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5 things I'd like to see on Android

1. Tighter core app experience
This is one of the main reasons I love the iPhone. Every core app is designed very well, works very well, and does the job so good that you rarely need to find a better app in the App Store. On Android, every manufacturer finds the need to make their own crappy mp3 player, that crashes constantly and generally doesn't work very well. The stock core apps on Android work fine, but I wish there'd be a tad more polish and usability.


2. Google Desktop client
I've been practically raised on iTunes (lies, but you get me), and I find syncing with iTunes to be great. Sure, there's some hiccups, and I'd like to drag and drop a file every once and a while, but otherwise, I think it works just fine. I know Google loves "the cloud" but I'd love for their to be a desktop client that allows me to drag and drop apps and music in, and be able to sync pictures and calenders with on my local drive.


3. High Res Display
I know it's coming, but I can't stress enough how bad I want this. I'd love to see a Super AMOLED with a Retina display.


4. Google approved apps
I love that Google lets even Joe Schmo make his own slider puzzle trivia app. But I don't want that clouding up my app store. I think it's unfair that some of these amazing developers get clumped together with mr. fart app, but that's the nature of Google's open market. However, there's a solution to this: Google approved apps. Basically, everyone gets to play nice in the market, but only certain apps that maintain a quality appearance and measure up to higher standards get to have a Google stamp of approval.


5. Google provides all updates
This is a HUGE one. I'm not comfortable with the idea of buying a phone and not knowing whether or not it'll be supported in a few months because my manufacturer or carrier (or both) is tinkering with ways to bloat it up, or using 2.2, 2.5, 3.0 as their way to sell a new phone. All these firmware updates need to be provided by Google. I believe that this is being implemented in Gingerbread though, so I can get some sleep now. At the least, provide an easy way to get rid of bloat.



Not trying to start a flame war, just voicing my opinion on what I'd like to see. Feel free to attack me all you like though :p
 
With the iPhone there is only one type to design for. With android there are phones with/without keyboards, trackballs, processing capabilities, ect....
The apps on the iPhone quality wise will always be better because there aren't as much variations to program for. As for the updates, there are variations from devices with sense, motoblur, and touchwiz
 
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1. I don't see a problem with the core apps myself, but I don't really use all of them, like the MP3 player. But most of them, like maps and nav and search, all seem to work just fine to me.

2. I guess I could see a desktop client like iTunes being useful, although I really hate iTunes, and one of the best parts of leaving iPhone and moving to Android to me was not ever having to use iTunes again. But that's personal preference, and having a desktop client that you could use if you wanted to, or in addition to the cloud, could be a good thing. More options are always welcome.

3. I think the Retina display is more marketing than anything else. Sure, it has high pixel density, but on such a small display, I don't see the need for it. I've see several iPhone4's, and while it is a nice display, I don't think it's significantly better better than my Droid X display.

4. I do see Google approved apps being good, but I don't want the Android Market getting closed-up like the Apple App Store. I do wish the Market had more sorting options though, like when you search for something, if you could sor the results by ratings, I would like that. Or have Google Approved (GA) and Open Submission (OS) sections for apps, that could be nice.

5. I would also like all updates to come from Google instead of waiting for the carrier/manufacturer to come out with it, but as long as the manufacturer UIs aren't optional, that won't happen. Now, if you could install Vanilla Android with the option of turning the manufacturer UI on or off, that would be nice. But I don't think that will happen.
 
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I agree with everything you said with the exception of the screen, simply because i don't think it's that big of a deal. there isn't a huge difference between retina and super-amoled, that's just apple's good marketing.

As for the apps, that would be a good idea, especially if they were in separate categories. i.e., "google approved" and "open market" sections.

As far as the core apps go, i agree. Android's media players just plain suck. That's why i just ordered an ipod touch. But as the above poster brought up, it's a lot easier for apple to do these things since they are designing software for ONE specific piece of hardware built by THEIR company on one carrier.
 
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I agree with everything you said with the exception of the screen, simply because i don't think it's that big of a deal. there isn't a huge difference between retina and super-amoled, that's just apple's good marketing.

As for the apps, that would be a good idea, especially if they were in separate categories. i.e., "google approved" and "open market" sections.

As far as the core apps go, i agree. Android's media players just plain suck. That's why i just ordered an ipod touch. But as the above poster brought up, it's a lot easier for apple to do these things since they are designing software for ONE specific piece of hardware built by THEIR company on one carrier.


Going to have to disagree about the Retina Display. The name is all marketing, but the actual result is very impressive. The only thing Super AMOLED has over the Retina is color display (love me some true blacks), but the definition of the high res iPhone 4 display is perfect. Sure, what we have isn't bad, but it could be better.
 
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Going to have to disagree about the Retina Display. The name is all marketing, but the actual result is very impressive. The only thing Super AMOLED has over the Retina is color display (love me some true blacks), but the definition of the high res iPhone 4 display is perfect. Sure, what we have isn't bad, but it could be better.

while i agree that the retina display is better, i don't think its substantial enough to be an issue with android... super amoled does just fine!
 
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Oh I agree, it's a very minimal thing, but a nice thing to have nonetheless. It's probably my least desired thing on the list.

definitely. hopefully one of androids christmas phones will have a rebuttal. and hopefully with some of the other features you've mentioned. from what ive heard gingerbread is supposed to focus mainly on improving the UI and smoothness, so i guess we'll see what they come up with haha
 
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definitely. hopefully one of androids christmas phones will have a rebuttal. and hopefully with some of the other features you've mentioned. from what ive heard gingerbread is supposed to focus mainly on improving the UI and smoothness, so i guess we'll see what they come up with haha


From what I've read, Gingerbread seems to fix a lot of my dislikes for Android, the main one being OTA air updates straight from Google.
 
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Going to have to disagree about the Retina Display. The name is all marketing, but the actual result is very impressive. The only thing Super AMOLED has over the Retina is color display (love me some true blacks), but the definition of the high res iPhone 4 display is perfect. Sure, what we have isn't bad, but it could be better.

Yeah but seriously, that kind of a resolution on a < 4" screen is kind of a waste IMO. They should have focused more on the antenna instead of a nicer display for just another bullet point in there promo's. Now that pixel density would have gone real nice on the iPad, why didn't they do it there?
 
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Yeah but seriously, that kind of a resolution on a < 4" screen is kind of a waste IMO. They should have focused more on the antenna instead of a nicer display for just another bullet point in there promo's. Now that pixel density would have gone real nice on the iPad, why didn't they do it there?

Still on the antenna there buddy? I could post a video on how it doesn't affect me, but other youtube videos do that already. I'm the last one to drink St. Jobs' Holy Koolaid, but I'm going to have to agree that the whole things was blown out of proportion by a significant amount of people who didn't own the device (such as yourself). As for the display, it's nice, it's great, I'm glad they did it. As to why they didn't do it on the iPad, that's a massive resolution and seeing as your hold the iPhone closer to your eyes than the iPad, it's just fine. I barely see a difference at the right distance.
 
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The only thing outta that list I would not really disagree with but just mention is before the iPhone 4, Android phones had higher res displays. the iPhone 3GS had lower res than the Droid.

So I could see u saying higher screen res. Android phones already have high res displays. Its just the iPhone 4 has higher.

And to add to your list, I wanna see HDR for photos....lol
 
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I would love it if after you type an email address and you add the asterisk, the keyboard would change back to text entry rather than numbers.

Also, since you asked what we want to see, my slight peeve is with the Android Market. I would like to be able to click on the last search entry and rather than have Mr. Android use that to perform the exact same search I did not like, it would add the entry and allow you to add additional info.

For example, you type "aHome" and you can't find just the themes. If you search again, hit "aHome," again, a search you do not want. It would be nice to be able to select the top/last search entry and append "themes" to the search term.

Bob
 
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I'm curious as to why everyone is so caught up in having these ultra hi-def displays on screens that fit in your pocket... Seriously..

Do all your TV's have this kind of pixel density?


It's a nice thing to have. Just because I don't NEED it doesn't mean it's not a nice addition. Did Android need the higher than iPhone resolution at the time? No, but it looked nice.


Of course my TVs don't have that. I'm looking at my TV from a distance of about 4-7 feet in most cases. However, 1.5 feet is about average for a cell phone, so more pixel density is needed.
 
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It's a nice thing to have. Just because I don't NEED it doesn't mean it's not a nice addition. Did Android need the higher than iPhone resolution at the time? No, but it looked nice.


Of course my TVs don't have that. I'm looking at my TV from a distance of about 4-7 feet in most cases. However, 1.5 feet is about average for a cell phone, so more pixel density is needed.

Yeah it WOULD be a nice to have, but I'm sure their are more important features people would rather see than a super hi def screen on a smartphone though...
 
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Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but this thread is about desired improvements to the Android OS - not to the hardware on which it runs. That being the case, coupled with my observation that there seems to be a wide variety of hardware being used by the very people who have posted on this thread, why would anyone complain about the display? Doesn't that greatly vary from device to device and have little if anything to do with the Android OS itself? For example, while the EVO has a larger screen than the Incredible, the quality is far better on the Incredible (much better contrasting compared to the EVO's washed-out appearance), but they both run Android. Not trying to start an argument, just a little confused. :)
 
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