Hi
I was just going through the threads yesterday and came across one where one discussed how desperate he was and waiting anxiously for 2.1. And then, there one replied that he was using "2.2 through rooting" and soon he will be having 3.0. Sorry, I am a bit new this "rooting" thing and issues regarding this and Android are baffling me. So, I will appreciate if you help me with the following:
1- What is rooting, basically? It's some kind of "Hack"?
2- I am currently confused between Android and Palm pre (I want to buy anyone of these). The thing which gets me worried that at any time I will certainly be using an outdated version of Android since people root their phones with latest versions. So, how does the software upgrade work? If people can get hold of latest versions themselves, then certainly it will be official.
3- Nexus One is totally Google, so does it mean that currently it's running on 2.2? Does Nexus One get updated automatically the moment any new version or upgrade is available? So, owners of Nexus One don't need to root their device, as it will be updated on priority basis.
4- In whole group of Android phones, which phone is the "Best" and why? Please don't consider the respective UIs?
5- I heard that Nexus One had 3G reception problem. Is it that bad that one should change a decision to buy it or it works and doesn't create a much problem.
6- How good Android is as compared to Palm Pre and why?
1. Rooting is a term in this case used to get access to the "root" user on your phone. Since Android is a version of Linux, and Linux systems always have an all-access user named "root", gaining access to the root user means you have much more control over your system, in this case your phone.
2. Be careful about what you read. Yes, if you get something other than the Nexus One, you'll get a version of Android that isn't "the latest", but the great thing about Linux and Android specifically is that it's designed to have user based support by being opensource (code is fair game for anyone to look at or modify). The down side is also that it's designed to have user based support by being opensource. You don't HAVE to root your phone and put a custom ROM (basically the OS and some other bits and pieces) on your phone, but many reputable user created ROMs will give you bug fixes and additional support way before you could expect to get anything downloaded OTA (over-the-air) from your carrier. Additionally, most of the actual user functionality for the phone can be changed or swapped by downloading an App from the Market and setting it to be the system default for certain tasks, keeping you from being "out-of-date".
3. Last I heard, Nexus One was shipping with Android 2.1 (in contrast, the Droid/Milestone is shipped with 2.0.x), not 2.2. Assuming you don't root your phone and put a different ROM on it, your OS is updated OTA (over-the-air) by your carrier sending a special command to the phone. This causes your phone to download the new stuff in the background and automatically update, often without your direct involvement or knowledge. This is usually a very infrequent occurance because it guarantees that a somewhat significant portion of carrier's bandwidth will be used. To help with this, the carrier often staggers the updates so only groups of people get it at one time, rather than it being a mad rush. One thing to note, is that you can also usually get this same update from Google itself if you don't want to wait for your carrier to command your phone to go get it.
4-5. Not familiar enough with the Nexus One to give advice.
6. Android is opensource, which has drawn a larger user-created-content base. The Palm Pre is more refined. If you're interested in having the latest and coolest stuff, and don't mind occasionally having to with slightly funny functionality, Android is for you. If you want a very pretty, smooth, and consistent interface that will basically never change or update, get the Palm Pre. Also check out UI comparisons and reviews to help you decide based on what you want out of your phone.
2- I am currently confused between Android and Palm pre (I want to buy anyone of these). The thing which gets me worried that at any time I will certainly be using an outdated version of Android since people root their phones with latest versions. So, how does the software upgrade work? If people can get hold of latest versions themselves, then certainly it will be official.
6- How good Android is as compared to Palm Pre and why?
I had an HTC Magic before I picked up a Palm Pre as a contract upgrade.
YMMV, but I hated it.
I got the Palm Pre on UK launch day (October?) and sold it on eBay last month to part-fund a new Nexus One. I only used it for about 1 month in total as I kept switching back to my Magic instead. I desperately wanted to like the Palm Pre, but it just didn't work for me.
I didn't have any problems with the Pre hardware, however the software (WebOS) is simply not mature enough for me. Some user customisations that I expected to be there - eg personalised alerts for email, calendar, etc - were not yet available.
If you can find a shop that carries both the Palm Pre and one or more Android handsets have a play with both. Failing that, seek out user forums for both - IMHO the user experience of WebOS and Android is fundamentally different.
I had an HTC Magic before I picked up a Palm Pre as a contract upgrade.
YMMV, but I hated it.
I got the Palm Pre on UK launch day (October?) and sold it on eBay last month to part-fund a new Nexus One. I only used it for about 1 month in total as I kept switching back to my Magic instead. I desperately wanted to like the Palm Pre, but it just didn't work for me.
I didn't have any problems with the Pre hardware, however the software (WebOS) is simply not mature enough for me. Some user customisations that I expected to be there - eg personalised alerts for email, calendar, etc - were not yet available.
If you can find a shop that carries both the Palm Pre and one or more Android handsets have a play with both. Failing that, seek out user forums for both - IMHO the user experience of WebOS and Android is fundamentally different.
HTH
So, which one do you recommend? I find it hard to find a shop displaying both. Right now I am on 3 UK. And at the moment they don't have any latest handset apart from Blackberry Bold 2. Actually I feel inclined to physical/hardware keyboard, so Palm Pre with touch-screen and keyboard became an option. BB is a good option as well but its black&white menus/submenus don't appeal me.
Why did you return Nexus One? What issues did you face?
So, which one do you recommend? I find it hard to find a shop displaying both. Right now I am on 3 UK. And at the moment they don't have any latest handset apart from Blackberry Bold 2. Actually I feel inclined to physical/hardware keyboard, so Palm Pre with touch-screen and keyboard became an option. BB is a good option as well but its black&white menus/submenus don't appeal me.
Why did you return Nexus One? What issues did you face?
Oops - communication confusion here..
I got shot of the Palm Pre, not the Nexus One. They can have that back when they pull it from my cold, dead hand..
I have heard tell of some issues with the Nexus One, but haven't had any issues with it at all..
O2 will have the Pre in, but no real knowledge of it..
Nexus one keyboard is similar to the iPhone 3G's IMHO (I used to have one of those too lol) and I've found it very easy to manage with the standard vanilla Android touch keyboard, but YMMV.
I did like the sliding keyboard on the G1 I had, but it wasn't always convenient to slide it out to use..
Need some help regarding some issues!
