for developers who know their stuff lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As Thats_OK said, I, too, are thankful you're speaking up, and give the newbies to Android in general and the ones in here specifically a pointer. I only deplored the fact that you didn't hit oil, or a gold vein, in terms of solving lags. And I just wanted to point out -- just to clarify my point regarding the devs coming into to play here -- that, as long as you pick a solid custom ROM, you already get a tweaked system that is less sensitivie to lag out of the box, and that a large proportion of that lag is hardware-based, and is here to stay (unfortunately).
I f I got a euro for every idiot that keeps his/her desktop absolutely loaded with rubbish, and then complains about lag, I'd be in the Quote 500.
Regardless of the OS, the more crap you have running and deposited on your desktop, the slower it becomes.
Every single fancy Widget, Launcher, Overlay, LWP, App, Shortcut or bloody Popup slows your system down.
No developer can defend him/herself and their ROM against idiots who think it's a good idea to put their entire app drawer on their homescreens along with half a dozen sticky notes and some funny clocks and other random crap. You can release the cleanest ROM you can think of, but if an ignorant user puts a hundred apps on the homescreen and runs a heavy Live Wallpaper, it'll lag.
People also need to learn to shut down useless processes. Pressing the home key whilst in a game shuts it down on a phone, it DOESN'T do so on a tablet. At least, not this one. It keeps running. It does on occasion help to go into Settings-->Apps-->Running and kill all remaining games, apps and junk. And then going into Cached Processes (top right), and doing the same thing again. A cached game still uses part of the system.
Just to play devils advocate here, one of the big "pluses" of Android is the fact that it has widgets! Personally, I have 3 home screens and probably a total of about 10 widgets total. But, there is no way in hell that I'm going to dump these widgets as they are *extremely* useful and one of the reasons that I switched to Android in the first place!
That being said, my system runs perfectly on CleanROM using the *stock* kernel. I used to run Clemsyns' kernel, but with the latest version of CleanROM, I've found that the stock kernel actually seems to run better (and also allows unlimited email sync, which for some strange reason, goes away with Cleamsyn kernel)... Even the animations seem smoother on the stock kernel now...
I also use an app called WidgetLocker, which allows you to place widgets on the lock screen, so that my lock screen looks like this (excuse the crude editing to protect the innocent!):
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
With this, a simple press of the power button (or moving my bluetooth mouse when at work) gives me *tons* of useful information *very* quickly! I couldn't live without it at this point (my main home screen is similar, but different).
I guess I'm just trying to say that if you are going to abandon widgets and homescreen, etc - then you just lost a *big* benefit of Android!
You *can* still use widgets (even a lot of them) and multiple home screen and still get great performance. I don't want new users to get the wrong idea from this thread!
Also, I *never* manually stop any processes and never have a problem... Again, you shouldn't have to worry about killing processes to get a good-running system.
Just my two cents!
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
I think jtrosky is right, and this occurred to me last night when going over the post after having replied: essentially, we're talking about usability. Optimizing that should mean to strike a balance between raw power (i.e., absence of lag, amongst other criteria) and the added bonus of having information at your proverbial fingertips. It's very inefficient if you have to enter a specific application every time you need that little scrap of information (whether that is a weather forecast or an e-mail header or something).
While I appreciate the gesture of sharing the information, I have to question the rationale behind all the suggestions in the OP. Of course the device will lag here and there, but it is still usable out of the box. Why would I want to refrain from using features that are so useful like widgets and multiple home screens just to make other things that I don't need run faster (for instance, faster boot time)? Most importantly, limiting the number of apps installed is not an option, at least to people like me who use the tablet to replace my laptop most of the time.
If lags really bug you guys this much, someone may have to start working on porting iOS to our Infinity. Then there would be no complaint about widgets and multiple home screen slowing you down.
Anyway, I just want to share my point of view. No intention to start an unnecessary argument.
I think I need to clarify some things I meant.
An App you use and an App that's just there.
Some (many) have the weather widget on their homescreen, but never look at it or even update it. It's the first thing I deleted
Email widgets. If you only get one/two emails per day, and/or if you keep WiFi off all the time, there's really no point in keeping it on your homescreen.
Some, (and I'm guilty of this. All my games, anyway.) have all their apps on their homescrees as well. The app drawer is only one tap away.
News widgets, when you keep WiFi off.
Three or four different keyboards at once. I once had Swiftkey, Hackers and Asus running at once. This slowed down my system, while I only used one of them,
Live wallpapers. Some are so resource-heavy that they cause a lot of lag. Fine if you like it, but don't whine your system lags.
MartyHulskemper said:
I hope I have articulated this reply a bit better (and nicer) than my first one. It was running late ( deep into the night already) after a pretty busy day, and I still had a lot of stuff to do. Not good for my energy level and state of mind, LOL. I apologize if you felt crossed, or if I hit a nerve. That was never my intention.
I fully agree, but I wasn't referring to them and their own devices -- rather, it's them who develop the ROMs we are running, and they are doing pretty amazing stuff eliminating lag at its basis. Keeping a system clean is the cherry on that cake.That was exactly my point regarding the effect being device-specific -- both in regards to the origin of the lag and the solution to that nasty issue.You formulated that quite nicely. I am a bit surprised that some people can actually get their 700 to boot up with all the crap. As Thats_OK said, I, too, are thankful you're speaking up, and give the newbies to Android in general and the ones in here specifically a pointer. I only deplored the fact that you didn't hit oil, or a gold vein, in terms of solving lags. And I just wanted to point out -- just to clarify my point regarding the devs coming into to play here -- that, as long as you pick a solid custom ROM, you already get a tweaked system that is less sensitivie to lag out of the box, and that a large proportion of that lag is hardware-based, and is here to stay (unfortunately).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with you, insalling a custom ROM is the best way to go to fix lag, and the developers on here are bad ASS!
I think people who do end up with great setups with reduced lag should share more in general, considering how many people post about having really negative experiences.
jtrosky said:
Just to play devils advocate here, one of the big "pluses" of Android is the fact that it has widgets! Personally, I have 3 home screens and probably a total of about 10 widgets total. But, there is no way in hell that I'm going to dump these widgets as they are *extremely* useful and one of the reasons that I switched to Android in the first place!
That being said, my system runs perfectly on CleanROM using the *stock* kernel. I used to run Clemsyns' kernel, but with the latest version of CleanROM, I've found that the stock kernel actually seems to run better (and also allows unlimited email sync, which for some strange reason, goes away with Cleamsyn kernel)... Even the animations seem smoother on the stock kernel now...
I also use an app called WidgetLocker, which allows you to place widgets on the lock screen, so that my lock screen looks like this (excuse the crude editing to protect the innocent!):
View attachment 1597790
With this, a simple press of the power button (or moving my bluetooth mouse when at work) gives me *tons* of useful information *very* quickly! I couldn't live without it at this point (my main home screen is similar, but different).
I guess I'm just trying to say that if you are going to abandon widgets and homescreen, etc - then you just lost a *big* benefit of Android!
You *can* still use widgets (even a lot of them) and multiple home screen and still get great performance. I don't want new users to get the wrong idea from this thread!
Also, I *never* manually stop any processes and never have a problem... Again, you shouldn't have to worry about killing processes to get a good-running system.
Just my two cents!
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, widgets are sweet and one of the reasons i love android. My tab is still incredibly functional, there are just ways to do everything and get all the information you need without loading a tons of stuff. My spartan setup has not sacrificed functionlity for cleanliness - I am getting a degree in sciences and havent used my laptop since i got this tab 6 mos ago, my tablet is incredibly functional, to the point where i prefer it to using brand new iMacs at my lab.
I just see most widgets and apps as completely useless. Most settings are accessible from the status bar, and all apps can be accessible at any time thru apps like swipepad/GMD gesture control/home2shortcut which can help cut down on the need for widgets, homescreens, and the app drawer altogether (which i have functionally disabled).
Edit - My major pet peeve is live wall papers, seriously wtf is the point, consuming cpu? lol
EDIT - I know this aint for the faint of heart, however, I just flashed CLemsyns 1.9 Ghz Kernel this morning and everything is super stable and temp is good after stress tests. Also..........
GOT A 7524 IN QUADRANT....wadup....I can load **** loads of flash videos and I dont even get lag.....fckin sweeeeeet
jtrosky said:
Just to play devils advocate here, one of the big "pluses" of Android is the fact that it has widgets! Personally, I have 3 home screens and probably a total of about 10 widgets total. But, there is no way in hell that I'm going to dump these widgets as they are *extremely* useful and one of the reasons that I switched to Android in the first place!
That being said, my system runs perfectly on CleanROM using the *stock* kernel. I used to run Clemsyns' kernel, but with the latest version of CleanROM, I've found that the stock kernel actually seems to run better (and also allows unlimited email sync, which for some strange reason, goes away with Cleamsyn kernel)... Even the animations seem smoother on the stock kernel now...
I also use an app called WidgetLocker, which allows you to place widgets on the lock screen, so that my lock screen looks like this (excuse the crude editing to protect the innocent!):
View attachment 1597790
With this, a simple press of the power button (or moving my bluetooth mouse when at work) gives me *tons* of useful information *very* quickly! I couldn't live without it at this point (my main home screen is similar, but different).
I guess I'm just trying to say that if you are going to abandon widgets and homescreen, etc - then you just lost a *big* benefit of Android!
You *can* still use widgets (even a lot of them) and multiple home screen and still get great performance. I don't want new users to get the wrong idea from this thread!
Also, I *never* manually stop any processes and never have a problem... Again, you shouldn't have to worry about killing processes to get a good-running system.
Just my two cents!
Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Completely agree here. My reason for staying with Android is how it allows you to customize it to the way you want to use it... widgets and all. If not, I'd just go with iOS as it's more stable and "just works."
jvnat said:
Completely agree here. My reason for staying with Android is how it allows you to customize it to the way you want to use it... widgets and all. If not, I'd just go with iOS as it's more stable and "just works."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Soooooo true, android was made by nerds, for nerds. If you want to simply open a box and be a lemming, go for apple.
I work at the computer store on my universities campus and most ppl buying an ipad dont even know why they want one, it makes selling their products hella easy (i try not to to be honest), apple is unbelievable at marketing and design, i will give them that lol.
Related
Hey guys! Due to the massive amount of PM requests I've gotten for Honeycomb-specific apps, that work on Spacemoose's 3.0 build, I decided to just start this repo thread.
I desperately need a GSM Tab owner(s) to test any and all of the apps listed, so I can update each review, as far as what build each app works on, especially now that we've split into two separate Dev threads!!
Thanks to Spacemoose1 for breaking her back to get CDMA owners, and to ssserpentine for bringing GSM Tab owners, working ports of 3.0. If you haven't donated to their efforts, I'd certainly suggest doing so.
GSM Tab owners: check out ssserpentine's thread (with full Spacemoose approval) in the link provided, and don't hesitate to hit the "Thanks" button, to recognize all their hard work in getting a working port ready for your devices!!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1122959
Ok, on to the apps. I'm going to try to present this in as clear a manner as possible, giving a screenshot and brief description for each app. I encourage anyone who has found additional files (NO WAREZ PLEASE!), to please post them. Try to follow the layout I've set up, so people can actually see and know what they're downloading. The reason being is that there are a decent number of HC specific apps, but they're lacking in variety; many apps (ie. Social or News apps) manage to accomplish the exact same thing, and it sucks to download a redundant app. So, here we go guys, enjoy!
** IMPORTANT** - It's been brought to my attention that some of these apps (those that I got from the Amazon store) may require the Amazon Store app in order to install. I have NO idea why, but, PLEASE, download the Amazon apk just in case. Sorry for the inconvenience guys.
Amazon apk: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/Amazon_Appstore-release.apk
AccuWeather for Honeycomb- accuweather.com (46.82MB)
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
A nice app with a clean, bright UI, and accurate forecasting. It runs, no problem, and the widget is nicely rendered as well. Until we get GPS functionality, the app can't run in "follow me" mode, so just set up locations manually - it's really easy. It's a huge file though, so be prepared to lose some SD space.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.accuweather.android.amazon.tablet-1.apk
Battleheart - Mika Mobile (46MB)
While not designed specifically for tablet devices, the simple fact that this game has zero on-screen controls, makes it (imo), perfect for devices like the SGT. Battleheart is a fun, involving, and surprisingly in-depth RPG/Strategy/Beat-em-up game, with a quick learning curve, very low load times, and some beautifully rendered watercolor-type graphics. This is perfect for killing time on the train or bus, and isn't graphic enough to be kept away from the kids either. At $2.99, I'd say the game is a good value. Sorry for the crummy picture... I guess Drocap isn't spectacular with action shots. The screen and characters render flawlessly!
*This app does not show up in the market, as of the Spacemoose 2.5 build, so I downloaded it from Amazon. Simply download and install the Amazon Store apk near the top of the OP, sign up for a free account, and search for the app; you won't be disappointed.
Catch Notes - Catch.com (1.54MB)
A really neat little app here, and a surprisingly deep one. Catch lets you set, tag, and share notes, pictures, videos, etc. to and from your computer, and with friends and family, via Facebook, Twitter, Buzz, and a lot more! At first glance, Catch seems to have potential to be one of those productivity apps you can't do without, especially if you're always on the go.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.threebanana.notes-3c74d7deeb79936174941e231f5167fe.apk
CNBC: Real Time for Android - NBC Universal, Inc. (3.0MB)
If you work in finance, like I do, or simply follow the markets regularly, you may have been disappointed at the lack of a good, comprehensive market app. Now that we have 3.0 on our Tabs, those worries can end; CNBC: Real Time gives you full market coverage (and can be customized to suit your needs), a real-time stock ticker, market news from across the globe, and a nice, compact widget for your homescreen. I've been using the Scrollable Stock widget app for a while now, and I've tried Bloomberg and several others, but I have to say that this app trumps them all. It's available in the market if you search for it, but in case you can't find it, or your pre-release GSM build doesn't have the market included, the apk is below. Go get it, you've got a real blue chip here!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/downloadfile-1.apk
CNN App for Android Tablet - CNN (1.47MB)
The CNN app is, by far, the most flawed app on this list. It's really disappointing because the market screenshots look gorgeous. Trying to launch the app from the drawer will get you a force close every time, but it's made up for by having a really slick, auto-scrolling stack widget, that WILL allow you to access news articles, as long as you have an active internet connection. If you have a CNN account, you can log in and post comments to your articles of interest as well. Can't wait for full functionality!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.cnn.mobile.android.tablet-1.apk
DroidIris - Alexandre Delattre (298.26KB)
This app may end up making it into my list of "must-haves", I like it that much! Listen, how annoying is it to search for images on Google??! It's kind of a process, and scrolling down, through pages of irrelevant junk is just tedious, right!? DroidIris solves the issue, by acting as a one-stop-shop for searching, not just Google, but Bing, Yahoo, and other browsers, for the best web-based images and photos. The UI is smooth and sexy as well, with fly-in/out transitions, and quick searching. You might just find yourself never using your computer to look for pictures ever again!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/org.droidiris-4bd62af2bbfd52efa09d01c70ddd43b2.apk
Etch n Sketch - PX Inc. (572.73KB)
For those of you who tend to wax nostalgic from time to time, here's a blast from the past! I remember wasting countless frustrating hours, attempting to "master" the Etch-a-Sketch, as a child, and now I can live out that early childhood trauma all over again! This app, while not Honeycomb specific by any means, could prove fun, especially if you have young kids. Road trips, grocery shopping, or "staying out of your hair", while sitting on the couch, this app could end up saving you headaches... unless you feel like taking your Tab back, and attempting a masterpiece of your own... then, all bets are off!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.px.sketch-b92fda86a59300fe89cff2a8edbecd36.apk
File Manager for Tablets (GoAruna) - Aruna Labs (3.6MB)
Ever wonder what would happen if Dropbox and Root Explorer got together and had a kid? Well, this is it; Aruna Labs has cooked up a file management app that (with a free web account), will allow you to seamlessly back up your files online. No more searching for an apk in Root Explorer, then sending it to Dropbox, and waiting for it to upload... GoAruna does it all from one interface! The free online account gives you 2GB of space, and expanded, paid options are available; I will personally be using this to store zip files from my psx emulator, since they don't run on Honeycomb. This will allow me to quickly free up at least another 1.5GB of SD space, and could do the same for you! Free in the market, but the apk is right here! Enjoy.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/file.manager.tablet.goaruna-1.apk
File Manager HD (Honeycomb) - Rhythm Software (1.07MB)
A nicely designed file manager app. If you're used to Astro, you'll probably love this. With cut, copy, paste, and cancel process options, and a couple different views to choose from, navigating your files is a breeze! It's nothing mind-blowing... it does what it's supposed to, and does it while looking good!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/File%20Manager%20HD_1.1.4.apk
File Station Tablet - Farago Software (551KB)
The third, and final file manager I plan on covering here, but that is no indication as to File Station's relevance on this list. While it doesn't give you the online storage options that some others do, what FS brings you is a clean, simple UI, easy navigation, drag and drop options (much more convenient than copy and pasts, imo), and a visually appealing interface. If you've been a long-standing fan of Astro, I highly suggest looking into this; it just works, and works well! Free in the market, and as always, the apk is below!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.farago.filestationtablet-1.apk
FriendCaster Tab for Facebook - Handmark (8.54MB)
I know you love that background don't you?! Right, this app was one of the first ones I found, and I absolutely love it! It runs smooth, has a clean, customizable UI, lets you comment, like, and view updates all in one spot. Best of all, it doesn't force close like the stock app is very prone to do. My only complaint it that the auto-scrolling stack widget is a bit too small, but in my opinion, this is a must have app!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/FriendCaster.apk
Google Body - Google Inc. (17.02MB)
It's hard to go wrong when downloading a Google app, and this is no different. Body is fantastic to play around with, and the fact that you basically have a human anatomy book in the palm of your hand, is just ridiculous. That said, unless you're a pre-med student, or just love messing around with random apps, you'll probably never find a viable reason to use this. It still looks cool though!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/Body_1.0.apk
Grocery iQ - Tablet - Coupons.com Inc. (8.80MB)
Initially, I only downloaded and tested this because it's a Honeycomb specific app; I don't really have a use for it, but I have to say, I might give it a go. The layout is clean, and easy to navigate, you can get location specific coupons for a plethora of different items, and you can create quick, customized shopping lists (with product pictures and other options) for each store you shop at! In the end, I decided to include this because 1) it works flawlessly, and 2) because I KNOW somebody out there is going to get very excited about having this app on their Tab!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.coupons.GroceryIQ.Tablet-1.apk
Maxthon Mobile for 10" Tablet - Maxthon (2.20MB)
Maxthon browser was something I'd never seen before, and seeing as how they made a tablet specific (albeit NOT 3.0 specific! ) version, I decided to give it a whirl. The layout is a bit lacking, especially when compared to Dolphin Browser HD, or even the stock browser, but the browser's real strength lies (imo) in its homescreen interface, which boasts 42 fully customizable quick links. The general UI is surprisingly good, and seems to have clearly been designed for thumb navigation, with important functions just off the edge of the screen, for easy access. I'm going to stick with Dolphin HD for now, mainly because I'm used to it, it's fast, and the new Fire UI (in blue of course) looks fantastic with Honeycomb, but I do have to say that I'd love to see some of Maxthon's layout configurations become standard for tablet specific browsers.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/mbt10.apk
News360 for Tablets - News360 LLC (1.69MB)
Snappy, versatile, and clean, News360 really does the job! The layout is nice, and navigation is intuitive and interactive (fly-in animations, full screen previews, etc.). The ONLY drawback I see to this app is the fact that the stack widget is huge, at 4x5, and doesn't seem to like to always stay active. Nonetheless, this app is stellar... another one I'd add to my "must haves" list.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.news360.news360tablet-1.apk
Newsr - Locomo Labs (239.86KB)
Newsr looks simplistic and unassuming, and you know what... it is. That's not necessarily a bad thing though. Here's the premise; sign in with your email address, and get all your RSS feeds beamed down to your Tab. The app does just that, but choose a feed, click on an article, and then hit the little "eye" icon in the upper right, and the related article flies in instantly. The lack of load times is always important for anyone on the go, but if you use another app, like my6sense, you may not find a use for this app. It's solid, but needs to be a bit more dynamic to catch my attention.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/NewsrHD_Legion.apk
Plume for Twitter - LevelUp Studio (1.92MB)
The artist formerly known as Touiteur, Plume resurfaced with a new UI, boasting a good amount of customization options. While not Honeycomb specific, they have altered the layout and UI to be tablet friendly, and it shows. The premise is basic... read your friend's tweets, leave your own, get direct messages, yada yada... but at least you can look good doing it. In my opinion, Plume isn't going to blow you away (the widgets are Sense-like scrollable widgets, and don't take advantage of the new technology or hardware real estate), but it's a nice app, with some nice features.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/Plume.apk
Tablet Wallpapers - Mobile Spy (2.70MB)
I know how frustrating it is to have a shiny, "new" SGT with Honeycomb, and not being able to find wallpapers that fit well in landscape mode. Zedge has a couple, but not many, and searching online is a crapshoot, both in terms of quantity, and quality. Tablet Wallpapers solves the issue, by delivering nothing but top-notch, high quality wallpapers, designed specifically for landscape mode tablets. I can't say enough about this app... the UI is slick, the search options are vast, and the wallpaper quality is stellar. If you want a replacement for your old wallpaper app, go get this... you'll love it!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.tabletapps.wallpapers-1.apk
TuneIn Radio - TuneIn Inc. (1.30MB)
Another of my favorite "on-the-go" apps here. TuneIn gives you a plethora of radio options, from sports to music, politics to food, and it's free!! Yes, there is a paid version in the market as well, but I don't personally need it. I can get my ESPN Radio shows in the morning, on my way to work, and catch my Seattle Mariners broadcasts at night, so I'm a happy camper. If you're on the go a lot, and want a little variety in your life (TuneIn offers language-specific broadcasts as well!), check this out! No need to pay subscription prices for satellite radio, when you've got everything you need in the palm of your hand!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/tunein.player-2.apk
Tweetcomb - Locomo Labs (281.71KB)
Like the name suggests, Tweetcomb was designed specifically for Android 3.0, and it shows! With an attractive UI, intuitive interface, and some nice customization options, this app does Twitter the way it was meant to be done. Look, an app has to be good when the only flaw I can find with it is that it doesn't have a widget ! Hopefully, Locomo will take care of the issue though. Another A+ app!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/BlackDroidTweetComb11.apk
WeatherBug for Honeycomb - WeatherBug by Earth Networks (2.46MB)
Get f'ing excited, because I know I am! This app was ripped straight from the SGT 10.1 system dump, but I couldn't get it to work until today. As such, it was a last-minute inclusion to the list, and I have to say, one of my personal favorites. With the AccuWeather app clocking in at a mammoth 46MB, while WB is only at 2.5MB, it makes it a no-brainer for me, as far as storage space goes. Not to mention.... look at that UI!!! It's clearly custom made for Honeycomb, and I'm really glad I got it to run (again though, no GPS means no "follow me" functionality). Adding locations is a breeze, and if there's one real complaint I have, it's that the widget is awful, especially when you see the care that went into designing the UI.
**To get the app to run without force-closing, go to the main Settings menu, and click on Location and Security. Then, click the "Google location search" box, and when the pop-up window comes up, tap Disagree. Then go into the app, and in the pop-up box, uncheck the bottom option (I believe it's an "Enable Location" option; you can leave the background updates on, and the app should run just fine.**
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/com.aws.android.squall-1.apk
Webport HD: Travel and Hotels - Webport.com (1.40MB)
Do you travel a lot, or are you planning a vacation for the family? Don't spend extra time scouring website after website, comparing airline and hotel prices, because Webport HD will do it for you! Designed specifically for Honeycomb, Webport HD brings you a super nice, all-in-one search engine for both airfare and lodging, allowing you to instantly compare locations and rates, and make the best decision quickly. While you can't book flights or rooms directly through Webport, they do provide the contact information to you, so you can get on the phone and make reservations, while looking at the information on your Tab! The UI is simple, and getting search results is accurate and fast... what more could you want?! We live in an age of convenience people, why would you want to waste more time than you have to? If you're a travel nut, get awesome with Webport!
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/webport.com-1.apk
Wizz (Colorize Widget HD) - SnowBEE (1.1MB)
SnowBEE has brought us great widget packs before, but I have to say that this takes the cake. Formatted exclusively for Android 3.0+, Wizz brings your social networking and agenda widgets to the next level! While this IS a trial version (Pro version is in the works), and can be found in the market for free, it offers such a nice variety of widget designs, that it's almost impossible not to recommend this app. I do have some issues with the themes not sticking, and (up until last night) all the widgets, with the exception of the calendar, would set off the "Strict mode" red border in this build. With that issue corrected now, the widgets look and perform flawlessly, and will give an added dimension to any homescreen. I have no qualms about saying that I WILL be purchasing this when it goes Pro, but until then, the free version does the trick.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22585959/ColorizeWidgetHD1.4.1.apk
**If you too need a fix for the red border, check the post from ssserpentine, below. This solution worked instantly for me, and I've had no issues since!**
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=14648436#post14648436
So there it is guys... my shortlist of apps that I was able to compile last night. I'll add more as I find them, and like I said earlier, feel free to post your own finds, as long as they're free apps. Just try to follow my formula if you can, with a pic of the app screen, and your thoughts on its functionality etc. That's it guys... thanks for stopping bye, and again a huge thank you to Spacemoose1, without whom, our Tabs would still be stuck in the dark ages!
tnx buddy , i got 1 question , i think the links you post are there for every apps u post here right , my question is , is in any way that 1 of your apps are pay versions ?
k0sh said:
tnx buddy , i got 1 question , i think the links you post are there for every apps u post here right , my question is , is in any way that 1 of your apps are pay versions ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't think so, since I got the majority of them off of the Amazon Market for free and the apk downloads I got elsewhere were double-checked against the official listings in the Android Market, so everything should be good. I certainly don't want to be posting paid apps, so if you let me know which one you're talking about, I'll take it down right away!!
jjhiza said:
I didn't think so, since I got the majority of them off of the Amazon Market for free and the apk downloads I got elsewhere were double-checked against the official listings in the Android Market, so everything should be good. I certainly don't want to be posting paid apps, so if you let me know which one you're talking about, I'll take it down right away!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i got no idea about those apps . i just asked you , and thanks to clear it for me and probably for them also .. tnx mate
see you around enjoy the HC .
Thanks for this thread and for allthe hard work that went into it.
Sent from my SGH-T959 using XDA Premium App
Thanks a ton for this.
No problem guys. I've been following Space's thread since the day it went up, and I've seen how excited everyone is getting, but honestly, it kinda sucked to have a shiny new UI, and no good apps to put on it, nor the market access to get them. Having a few of these apps on my Tab makes it more usable on an every day level, for me anyway. Considering the only 3.0 app w/ widget that made it into the build was YouTube (which is broken for me), I wanted something more... something that could really show off the firmware, so I went apk hunting, and decided to spread the wealth. I hope you guys enjoy what I've found so far!
thx a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot !!!!
now i'm waiting for GSM version
like i said in PM, really great! nice and thorough
thanks again
It's my pleasure guys, really. I want everyone's first Honeycomb experience to be a good one. As soon as I get a couple more "every day" apps posted (and as soon as we get audio into a build), I'll start testing a couple of games. We might be stuck on that though, since a lot of the very best games seem to be Dual Core (Tegra) reliant, but I'll check.
Sent from my Droid using XDA Premium App
This is a great thread, nice idea
One thing, have you tried Google Books? Is it on the Market? And is YouTube as sexy as it looked in the promo videos?
| Don't Revive Me Bro | Follow me on Twatter
GANJDROID said:
This is a great thread, nice idea
One thing, have you tried Google Books? Is it on the Market? And is YouTube as sexy as it looked in the promo videos?
| Don't Revive Me Bro | Follow me on Twatter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I tried installing the books.apk from both the Xoom and SGT 10.1 dumps, but no luck I'm going to rip the one out of my Liquid Gingerbread build next, and see if it will fire up. YouTube has been hit or miss for me, honestly. I can't launch the app directly, without getting a fc, but the widget does work, and will take you to the appropriate video, and yes, the UI looks fantastic! I can't wait for full functionality! That's another issue though... I haven't been able to get video to play reliably at all (have Flash 10.3 installed too), but I'm sure Space will get everything sorted.
Update
**Added file size to headings**
jjhiza said:
Yeah, I tried installing the books.apk from both the Xoom and SGT 10.1 dumps, but no luck I'm going to rip the one out of my Liquid Gingerbread build next, and see if it will fire up. YouTube has been hit or miss for me, honestly. I can't launch the app directly, without getting a fc, but the widget does work, and will take you to the appropriate video, and yes, the UI looks fantastic! I can't wait for full functionality! That's another issue though... I haven't been able to get video to play reliably at all (have Flash 10.3 installed too), but I'm sure Space will get everything sorted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Didn't even realise there were 10.1 dumps Haha. I know there's a 1.1.4 version floating around the internet, but when the Xoom dump leaked, I looked inside and everything was a Tablet variant. Haven't looked since, but maybe that could gibe some clues.
Possibly one of the things I'm looking forward to most is that wall of videos It looks fantastic. I'm sure they'll all be ironed out in future builds, burning guess GSM support is taking full priority.
| Don't Revive Me Bro | Follow me on Twatter
GANJDROID said:
Didn't even realise there were 10.1 dumps Haha. I know there's a 1.1.4 version floating around the internet, but when the Xoom dump leaked, I looked inside and everything was a Tablet variant. Haven't looked since, but maybe that could gibe some clues.
Possibly one of the things I'm looking forward to most is that wall of videos It looks fantastic. I'm sure they'll all be ironed out in future builds, burning guess GSM support is taking full priority.
| Don't Revive Me Bro | Follow me on Twatter
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it seems Space is really pushing hard to get a GSM build out of repo and on to the download page! It looks like Alpha 2 isn't even going to drop for GSM though, since Space is working on the next release, and she said that she'll try to release both v3 versions at the same time. I'm hoping audio and GPS at least get ironed out in the build, but we'll see. The suspense is part of the fun of flashing alpha builds!
And I agree, the YouTube carousel is (imo) one of the best UI overhauls I've ever seen! I can't wait to actually play with it!
**Oh, and the 10.1 dump is from I/O... I found it a couple weeks ago. It's really similar to the Xoom, but with extra apps (gotta love Samsung bloatware!). The only reason I downloaded it was to post it on Space's thread, in the hopes that she could use it in her builds. If you want it though, I can throw it up here for you.
App Update
**Added 3 new apps to the OP; Catch Notes, DroidIris, and Etch n Sketch**
# Fuze will be included as soon as our devices get data connectivity, since the app requires a phone number to use.
Important update in op!
It was just brought to my attention by luke1333 that some of the apps listed, may need the Amazon App Store app in order to install properly. I'm totally bemused by this, considering they ARE apk files after all. Even though I did get some of them from the Amazon store, I was not expecting the files to have Amazon specific permissions!!
In light of that development, I've added the required apk to the TOP of the OP. Sorry if that issue has caused anybody any inconvenience.
Evernote for Android v. 3.1 Beta 1 works great on SpaceMoose1's Alpha 2.5
Can download here: http://forum.evernote.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=26568
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Awesome find! Thanks a bunch; I was meaning to get around to reviewing that, and it just got lost in the shuffle. I've got 3 or 4 new additions coming a little later guys, so keep an eye out!
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab using XDA Premium App
Was hoping you didn't mind me posting, since it is your thread. And FYI, Wizz looks sweet. Playing with it now.
Sorry mods if i placed this in the wrong section but I just hope google reads this and fixes its faults. I want everyone reading this to post there issues or dislikes so we can enjoy this UI more while providing the best experience to us and other earthlings out there.
1. standby - I noticed the battery life is pretty good when it comes to playing movies,music and little bit of gaming but the standby is just horrid i know are phones are powerful as umpc but there should be a better way to lower consumption on sleep mode.
2. market - not really liking the new layout it needs to be more organized and less oversized.
3. multitasking - it's good obviously between switching to apps right away but sometimes i am left with too much baggage. I suggest there should be a setting to switch this option on/off.
4. scrolling - pretty good but still a little bit of lag now and then. would like the bounce when you hit the edge of the page.
5. UI - needs to be little bit more animated and lively.
6. brightness - the option to lower the level to the lowest.
7. websites - still has some bugs and glitches.
8. sdxc - running out of room here needs support of the extra capaity of sd cards.
9. apps - more quality apps. it seems like they just throw the free ones in the market without fully testing it for bugs. i have to scroll through dozens of unknown users with opinions that are just randomly unbiased.
10. standby again! - please fix this google!!! if i am left stranded from my car broken down or if i am vacationing to another then i'm screwed. I had a winmo phone did me good lasted more than a week on standby.....
It is not Google who builds the UI, its the phone manufacturer... Motoblur,thouchwiz,Sense etc, not google-builds.
To much baggage?, Try downloading and installing an app killer from market.
What other category is there to add to market btw?
Scrolling, I would think this is directly from your phone and not cause of Google...
again, try app killer to free up some ram.
-i7- said:
It is not Google who builds the UI, its the phone manufacturer... Motoblur,thouchwiz,Sense etc, not google-builds.
To much baggage?, Try downloading and installing an app killer from market.
What other category is there to add to market btw?
Scrolling, I would think this is directly from your phone and not cause of Google...
again, try app killer to free up some ram.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not talking about category but how the market is viewed it's all oversized block columns I prefer it to be more smaller and with more information in each block. I know there are app killers but it's better if it's official built running it would be more stabled and furthermore i hope more people will list there dislikes or changes about android and maybe google and the phone manufacturers will see this and make some fixes to there next builds. i want this thread to be seen by google from future post from xda users dislikes and hoping to change the faults....
Battery usage is my biggest complaint.
Mcds said:
5. UI - needs to be little bit more animated and lively.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean?
Live wallpapers arent animated and lively enough for you? Do you use widgets?
hungry81 said:
What do you mean?
Live wallpapers arent animated and lively enough for you? Do you use widgets?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
usually when i compare the ebay iphone app to android it's less animated it's dull coming from someone in there thirties i can get to bored easily. don't get me wrong i'm using the 2g iphone it's smooth also laggy my 1ghz android is smooth but the phone doesn't animate i guess it depends on what apps you get also...
---------- Post added at 07:22 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:18 AM ----------
gigem01 said:
Battery usage is my biggest complaint.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is the answer I am looking for from all of you, what you want to change! this deserves a thanks!
Android market has one of the worst layouts..(Both in Android as well as on Website) Despite having all the resources at disposal why they are still taking time to improve the layout?(Laziness??)
message apk should be improved
Given your initial post it sounds as though WP7 may be a better OS to suit your needs.
i dont quite understand #6
"6. brightness - the option to lower the level to the lowest."
my past 2 Android phones (G2 & currently my 4G Touch) have always been able to lower the brightness all the down.
comedy said:
i dont quite understand #6
"6. brightness - the option to lower the level to the lowest."
my past 2 Android phones (G2 & currently my 4G Touch) have always been able to lower the brightness all the down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mcds is confusing hardware with Android. Basically he'd like the lowest brightness setting on his phone to be dimmer.
You know how the lowest brightness setting on one phone can actually be brighter than a different model, just as the highest setting can be brighter on one handset compared with a different model. It's down to the hardware, not Android.
all these things can be fixed with either a new ROM new kernel or just an app download... when it comes to android, if you know wt u doing then there is nothing that cant be fixed/tweeked to ur liking... that's the power of android my friend RECOGNIZEEEEEEEEEE
Doesn't matter what app, kernel, or rom you download. After androids attempts at emulating ios and wp7s fluid UIs they've proven, the UI just isn't going to get good. To me the UI is half of the reason I buy a phone with the other half being gaming and social integration (be it Facebook or texting) perhaps a small percentage of it is battery life but with my transition to wp7 a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I realized I never wanted to dissect my phone just to increase the fps by 10, I did it because I wanted to make my mobile experience bearable. Now, I have everything I want out of the box.
Smartphones are app platforms, whatever flavour the OS is. Most of what people spend time doing on their phone, whether it be texting, gaming or emailing, is using apps. UI isn't a factor for me as i only see it for a very brief period until i launch the app i need.
If anything, it's the quality of the apps that should be compared between platforms, not the UI. Android Market could probably do with a bit more quality control, that's my own criticism really. Like for like apps on iOS are often more polished than their Android equivalent.
z33dev33l said:
Doesn't matter what app, kernel, or rom you download. After androids attempts at emulating ios and wp7s fluid UIs they've proven, the UI just isn't going to get good. To me the UI is half of the reason I buy a phone with the other half being gaming and social integration (be it Facebook or texting) perhaps a small percentage of it is battery life but with my transition to wp7 a huge weight was lifted off of my shoulders. I realized I never wanted to dissect my phone just to increase the fps by 10, I did it because I wanted to make my mobile experience bearable. Now, I have everything I want out of the box.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly, you've freely admitted that you found Android too complex, so of course the simplicity of such a basic OS as WP7 is going to appeal, lets face it, it's even less complex than iOS.
It's ideal for people who have never used a touch screen phone before, or even a mobile phone of any kind, especially if they have fat fingers, the sort of people who are not going to notice the lack of functionality but are easily impressed with visual effects.
xaccers, I still find it comical that you call me the troll but eh. I guess if that's your prerogative. I prefer my phone have decent social integration or as they put it, be "peoplecentric." as I use my phone primarily for *gasp* communication. The fact that it's also aesthetically pleasing is just a bonus, another that android does not have.
DirkGently, I agree to some extent, but I guess I feel the way I do because with WP7 the UI is uniform across the whole OS and most third party apps. I've come to appreciate the beauty in that. I do also agree that I see more quality in both the iOS and WP7 versions of apps that are on all platforms.
Let's not forget that you can't connect to ad-hoc wireless networks. I mean... c'mon...this is just lame.
Kinda not related, but i'ld like the source to be mirrored at some more reliable location xD
Getting to topic, i do like the custom overlays(tw, sense, etc..) but they take significant resources and are one of the causes behind slow updates
Wifi is the big problem for me
I have wifi issues with Archos 70 (Android 2.1 to 2.3, rooted), and Arcer Iconia (Honeycomb 3.2 rooted). Android seems does not like my working wifi and stay in obtaining ip most of the time.
And, I plan to listen some online radio (Domi, Douban for say), once the tablet goes to idle mode, wifi disconnected, make it useless. I tried to set wifi disconnect policy, tried wifi alive, wifi lock, wifi buddy and maybe most wifi related apps in the market, none work.
While iTouch works fine for above 2 scenarios.
Battery life and more quality apps. Seriously, has anyone else noticed that Android apps feel kinda rushed and low quality. Especially if that company/app is on iOS. I always felt that the iOS counterparts seem a lot better and that more time and effort is put into them.
Also, improvement on multitasking. I don't really like the little recent app window crap. Something along the lines of WebOS's multitasking screen would be a really nice addition. Also, notifications should be a little more organized. Apple did a good job with this on their notification dropdown ripoff..
-i7- said:
It is not Google who builds the UI, its the phone manufacturer... Motoblur,thouchwiz,Sense etc, not google-builds.
To much baggage?, Try downloading and installing an app killer from market.
What other category is there to add to market btw?
Scrolling, I would think this is directly from your phone and not cause of Google...
again, try app killer to free up some ram.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
By UI he probably means Android's base UI, Stock Android. You have to admit, it is pretty meh. Downloading a app killer/task manager is a bad idea. That bogs down Android more than background apps do.
So let me preface by saying Ive gone from iPhone to Android and have been watching WP since launch and plan on it being my next OS after I can get a hold of an off contract Verizon phone relatively cheaply or when my upgrade is up. I love how fluid it seems with its native apps and I want to get away from my buggy and laggy/stuttering Droid X (Which is the same for everyone I know with one).
But there's some things that you really don't take into account when you don't actually use the device everyday, so I figured Id ask here and see how WP stacks up.
What I am looking for info on:
-I use Android's file system to store non-market/root APK's to reinstall apps after wiping/updating the phone and such. I would like to unlock my WP for things like screenshot utilities; how does that whole scene work in a quick summary? I know about Chevron, but how are these apps distributed, updated etc.?
-How are non-native apps with scrolling smoothness these days in Mango? I cant stand the lag and stuttering in Android.
-Can you download from IE to the file system with homebrew? How about natively?
-How does Skydrive work for installers/loading installers, PDF's and other non-Office files? Can you browse it like a filesystem, as I currently use it as a Network Drive on my PC anyways.
-Does the universal volume setup become an issue? I use my phone as my PMP with headphones all the time, then I need it to be on vibrate for class and in general, also alarms randomly, and occasionally I play games with the media on. Will I be missing alarms or leaving the ringer on in class if I don't pay close attention or is it mainly just when going headphones to media? I dont quite understand how it works specifically.
-Quick ways to toggle WiFi and screen brightness with homebrew?
-Back up options for app settings and things if a wipe happens?
-Do you find yourself ever getting annoyed with the animations or the app list for less used apps that still get accessed once in a while?
-How bad is board reader for browsing forums or the free reddit apps? They dont have great ratings.
-Am I going to be panning a lot in IE without text reflow? I usually browse/do everything in portrait and dont like landscape much FYI.
Anything you really miss about Android or iOS?
I only know of TouchXplorer for HTC for file management but im sure there are others for the other brands. Not sure how you would go about storing files for re installation. Dont think anyone has figured out how to invoke the xap installer from files on the phone. Most of these apps are found here on XDA
Most apps are pretty smooth. Depends on the dev. Id say they are all smoother than android though.
Dont think you can download to the file system from IE
You can access Skydrive from the office hub. You can open media files and pdfs etc. Once again not sure about install files.
I havent had a problem with the volume. I use my phone for media and games. I just put it on vibrate when i need to which is easy to do on the lock screen.
Cant toggle from the homescreen yet, there are apps that are shortcuts to the setting though
There is a homebrew backup program here on XDA somewhere
I dont get annoyed by the animations. They make for a nice experience
The XDA app is a version of board express i believe and its not too bad. I Haven't tried any of the Reddit apps
There is a bit of panning. I find its just easier to find a good zoom level that you can read it on
Hope i helped
Mike415 said:
What I am looking for info on:
-I use Android's file system to store non-market/root APK's to reinstall apps after wiping/updating the phone and such. I would like to unlock my WP for things like screenshot utilities; how does that whole scene work in a quick summary? I know about Chevron, but how are these apps distributed, updated etc.?
I've never used TouchXplorer, so I don't even know if it is compatible with Mango, but if it is it would be the only file explorer option I know of. WP is not designed as an open system, so file explorers are not officially supported.
-How are non-native apps with scrolling smoothness these days in Mango? I cant stand the lag and stuttering in Android.
I have around 175 third party apps installed on my phone, and at least half of them exhibit enough lag/stutter that it is noticeable, and some are quite annoying, even some of the major apps (such as Accuweather.com and USA Today). Generally, it seems that if an app is fetching data from the internet while it is also rendering to the display, you will probably notice some lag/stutter. I've never owned an Android, but from the videos I've seen on YouTube and also from what I've observed watching my son use his Samsung Captivate, the lag (at least in third party apps) is comparable.
-Can you download from IE to the file system with homebrew? How about natively?
All apps are sandboxed on WP, so downloading to "the filesystem" is not supported.
-How does Skydrive work for installers/loading installers, PDF's and other non-Office files? Can you browse it like a filesystem, as I currently use it as a Network Drive on my PC anyways.
Again, I don't know about homebrew, but generally speaking SkyDrive only supports photos and Office documents from your phone.
-Does the universal volume setup become an issue? I use my phone as my PMP with headphones all the time, then I need it to be on vibrate for class and in general, also alarms randomly, and occasionally I play games with the media on. Will I be missing alarms or leaving the ringer on in class if I don't pay close attention or is it mainly just when going headphones to media? I dont quite understand how it works specifically.
This one is a bit tricky. As far as missing alarms due to turning the ringer on or off, that is probably not likely. Turning vibrate-only mode on or off is remarkably simple on WP. Just wake up the phone, press either volume control, and then tap the ringer icon to toggle it on or off.
However, that is the good news. The bad news is that the universal volume means that having the volume high enough to be able to hear the phone ring from your pocket also means that any app, game or media will also blast out of the phone at annoyingly loud levels. And conversely, if you turn the volume down far enough to play a game or listen to music at a comfortable level, but forget to turn it back up when you are done, you will miss calls, guaranteed. It has happened to me more times than I care to count.
-Quick ways to toggle WiFi and screen brightness with homebrew?
Quick setting toggles are not supported. You can, however, get a reasonably adequate shortcuts to the four main toggles (WiFI, 3G, Airplane mode, and Bluetooth) on your start screen. The unfortunate annoyance is that, depending on how you lay out your start screen, you may have a few button presses/scroll swipes necessary to complete the toggle of a setting). As for brightness, there is no toggle support for that.
-Back up options for app settings and things if a wipe happens?
There is no support for backup of app settings, game saves or SMS messages, period. None at all. You can (using a homebrew app) perform a complete device backup, but it cannot be transferred to another device.
-Do you find yourself ever getting annoyed with the animations or the app list for less used apps that still get accessed once in a while?
Do the animations annoy me? Yes. Contrary to the apparently popular opinion here, I find much of the animation on the start screen to be gimmicky (the people hub, game hub, and "me" hub icons especially so). And many third party apps flip their icons for no reason at all, just for the sake of flipping it. For example Flixster flips the tile between a static photo of a currently-playing movie on one side (with the program icon in the corner), and the program icon filling the tile on the other side. It serves no purpose.
With that said, SOME of the app tiles are VERY useful, such as most weather apps, which usually flip between current conditions and forecast conditions. Being a weather junky, I love that feature.
Regarding the app list, it is more than just an annoyance, it is a major frustration for me, every single day. With no app grouping capabilities at all (I wouldn't care HOW it was implemented, I just want SOMETHING implemented), finding apps in a long list can be a real chore. I don't like it at all. If you only ever plan to have 20 or 30 apps, it might be OK. But if you need more than that, the number of taps and flicks and swipes needed to find and launch an app can be time-consuming.
-How bad is board reader for browsing forums or the free reddit apps? They dont have great ratings.
I've only used the trial version of Board Express, and didn't like it at all. Most of the reports from people here are that it is painfully bad to use.
-Am I going to be panning a lot in IE without text reflow? I usually browse/do everything in portrait and dont like landscape much FYI.
That depends entirely on the layout of the web sites you visit. On some sites, the tap-to-zoom works very well, and makes the text fill the screen (without reflow, of course) at a nominally readable size. But on other sites, it just doesn't help at all, and I end up panning quite a bit.
Anything you really miss about Android or iOS?
I've never owned either, so I can't say. However, unless things change I will most likely be moving to an iPhone within a couple of months. WP has a LOT going for it, but unfortunately (for me) it still has too many gaps in its features, and some of them are too annoying to just live with them and wait patiently on Microsoft.
I hope the features that I need do get added in future updates, because I'd be happy to switch back. But after reading the snarky attitude of many of the fans here, I can't help but wonder if that same attitude isn't prevalent at Microsoft, which would kind of imply that those features won't be coming any time soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My answers are in blue.
To be honest, from your questions, I would say you would be better off staying with android, don't get me wrong, i love wp7 and it does everthing i need it to do, but you may find some of the stuff you want is not available and get frustrated.
I just switched and am very happy! After two years on android, wp7 feels so smooth and coherent
IMHO, go to a store or carrier centre and request a WP7 and play with it, as from what I believe, everyone has their own preferences.
My advise would be to stay away if you're a tweaker, which is sounds like you are.
pillsburydoughman said:
My advise would be to stay away if you're a tweaker, which is sounds like you are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was though, but sometimes you get sick of constantly flashing roms, chaning things around, and want something that just works.
I'm happy that now it seems as if I have much more time since I'm not constantly fiddling with my phone 24/7.
I guess that is dependent on the person themselves though
What I am looking for info on:
-I use Android's file system to store non-market/root APK's to reinstall apps after wiping/updating the phone and such. I would like to unlock my WP for things like screenshot utilities; how does that whole scene work in a quick summary? I know about Chevron, but how are these apps distributed, updated etc.?
*No, you will be stuck at your pc for deploying XAPs. However Dotcomp says there is a way to deploy XAPs from IE.
MS security is a complete joke, you can just download the XAPs from MS.
-How are non-native apps with scrolling smoothness these days in Mango? I cant stand the lag and stuttering in Android.
* Well get used to it, its the exact same on WP7. However there aren't many apps with long scroll list, most take advantage of Metro.
-Can you download from IE to the file system with homebrew? How about natively?
*NO, and no
-How does Skydrive work for installers/loading installers, PDF's and other non-Office files? Can you browse it like a filesystem, as I currently use it as a Network Drive on my PC anyways.
*Skydrive was a afterthought on this OS, my opinion. Works great for Office documents, OneNote, and pics. That's it.
-Does the universal volume setup become an issue? I use my phone as my PMP with headphones all the time, then I need it to be on vibrate for class and in general, also alarms randomly, and occasionally I play games with the media on. Will I be missing alarms or leaving the ringer on in class if I don't pay close attention or is it mainly just when going headphones to media? I dont quite understand how it works specifically.
* Depends on you. I'm used to multiple volume settings, so its a pain to me.
-Quick ways to toggle WiFi and screen brightness with homebrew?
* If you can call a wifi icon on homesreen quick, then yes, other than that NO.
-Back up options for app settings and things if a wipe happens?
*If on the go, NO. If at your PC, http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=19341502#post19341502
-Do you find yourself ever getting annoyed with the animations or the app list for less used apps that still get accessed once in a while?
* Actually the animations are what make this phone. They're pretty quick and elegant. I like the live tiles, but they ruin the glance and go concept, because I have to wait on it to flip.
The app list is horrid.
-How bad is board reader for browsing forums or the free reddit apps? They dont have great ratings.
*Board Express made by Tapatalk, is nothing like Tapatalk on Android or IOS. It is like a sick joke. The browser is faster on WP.
-Am I going to be panning a lot in IE without text reflow? I usually browse/do everything in portrait and dont like landscape much FYI.
* Double tap usually makes the text readable, but if the site has text and pictures you want to see, you're SOL.
Also if you like to read comments, or deal with a HTML5 website, you will find yourself having to load the full website a lot. I can't even get the smartphone version of mobile sites, IE9 doesn't render some correctly.
Anything you really miss about Android or iOS?
YES! GOOGLE APPS! GAMES!
Youtube on Android is the greatest, Lazytube comes close but you have to pay for it.
Im used to sitting on my couch and flinging websites and videos from my phone to the TV(google tv), impossible on WP7.
Custom SMS, ringtones, and email notifications. You can do custom ringtones but its a hassle.
I can say I like the Email on WP7, however its not instant like on IOS or Android.
Oh, there is no auto update option. If there is a app that needs updating you have to open the market and tell it to update.
---
All of that being sad, you could still be Happy using WP7. It just totally depends on what you use your phone for.
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my lady took over the vibrant, lol.
-------------
Another thing, some people say they get tired of flashing custom roms on Android. The exact same OPTION is avaliable on WP7. You don't HAVE to flash either.
there are no custom roms for my phone...
I was continually trying to get my phone smoother, and smoother on android.
I just don't feel the need to with this. Once again, just my own two cents. I never said that it would be the same for everyone
Thanks for the replies so far. It helped me get a better feeling for WP and it seems like I should really just wait for all the new OS updates like Ice Cream and iOS 5.x+/iPhone 5 before diving into WP. I am a slight tweaker of Android, but I don't actually want to do that very much anymore. I just want a phone that works and suits my needs. Android suits my needs, but doesn't really work great and it annoys me.
WP seems like it would be okay for me. Im not an app whore anymore since Ive been a smartphone user for several years now and I pretty much just like to be able to get the news, read some forums, text a lot, use yelp to find places to eat, and occasionally pass some time on leisure games. Android is pretty weak as far as finding decent games IMO and I think WP could actually be better in that regard (iPhone is the only one I would consider good for leisure games, but if Ive gotten by on Android this long I think WP could be okay, especially since I still would have an iPhone and Droid for those games). Right now, using Launcher 7 on Android I only use 2.5 screens of tiles so Im not going to have too much of an issue with the app list I think (Homebrew folders support will do me fine in that regard as I can toss all the leisure games in there also).
What I am still unclear on is viewing PDFs that are hosted on websites because its a situation that I run into frequently enough that I need it to be able to view PDFs from sites or Skydrive (Either one). Can I navigate with IE to a site with a link to a hosted PDF and view it or not?
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
--
I like how well Microsoft has seemingly written WP and I think eventually it will be great after Win8 and WP8. Maybe I just need to hold off for those phones and not waste money getting an off contract phone. If Win8+WP8+XBOX+Live services doesnt bring very tight integration and some nice new features, I think I'll lose all the faith Ive put into Microsoft the past 15 years.
Mike415 said:
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
With Mango both of these issues are addressed. You can put your ringer on vibrate and still listen to music, and even adjust the volume without affecting the "vibrate only" setting. However, when you turn the ringer back on, it will be on at the current volume setting, not what it was before.
Also, you can have the ringer on vibrate and still hear alarms. In fact, alarms are now treated as "special" by the OS, and they ignore both the volume and ringer (vibrate) settings. They start low, and get progressively louder until dismissed.
Mike415 said:
I like how well Microsoft has seemingly written WP and I think eventually it will be great after Win8 and WP8. Maybe I just need to hold off for those phones and not waste money getting an off contract phone. If Win8+WP8+XBOX+Live services doesnt bring very tight integration and some nice new features, I think I'll lose all the faith Ive put into Microsoft the past 15 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WP will eventually be fantastic, and the ecosystem will mature. But I have to be honest and say that for me it isn't there yet, and it is unclear how long it will take to get there. If your only option right now is to go off contract to get a WP device, I would have to suggest that you wait at least until Apollo is released (which, by all credible accounts will be Q4 of next year).
My reason for saying this is because each time Microsoft does fix a problem, they do an admirable job. But they need to (IMO) be more aggressive with their release schedule. Following the "one small release mid year and one major release annually" model isn't enough. There should be smaller patch releases to address issues, rather than making people suffer with them for 6+ months.
Mike415 said:
Thanks for the replies so far. It helped me get a better feeling for WP and it seems like I should really just wait for all the new OS updates like Ice Cream and iOS 5.x+/iPhone 5 before diving into WP. I am a slight tweaker of Android, but I don't actually want to do that very much anymore. I just want a phone that works and suits my needs. Android suits my needs, but doesn't really work great and it annoys me.
WP seems like it would be okay for me. Im not an app whore anymore since Ive been a smartphone user for several years now and I pretty much just like to be able to get the news, read some forums, text a lot, use yelp to find places to eat, and occasionally pass some time on leisure games. Android is pretty weak as far as finding decent games IMO and I think WP could actually be better in that regard (iPhone is the only one I would consider good for leisure games, but if Ive gotten by on Android this long I think WP could be okay, especially since I still would have an iPhone and Droid for those games). Right now, using Launcher 7 on Android I only use 2.5 screens of tiles so Im not going to have too much of an issue with the app list I think (Homebrew folders support will do me fine in that regard as I can toss all the leisure games in there also).
What I am still unclear on is viewing PDFs that are hosted on websites because its a situation that I run into frequently enough that I need it to be able to view PDFs from sites or Skydrive (Either one). Can I navigate with IE to a site with a link to a hosted PDF and view it or not?
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
--
I like how well Microsoft has seemingly written WP and I think eventually it will be great after Win8 and WP8. Maybe I just need to hold off for those phones and not waste money getting an off contract phone. If Win8+WP8+XBOX+Live services doesnt bring very tight integration and some nice new features, I think I'll lose all the faith Ive put into Microsoft the past 15 years.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Mike,
Like you I mapped Skydrive as a network drive and simply drag/drop my pdf files there. PDFs are natively supported on wp7 once you download the official adobe pdf app.
The PDFs will show up on skydrive in the Office Hub. Infact if you use the Documents folder as the "root" of all your files and simple create folders within there, they will all show up in the office hub's skydrive folder. As you see I have a "PDF" folder with all my pdfs. You download them when you select it and it is saved to adobe's app storage locally on the phone.
Skydrive on the phone will also stream audio and video files! Sometimes my friends would share a video or some music with me and I'd be able to access it natively!
You can view any pdf or office document (provided it is in later version format i thnk office 2007 up) hosted on websites. It will download and open in adobe/office.
Also OneNote is absoulely terrific in the Office hub for syncing notes to the PC/web and phone. I use it extensively to manage my classes!
Hope this helped.
Mike415 said:
What I am still unclear on is viewing PDFs that are hosted on websites because its a situation that I run into frequently enough that I need it to be able to view PDFs from sites or Skydrive (Either one). Can I navigate with IE to a site with a link to a hosted PDF and view it or not?
Can I leave my phone on vibrate (no ring) and still play headphones without turning the ring back on in doing so? This would be a huge issue if not because I can't be having my phone go off in class all the time. I rarely take my phone off vibrate, so I want to make sure I can leave silent/vibrate on and still play Zune without turning the ringer back on.
Does vibrate mean that alarms only vibrate and dont sound? ie. do I need to take my phone off silent ringer/vibrate all night if I want to hear an alarm in the morning?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PDF's are just working fine. Just install Adobe's PDF app and IE will automatically hook them and forward them to the app. Same on SkyDrive, you can even zip those PDF's as WP is able to look into zips.
As for the sound it should work the way you described. Volume control is for everything on the device but the button for vibration is only for the ringer. So if you mute your device via volume rocker then everything will be muted. If you only press the vibrate button then only the ringer will be silenced.
Awesome, guys. Great replies. The volume issues and PDF issues seem like they would be fine for situations like mine. Loved the screenshots!
Really I dont see too many issues not to switch over eventually, as the replies here have quelled my main doubts. As more apps come and current apps are optimized theres very little reason to not switch for most people. Its just that damn app list!
Good thing there's homebrew folders now though!
Mike415 said:
Awesome, guys. Great replies. The volume issues and PDF issues seem like they would be fine for situations like mine. Loved the screenshots!
Really I dont see too many issues not to switch over eventually, as the replies here have quelled my main doubts. As more apps come and current apps are optimized theres very little reason to not switch for most people. Its just that damn app list!
Good thing there's homebrew folders now though!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thankfully the games go into your xbox live folder though...
also you can tap a letter to quickly bring up all letters where you can quickscroll from letter to letter to find apps you have.
scoobysnacks said:
thankfully the games go into your xbox live folder though...
also you can tap a letter to quickly bring up all letters where you can quickscroll from letter to letter to find apps you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and search too. I actually prefer the app list to iOS pages of icons. The applist I know exactly where to find it alphabectically using the jumplist. Need twitter? Tap a letter jump to T and its in that group. iOS its a "which page is it?' scenario.
The homebrew folders is also pretty nice. I use it for all my "News" apps and "Social" app but it doesnt have live tiles so it defeats the wp7 purpose of glance and go
scoobysnacks said:
thankfully the games go into your xbox live folder though...
also you can tap a letter to quickly bring up all letters where you can quickscroll from letter to letter to find apps you have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sayonical said:
and search too. I actually prefer the app list to iOS pages of icons. The applist I know exactly where to find it alphabectically using the jumplist. Need twitter? Tap a letter jump to T and its in that group. iOS its a "which page is it?' scenario.
The homebrew folders is also pretty nice. I use it for all my "News" apps and "Social" app but it doesnt have live tiles so it defeats the wp7 purpose of glance and go
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was just planning on throwing all my leisure games (non-XBOX LIVE) in folders. Does the XBOX Live hub hold non-Live games too? I wouldn't really need folders if all my games were in the XBOX hub, but I was thinking that it was only for Live games.
Mike415 said:
I was just planning on throwing all my leisure games (non-XBOX LIVE) in folders. Does the XBOX Live hub hold non-Live games too? I wouldn't really need folders if all my games were in the XBOX hub, but I was thinking that it was only for Live games.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the live hub holds all games!
It's a good thing too, I have a ton of games
scoobysnacks said:
the live hub holds all games!
It's a good thing too, I have a ton of games
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only drawback of the xbox live hub is that is missing the jump list. I'd really love to see it in there too.
On topic:
I'd really recommend you go into a mobile shop and try different devices. I for one came from Window Mobile 6.1 over 6.5 and Android (2.1 and 2.2) all the way to Windows Phone. First I was missing several things I know from my former mobile OSes. But once I got used to the limitations (which were a lot more before NoDo and Mango), I've never ever looked back. I'm a proud WP7 user. But it really depends on what you use your device for.
I have/had:
* the Ipad 1 32gb
* Motorola Xoom (returned)
* HP touchpad (sold after 2 months after alpha3 crap)
and now the transformer.
1st things first, this is the best of the android tablets.
I thought the HP alpha 3 made a good attempt, but it's nowhere in the realm of the xoom/transformer. The transformer seems almost a clone from the xoom, but with the keyboard dock, just is cooler to lug around. Plus the extras asus has done has helped a bit.
Main complaints.
Email, especially handling multiple accounts.
Web, browser is crap, with keyboard, even more.
weight. awkward weight distribution. I can hold the ipad in widescreen format with one hand, but this feels really unnatural with the asus.
Advantages vs Ipad
styling, keyboard dock style, rear camera, flash, widgets.
Minor complaints
Not really great software available for it yet.
Keyboard dock touchpad is too sensitive. I can't ever finish typing a long url without it going bezerk on me. Also, while android is good at freeing up memory, it does not appear as efficient as IOS5. When i run an app on ASUS that is running slowly, i have to go out and run a task manager to clean up the garbage to speed up the app. I never have to do this with IOS even when i have tons of things running.
Ipad advantages:
when i want to surf the web, i prefer the iPad. most sites now have html5 versions and those versions are usually faster loading and smoother than the flash ones for ASUS. For emailing, i prefer it's built in email to android gmail. This is strange considering i only use gmail. But Ipad apps have very intuitive ways for multiple accounts. whether for facebook or email, the multi user integration is just smoother on ipad.
For games like word with friends, it plays it vertically while the tablet one on ASUS is horizontal with smaller letters. There is also the fact that there are many many more apps i still use, like dragon lords, that i had used freely on my old iphone and they still won't make for android.
So for now, I find I prefer the Old ipad for surfing and emailing. And i'm basically using the ASUS for gaming.
ANyone else have an ipad and asus? what are your thoughts?
2 things. third-party browser, thumb keyboards.
as for the weight I hold it in one hand in landscape and portrait with no problem. maybe because I have big hand.
K9 email, free
Kaiten email, nicer multi-pane view, looks good on tablets
Neither do Exchange
Opera mobile or Dolphin HD browsers, much nicer. There's even a Firefox. And quite a few other alternative ones on the market. Opera mini is great for a phone as it saves tons of bandwidth with its pre-rendered approach.
Root your tablet and get the V6 Supercharger script. Here on XDA. Find the thread, go to first post and download the latest beta. Makes a huge difference to the way the memory management behaves.
Now that you're rooted consider a custom ROM.
Sent from my HTC Flyer P512 using Tapatalk
I "thanked" you both for your posts.
I want to make this my primary tablet.
I just got the facebook and ebay updates and was dissapointed to see it not be tablet sized like the ipad one.
I will try the other browsers. I've been trying the firefox and firefox beta and really don't like em much.
thanks.
orateam said:
Main complaints.
Email, especially handling multiple accounts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
orateam said:
For emailing, i prefer it's built in email to android gmail. This is strange considering i only use gmail. But Ipad apps have very intuitive ways for multiple accounts. whether for facebook or email, the multi user integration is just smoother on ipad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What in particular? You switch accounts at the top-left part of the screen. I've never used an iPad though, so I don't know how "intuitive" it apparently is.
orateam said:
Web, browser is crap, with keyboard, even more.
weight. awkward weight distribution. I can hold the ipad in widescreen format with one hand, but this feels really unnatural with the asus.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No such thing as widescreen on an iPad.
orateam said:
Minor complaints
Not really great software available for it yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're either not looking hard enough, or not in the right place. Check out http://tablified.com for some good applications designed for Android tablets. And any app in the Android Market will work (that's hundreds of thousands of apps) on a tablet, it just might not be optimized for it yet.
orateam said:
Keyboard dock touchpad is too sensitive. I can't ever finish typing a long url without it going bezerk on me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a common trait with ASUS laptop/netbook keyboards, unfortunately. There's a handy button to disable the trackpad on the keyboard, the fourth key (from the left) on the top row. Use it and love it.
orateam said:
Also, while android is good at freeing up memory, it does not appear as efficient as IOS5. When i run an app on ASUS that is running slowly, i have to go out and run a task manager to clean up the garbage to speed up the app. I never have to do this with IOS even when i have tons of things running.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's because iOS doesn't actually manage memory. Your programs aren't running in the background, they just get push services to make them appear like they're running. The apps actually close and restart (think about how a computer hibernates) with your old data still intact.
Android has true multitasking, which means apps are alive and running. It costs a little bit in memory, but modern Android devices have quite a bit of memory to use. If you root your tablet, you'll discover it's much easier to keep things in order, task managers in the Android market can't actually kill apps without root.
orateam said:
Ipad advantages:
when i want to surf the web, i prefer the iPad. most sites now have html5 versions and those versions are usually faster loading and smoother than the flash ones for ASUS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know you can turn flash off, or set it to load on click? Change the Enable Plug-ins setting in the Advanced settings on the browser.
orateam said:
For games like word with friends, it plays it vertically while the tablet one on ASUS is horizontal with smaller letters. There is also the fact that there are many many more apps i still use, like dragon lords, that i had used freely on my old iphone and they still won't make for android.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You know that you can actually contact developers and ask them to add features (like portrait mode, or auto-rotate, on WWF) or port their app for Android? Some developers will choose to do this if they see users asking for it, otherwise they think people [on Android] are fine without their app.
jordanjay29 said:
What in particular? You switch accounts at the top-left part of the screen. I've never used an iPad though, so I don't know how "intuitive" it apparently is.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the gmail app does it nicely. But only for gmail email accounts. If the regular email program, which can handle multiple accounts like yahoo and work would work the same way, would be better. quick question here. In gmail, like ipad mail, there are 2 views: folder view and browse view. In folder view, you see your email folders (most only look at inbox) with only subjects and brief text on the right hand side. In browse mode, you see your email on the left with the full email with images on the right. When i'm in gmail and in browse mode and delete an email, it pops me out to folder mode. do you know any way to stay in browse mode? That's what i'm used to.
No such thing as widescreen on an iPad.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
sure there is. it's just not as wide, but there is a landscape on it. It seems weighted to allow me to hold it in landscape mode with one hand. This is how i hold it.
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You're either not looking hard enough, or not in the right place. Check out http://tablified.com for some good applications designed for Android tablets. And any app in the Android Market will work (that's hundreds of thousands of apps) on a tablet, it just might not be optimized for it yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, i'll try this
It's a common trait with ASUS laptop/netbook keyboards, unfortunately. There's a handy button to disable the trackpad on the keyboard, the fourth key (from the left) on the top row. Use it and love it.
That's because iOS doesn't actually manage memory. Your programs aren't running in the background, they just get push services to make them appear like they're running. The apps actually close and restart (think about how a computer hibernates) with your old data still intact.
Android has true multitasking, which means apps are alive and running. It costs a little bit in memory, but modern Android devices have quite a bit of memory to use. If you root your tablet, you'll discover it's much easier to keep things in order, task managers in the Android market can't actually kill apps without root.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That explains the performance issues a little. But when my now aincient Ipad seems crisper regardless of how many apps are 'running', it does show that android needs a bit better memory management. Perhaps not really mutli tasking like ipad does.
You know you can turn flash off, or set it to load on click? Change the Enable Plug-ins setting in the Advanced settings on the browser.
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Click to collapse
Havent' had any luck with this. I turned it off, but it didnt load the html5 version. Perhaps the stock browswer doesn't come with html 5? when i go to some of my fav sites like http://www.theonion.com on my old ipad, it loads up quickly and the page is super smooth. it's completely html5. when i load it on the ASUS, its flash, even when i turn off the plugins, and loads up with tons of ads that slow the page to hell.
You know that you can actually contact developers and ask them to add features (like portrait mode, or auto-rotate, on WWF) or port their app for Android? Some developers will choose to do this if they see users asking for it, otherwise they think people [on Android] are fine without their app.
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thanks again, i will do that more.
orateam said:
Yes, the gmail app does it nicely. But only for gmail email accounts. If the regular email program, which can handle multiple accounts like yahoo and work would work the same way, would be better. quick question here. In gmail, like ipad mail, there are 2 views: folder view and browse view. In folder view, you see your email folders (most only look at inbox) with only subjects and brief text on the right hand side. In browse mode, you see your email on the left with the full email with images on the right. When i'm in gmail and in browse mode and delete an email, it pops me out to folder mode. do you know any way to stay in browse mode? That's what i'm used to.
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Looking in the Gmail settings, go to General preferences and then change the Auto-advance settings. Choose either to go to a Newer or Older conversation to stay in the Browse mode, setting Conversation List kicks you back to folder view.
I'm sorry to say I've never used the built-in email program since Android 2.x, when it got support for multiple Gmail addresses. So I have no idea how it works now, I suspect its drastically different than what I would be used to. Sorry.
orateam said:
That explains the performance issues a little. But when my now aincient Ipad seems crisper regardless of how many apps are 'running', it does show that android needs a bit better memory management. Perhaps not really mutli tasking like ipad does.
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It's possible that ICS will resolve some of this, as it has a built-in task manager. Honeycomb is still a bit buggy, though, so this could be influenced by its bugginess.
orateam said:
Havent' had any luck with this. I turned it off, but it didnt load the html5 version. Perhaps the stock browswer doesn't come with html 5? when i go to some of my fav sites like http://www.theonion.com on my old ipad, it loads up quickly and the page is super smooth. it's completely html5. when i load it on the ASUS, its flash, even when i turn off the plugins, and loads up with tons of ads that slow the page to hell.
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It's because the sites aren't loading different versions depending on whether or not you have flash. They're loading different versions depending on the user-agent that the browser displays.
I don't know whether anyone has modded the stock browser to do it yet, but I know that Dolphin Browser HD can change its user-agent string to the iPad version. It's possible that the Cyanogenmod team will do this for Cyanogenmod 9, but that would require rooting your tablet to do.
Welcome to android, where you are not forced to use a specific app for a specific function. We have tons of choices for everything you have been talking about. Browsers, task killers, mail programs, roms, kernels, etc....the choices and combinations are vast.
Also, it really bugs me when people say that the ipad multitasks or that apps are "running" in the background... They aren't, the ipad doesn't mt, they just developed yet another clever trick in fooling people, kinda like how they handle force closes... Sneaky sneaky apple. All crap aside, the ipad is a nice piece of equipment, but with android we have options...start using them if you want to unleash the true potential of these devices.
Try k9 mail program, I have several emails accounts I use for my business,i practically run my company from my email. when I first left apple for android,i noticed the stock email was pretty bad compared to the one on iphone 4. so I started looking around and after a day or so I found k9... Best email ever, better than ios and that says alot... Ios did their email good imo. Check it out, its a sweet app.
I like dolphin browser and opera, I use firefox on occasion.
I run revolver rom with clemsyn kernel, if you haven't rootes and flashed a custom rom, then you have not experienced what this tablet can do, it really turns it into another beast all together.
I hope you can make it work for you, it really is a fantastic tablet, and its strengths lay with the fact that you can change everything to how you want it.
Ps. I have owned an ipad1 and ipad2... The ipad 2 I bought for one of my techs...all my technicians use tablets for work... And when I let him go (fired) I kept it for a week or so to play with it, then I gave it to a friend. I prefer the versatility of android over apple. When people ask me about android vs apple,i sum it into one statement. "if you want a device that simply works well without to much fiddling around, grab an apple, but if you want a device that can be great, easily customized with some work then go for android." Everything I could do on an idevice I can do on my android devices... And then some. maybe not right out of the box, but there is a replacement for everything. In my experience, android does most things better and a few things worse than ios.
Sent from my Infuse... Love it!
so for the keyboard dock giving you issues when you are typing, you can turn off the touchpad by pressing the 4th button along the top row that looks like a touchpad with a line going across it. that way when you type, it wont click anywhere.
really great that asus put that button there
and as far as sensitivity, if i go into settings --> language & input, i can scroll down and theres a mouses and trackpad setting where i can change the pointer speed.
hope that helps you out with the dock
im running the latest revolver rom btw.
i havent used any of the other products on your list but i know that when people use my transformer and they come from galaxy tabs, ipads, or any other tablets, they are absolutely in love.
just bought it this black friday on sale and its alot more useful than i thought it was going to be :]
Opera Mobile is a full grown up browser and totally smokes both the built in Android and built in Apple browser.
Try it... It's really 5x quicker at most things, more HTML5 compliant.
It's worth also playing with the desktop/tablet settings in Opera Mobile, see which setting suits the sites you visit.
You might also try Opera Mini, but it's not really the same, it's designed for really bandwidth limited browsing.
I second opera mobile. Ive gone from stock to firefox to dolphin and I find opera to work the best for me
sounds like no votes for Google's browser or emailer program. Don't you think they should put more emphasis on getting those right instead of forcing people to pay for a better browser and emailer?
I've tried some of your suggestions, and will try more, but i'm finding i'm using the Asus less and less now. Still too slow on browser for my liking and that is what most tablets are used for.
I'm hoping that dolphin browser i have yet to use will be the trick pony.
You're screwed, it's going to be the same fundimental engine as the stock.
Oddly, the only time I find my TF (with Opera) too slow is if I don't already have it in hand. At work, it's practically the only way to get a decent browser speed because it's on a different (and much less croweded) network.
Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk
Hello,
I'm considering purchasing One X but after reading so many posts about multitasking issues I have serious doubts. I can not really check this since it takes time to see the issue but how if I don't use Sense (use alternative launcher like GoLauncher, will I still have this issue or Sense is bigger then just laucher itself.
artisticcheese said:
Hello,
I'm considering purchasing One X but after reading so many posts about multitasking issues I have serious doubts. I can not really check this since it takes time to see the issue but how if I don't use Sense (use alternative launcher like GoLauncher, will I still have this issue or Sense is bigger then just laucher itself.
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Sense is bigger than the launcher. Sense affects a lot of the core phone's features can can't be removed with just a launcher. In this particular case, Sense affects memory management, as well as the actual multitasking app itself.
Let's put it this way. If you're playing a game like say... Radiant Defense (awesome game, btw) that takes a while to complete a level and you get a text message... switching to the messaging app will actually cause the game to close. Now you can use the "multitasking" app to go back to the game, but the game will reload. It will not leave off where you left it.
If that sounds like something that would bother you a lot... I'd avoid the phone. HTC has even said that this is a core Sense 4 FEATURE, not a defect. So they won't be fixing it.
Personally don't think this really warrants a new thread, you probably should have just asked in the ongoing discussion on this.
Haven't tried an alternate launcher yet, so I can't comment on that. But as to the basic question of "how bad" the issue is, I think it depends greatly on how you use your phone, and what you expect from it. Obviously, HTC expects most people to be okay with it, or they wouldn't have tweaked it this way. Only had the phone for a few days, but so far the memory management doesn't seem much different from how the HTC Flyer does it, and I've been fine with that (having owned it since June 2011).
Like posted above, Sense is more than just a launcher. The multi-task changes are likely deep in the kernel.
To me, it is not a big deal. I don't like anything running in the background anyway. And for that matter, the number 1 app in the past a typical Android user uses is Auto Task killer which serves the exact same purpose as the new Sense 4.0. I suspect a lot of those Auto Tasker kill users now also the ones who complain about HTC's feature.
Either way, the biggest problem is with Android itself. There isn't any uniform way to inform OS that an app requires to remain running in background (unless you created a service) can be kept that way. And there is no way for an app that doesn't do anything in the background to be suspended without using any system resources. For later, both iOS and WP7 have much better implementation.
For many years now, I use Google Listen as my podcast player everyday. It works in most times while in the background but a lot of occasions, this app will be closed by OS while I'm listening to the podcast. This behavior is the same on couple different Android phones (samsung and now HTC One X). So, if google's own app can't even stay alive in background in various Android phones, it speaks volume that multi-tasking is a over-hyped feature. What HTC did is not necessary bad to everyone. For example, my Samsung phones (SGS, SGS2 and GTab 10.1) doesn't auto kill bakcground tasks (still kills my GListen) but they all lags badly from time to time.
For what it worth, I can use Google Listen in the background while running Google Nav app in the fore ground for a few hours without problem (other than occasionally Listen get closed for no reason).
I have had mine for 2 weeks and only knew about a "problem" from reading these threads.
In all in how you use it. First reply answered it best
ricktat said:
I have had mine for 2 weeks and only knew about a "problem" from reading these threads.
In all in how you use it. First reply answered it best
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Agreed. The only app I use for streaming in the background is subsonic, which functions just fine.
Also I have the very very slight annoyance that games have to completely reload if you exit them and don't switch back very very quickly. So if I get a phone call and go right back to game it's fine, but if I go web browse or something else and go back the game has to reload. This is mitigated somewhat by the raw speed of the phone, as game loading doesn't take very long (unless the game is a ****ty port like PvZ).
To avoid confusion, lets just keep this conversation with the ongoing one here. Thanks.
Thread closed.