Feeling left out (andoid user existential crisis)

[ajdroidx]

Hey all. I have started to notice a disturbing pattern. It seems as if us Android adopters are black sheep. The freedom and uniqueness we have with our devices, seems to come at a price. You notice where ever you go, there seems to be no room for us?

Local stores, best buy, walmart, etc loaded with iGear (if you can actually find what you want, that is).

I have been trying to take more advantage of my prime membership through amazon, you know, they offer a ton of streaming movies and TV. Well, android seems to be left high and dry for devices you can stream on. iPads are welcome.

Everywhere you go, its Apple this, iThat. Its a monopoly. This, to me, feels like an anti trust issue. Okay, perhaps that is a bit stretching it, but it feels like that sometimes.

I feel, as a primarily android user, that there is no room for me. I feel shunned. Left out. Like a black sheep.

And the most ironic thing, I DO look at Apple Devices. I love tech. I am not a fan boy, I enjoy tech, I opted for android because I like the platform. But there are issues. And, sadly, Apple does indeed fill many of those holes:

Photography. Yeah, I can get photos from my camera onto SOME android devices, its a pain. Photoshop express does not work on any of my devices. In many cases, I need to root my device to do this! When I had the ipad 1, before I passed it along, I had a $30 camera connection kit. The thing would pull images directly from my camera over USB or the SD card! It was slick. Just pick and chose what I wanted, import, and done! Then I could load up photoshop and tinker with.

Okay, now, I am sure there is software available on android that will do this same task, but as I said, getting images seems to be a bit more of a PITA to do so.

Also, syncing my computer with my device. Well, for some reason, I often have to fight with windows to make drivers work. A real turn off if you are in a hurry. Once again, I am sure there are ways to make my tablet talk to my PC, which, is now not working. But, the iCloud. Yeah. I think this is well thought out.

Android has dropbox.

Other stuff.

Being a guitar player, I stumbled across something called iRig. Its pretty much an adapter to plug your guitar strait into an iphone, ipad, or ipod, and with a free app (or more expensive purchase for more stuff), the device turns into a digital effects pedel. Now, this is slick.

Where is the android version of this!? Where are the android accessories? Other then screen protectors and keyboards and bluetooth speakers? Where is my set top box or airplay similar setup? DLNA!? Only on some devices and I think only my router supports DLNA and my TV is not connected to it. HDMI cables and adapters are hard to get and many are not supported by my android hardware! Seems if I want to do something apple can do, many times I either cant, or need a strange work around to make it work "kind of"

But going back to the point, yeah, I do feel left out, shunned because I opted to use android.


Don't get me wrong. I love being able to change my keyboard software, customize my device, update software myself. Change my background, I love the widgets, but to get some actual functionality for some things I want to do? Often times I feel left out and frustrated.

Anyone else feel this way? Do you feel like a black sheep sometimes because you go against the grain and use android?

 

[breadnatty08]

Aj, I can't believe you're still an Android user after all you've been through!
Personally, there's a bit that frustrates me. Accessories for the iPhone/iPad/iTouch are everywhere! At the 7/11! Where can I get an accessory for my Gnex? Um, outside of Amazon, nowhere.
I don't know a ton about iOS apps, but it seems they really do cater to niche users (technicians, musicians, doctors, teachers, etc) with quality apps. Are there some for Android, yeah, but often they just fall short.
I sort of like how Windows is controlling WP7/8 manufacturers with common functionality. All phones need to have the basics for apps to run along their ecosystem smoothly, but it's also quite limiting.
For me, Android gets the job done. I don't use too many apps (just a handful in fact). I can get to my notifications quickly, send a quick text/email, look up some info on the web etc. iPhone has a massive ecosystem which hopefully Android will seriously rival one day.

 

[ajdroidx]

I will tell you what... My desktop PC (windows 7) broke and I really do not miss it, if that tells you anything. If there is one thing Apple has going for it, its integration -an ecosystem. I actually think I brought this up before.

I also brought up the point where, to me, apple products are synonymous with generic, much as "kleenex" is synonymous with facial tissue.

I think the ecosystem is what is tripping me up in some places.

I think this is what microsoft is doing with windows 8. An ecosystem.

 

[Digital Controller]

One thing i know i seriously would never go to Apple would be changing the Keyboard. I love using slide texting, apps like Swype, SlideIT, and Swiftkey Flow are amazing apps to me and i love texting and typing like this over the old Thumb typing...This is do or die for me, and one reason i am die-hard Android.

Sounds like you have been through so much though, and am surprised you stuck with Android. Especially musicians, they usually all go Apple.

I know Google is trying to release an OS called Chrome, we will see where it goes, i know i would be interested, and it would definitely help create this "Ecosystem" you are talking about

 

[zuben el genub]

All of them want it. I don't. I simply don't want an "experience". I know what I want and it doesn't coincide with what the browser makers want. They can take their services and stick them elsewhere.

As Mr. Andreessen put it, “Why let something be between us and our users? Let’s have as much control of the user experience as we can have; make sure our services are wired in.”

(someone will come up with how to edit about:config)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/10/t...in-this-time-for-phones-and-tablets.html?_r=0

I'm managing with Opera, FX ESR, Iron, - the same in Ubuntu. Had to hunt for ESR.
Won't subscribe to mobile services. I try to get all the pages I want as desktop/classic.

 

[wyndslash]

For those entrepreneurs out there, this sounds like a great business opportunity to me!

 

[XplosiV]

No idea why your having issues with images unless your using a mac, windows pc's are fine, plug and play, drag and drop, simples.

 

[ajdroidx]

I *may* have found a work around to the photography issue. This involves the use of an eye-fi card in the g12 and wifi direct (which I believe the s3 and nexus 7 supports). The last time I had an eye-fi card, however, the software stopped working on the PC, but it was one of the lower end cards.

The card is fairly expensive, but for what it does, it may work better then shelling out for yet another tablet. If I can upload to my phones SD card, I then can pic and chose what images I upload to social media sites on the spot.

There is also one out that will log GPS data, it comes with a year subscription which means I need to register the thing. Kind of dumb. It also supports raw files.

The photo issue is one of the biggest things and sticking points to for me.

The catch is, the eye-fi card will not work in my 5DmkII camera with out an adapter and it may or may not work.

I just read this:

When an Eye-Fi Card is used in the Canon PowerShot G12, the camera automatically disables the Eye-Fi cards wifi when the shutter is pressed. Once a photo has been taken, the camera then re-enables wifi on the Eye-Fi card. This has the following effect:
If you are transferring via Direct Mode your connection will be lost and your Eye-Fi X2 card will automatically restart the Direct Mode sequence.
If you are transferring via wifi your connection will temporarily be lost and the Eye-Fi card will automatically reconnect to the network.
We apologize for this user experience and are working with Canon to change this behavior.

Seems a lot of canons cameras have this issue...

catch 22 here.

ARUGH!

I can't seem to win.

 

[Stuntman]

Accessory manufacturers will make accessories if they feel they can make a decent profit. With the iPhone only having one model each year (so far), a single design is all that is needed every year or two for any type of accessory. With non-iPhones, each particular model is no where near as popular or as common as an individual iPhone. If it comes to a physical fit for an accessory, you either have to make multiple accessories for different models of phones or develop some flexibility in your accessory to fit multiple devices.

I also brought up the point where, to me, apple products are synonymous with generic, much as "kleenex" is synonymous with facial tissue.

That was the case a few years ago. People keep calling my Nokia N97 an iPhone and did the same for my HTC Desire Z for a while. That hasn't happened to me for at least a year. With the popularity of Android smartphones, I see references to both iPhone and Android smartphone everywhere now. Unless they specifically mean the Apple iPhone, I haven't seen people use the term iPhone to refer to smartphones.

 

[ajdroidx]

Okay... picked up an eye-fi card to try out. I just realized my S3 is running liquid smooth so I am not sure if the rom supports wifi direct.

 

[ajdroidx]

The eye-fi card is probably going back. This was not a solution. It was just another annoying PITA.

I managed to get 4 images transfered from the camera to my phone with this thing. Either something disconnected (as per the warning) or the phone is dropping the connection or I am doing something wrong. But what ever it is, it is not sending the images (they are jpeg), or it is painfully slow. So much for instant uploads.

I may have one more trick to try, but this is no more then an obtuse run around.

---------

Turns out, the phone shut the connection off and favored the home wifi connection. What a pain! I had to manually select the eye-fi card in the phones wifi settings again. As a result it bumped me off my home network.

So, I can only use this system away from the house.

What a messy set up.

 

[Bob Maxey]

Hey all. I have started to notice a disturbing pattern. It seems as if us Android adopters are black sheep. The freedom and uniqueness we have with our devices, seems to come at a price. You notice where ever you go, there seems to be no room for us?

There is room for us all. You should feel bad ONLY if you LET them make you feel bad. Not sure what your point is. My local stores stock more Android phones than other brands. The local places actually stock BB, Apple, Android and Windows phones.

I will tell you that you can become a black sheep if you JB and Apple iDevice. Been there, done that, told a few to burn in a hot place.

Fortunately, in my group, people use all kinds of products and they are not abject morons like you find on the edges of the web, where so many people are just clueless pissy fools.

Retailers sell what sells. This is always been the way in the world of retail marketing. In my local stores, Apple has their own place and the rest of the counter spaces are filled with other products. Apple is prominent but they do not rule the retailers.

As for apps, ask a developer to create one. Devs likely prioritize their time and if I were to become a dev, I would develop for Apple because there is money in that orchard.

Manufacturers have created plenty of crap for Android devices. Thousands of products for many different phones. Can't swing a dead cat without knocking over a vast array of products. Several dedicated stores in my area stock more for Android than they do for Apple.

 

[Speed Daemon]

Hey all. I have started to notice a disturbing pattern. It seems as if us Android adopters are black sheep. The freedom and uniqueness we have with our devices, seems to come at a price. You notice where ever you go, there seems to be no room for us?

Here in America we're constantly being reminded that many people shed their blood and gave their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy. Although more recent examples of that are often jingoistic hype, it is a good reminder that nothing is free. If you want equal treatment, you must insist on it. You will not have to shed blood, but you will need to lift a finger. Your post is a good start.

If a store only sells and supports proprietary products, don't shop there any more. And tell them why. If Amazon Prime doesn't work with "a web browser", ask them to fix it. If they don't, stop buying it. And tell them why.

Everywhere you go, its Apple this, iThat. Its a monopoly. This, to me, feels like an anti trust issue. Okay, perhaps that is a bit stretching it, but it feels like that sometimes.

It's not a monopoly, but it is a hegemony. And it may well be an anti-trust issue. Since you've been cheated by it, write to the local FBI and US Attorney and ask them to investigate.

Photography. Yeah, I can get photos from my camera onto SOME android devices, its a pain. Photoshop express does not work on any of my devices...

Pardon me if I appear to be obtuse about this, but you have a phone with a built-in camera. And you want to transfer photos from another camera straight to your phone? And you want to run Photoshop on a telephone? Why?

Also, syncing my computer with my device. Well, for some reason, I often have to fight with windows to make drivers work. A real turn off if you are in a hurry. Once again, I am sure there are ways to make my tablet talk to my PC, which, is now not working.

Have you considered the possibility that a non-functioning PC might not be a failure of Android? IJS

Being a guitar player, I stumbled across something called iRig. Its pretty much an adapter to plug your guitar strait into an iphone, ipad, or ipod, and with a free app (or more expensive purchase for more stuff), the device turns into a digital effects pedel. Now, this is slick.

Wanna see slick? Take a look at this:

That's the gear that Pete Cornish built for guitarist David Gilmour for Pink Floyd's 1994 tour. I'd be mighty disappointed to see Mr. Gilmour playing his guitar over a phone handset.

As far as I'm concerned, IRIG is the time code that is used to keep all my clocks in sync. And I have little patience left for Apple ripping off other products' names. There are plenty of fine products on the market to DI your guitar into electronics, and FOSS sound servers like Jack that support effects plug-ins. You might consider putting Linux on that dead Windows PC and trying out Jack. If you don't own a guitar amp, get yourself a Pignose as a starter amp. Don't hide your music under a bushel; let it out.

Where are the android accessories? Other then screen protectors and keyboards and bluetooth speakers?

Android is a GUI, not a consumer product. There are millions of consumer products out there that use Android. If the product doesn't do what you want, then don't buy it. Blaming Android or any other software for the shortcomings of the hardware that you chose really isn't fair.

 

[EarlyMon]

Improvement comes from change, change comes from action, action comes from discontent.

Don't see how Android-related products, hard or soft, can improve without discontentment.

 

[Speed Daemon]

Improvement comes from change, change comes from action, action comes from discontent.

Don't see how Android-related products, hard or soft, can improve without discontentment.

So racing discontent improves the breed?

How's it going, Early? :wavey:

 

[EarlyMon]

Pretty good.

I think as a first step, yeah.

 

[mikedt]

I will tell you what... My desktop PC (windows 7) broke and I really do not miss it, if that tells you anything.

I will tell you what...My two year old 15 MacBook Pro broke, and I really do not miss it. I certainly wasn't about to spend equivalent of $2,500 USD on a new 15 MBP. Don't really need a Cartier/LV/Gucci priced laptop, when a Lenovo will do.

If there is one thing Apple has going for it, its integration -an ecosystem. I actually think I brought this up before.

OK if you're prepared to be locked into the Apple ecosystem.

Tell you another thing though, Apple MacBook computers do NOT work with our classroom interactive whiteboard/projector systems...
Beijing Really Sun Co., Ltd.
A couple of our teachers had MacBooks, they couldn't use them for teaching.

 

[Speed Daemon]

Pretty good.

Happy to hear it.

I think as a first step, yeah.

"The squeaky wheel gets the grease" is a lot more than a pithy saying IME.

I've been asked to participate in focus groups since I was a kid, and I can't recall one instance a focus group producing a better product. But I can say from experience that complaining early and often to vendors has gotten me a better product on numerous occasions.

I don't like complaining, and it's often thought of as a "bad" thing, a taboo of sorts. But speaking from a purely technical point of view, negative feedback is the stuff that keeps our music playing machines sounding good, keeps airliners on course and does many other good and productive things.

They should teach that kind of stuff in school.

 

[jmar]

Thought I might add something here...

AJ,

I totally hear you. My wife is jealous of iPhone users' ability to buy a bedazzled case when I can't seem to find one for the Nexus you sold me for her. I get your frustration. :banghead:

Here is my take, which in some way echoes some of the above info:

With Android we have freedom; we have choice. And because Android is Linux, I will share this...

...About a year ago my Toshiba Windows Vista laptop (Family Computer BTW) was dying. Not a single adult website was ever viewed on that thing and somehow this piece of junk somehow managed to pick up a virus. I found the culprit and killed it...Culprit: Windows. What did I do? I backed up the photos of my baby and music and whatnot and installed Ubuntu 11.10....what a beautiful day that was. And the Kodak printer that has no Company Sanctioned support for Linux around Network/WiFi printing...no problem!!! I made it work using command line and some files provided by the Open Source Community! Thank you Google and Open Source!

For the record, I have ZERO issues with my phone and computer talking to each other. I send all files between the two devices using Android Device Bridge (ADB).

Bottom line is that you have a choice. And no one here would fault you if iOS became that choice. We would miss you, of course. And I am not suggesting you move away from an open set of options! (Please don't bail on us bro!) I know that you have been through a lot recently with Android; hopefully something I have said resonates with you my friend.

Happy Trails,

jmar

 

[Speed Daemon]

I totally hear you. My wife is jealous of iPhone users' ability to buy a bedazzled case when I can't seem to find one for the Nexus you sold me for her. I get your frustration. :banghead:

LOL... I feel for you. That must be an immense burden!

...Android is Linux..

In the interest of clarity and not starting false rumors, Android is not Linux. Android runs on Linux, but isn't Linux itself. Android isn't a typical Linux distribution; it's more like the Qt interface for the Sharp Zaurus. I hope that makes sense.

...About a year ago my Toshiba Windows Vista laptop (Family Computer BTW) was dying. Not a single adult website was ever viewed on that thing and somehow this piece of junk somehow managed to pick up a virus. I found the culprit and killed it...Culprit: Windows.

I've been a real, working MCSE for 15 years, and have been in charge of several thousands of corporate computers at a time. I've studied Windows inside-out. Not once have I been able to get Windows Vista to accept all of the "updates" before it did a BSOD and died. Vista is a loser of an OS.

OTOH Windows 7 was a pleasant surprise. It does actually work. I think it's only fair to give MS credit where due.

For the record, I have ZERO issues with my phone and computer talking to each other. I send all files between the two devices using Android Device Bridge (ADB).

Ah-ha! I knew that so many people couldn't possibly be talking about the Apple Desktop Bus!

 

[EarlyMon]

In the interest of clarity and not starting false rumors, Android is not Linux. Android runs on Linux, but isn't Linux itself. Android isn't a typical Linux distribution; it's more like the Qt interface for the Sharp Zaurus. I hope that makes sense.

How an interface compares to a stack engine comprising a virtual machine makes no sense.

Android isn't a typical desktop Linux distribution, but it is a popular embedded one.

 

[ajdroidx]

My desktop is toast. Will not stay powered on for more then 2 minutes. Could be a motherboard issue. . PSU issue, BIOS. A blown cap someplace. Not sure. I am really not missing windows.

Perhaps I am just needing a change and looking for reasons to justify doing so.

I really don't get fanboyism. Really. I am not some newbie who likes apples flash. I research. I know the limitations of apple hardware and software. I did not have that luxury when I got into Android as I picked up the G1 upon release to replace my blackberry pearl.

Yeah, apples business practices are less then good and Google is taking the high road as Google maps are now available for the iPhone when Google could have left them high and dry.

 

[EarlyMon]

Nobody making anything are our friends, I say go with whatever works for you.

Sorry about the hard failure though.

 

[Stuntman]

I totally hear you. My wife is jealous of iPhone users' ability to buy a bedazzled case when I can't seem to find one for the Nexus you sold me for her. I get your frustration. :banghead:

That's my wife's favourite feature on her iPhone. She has 3 cases which she swaps periodically to match her wardrobe.

 

[XplosiV]

My desktop is toast. Will not stay powered on for more then 2 minutes. Could be a motherboard issue. . PSU issue, BIOS. A blown cap someplace. Not sure. I am really not missing windows.

Perhaps I am just needing a change and looking for reasons to justify doing so.

Sounds more like an overheating problem, check out the heatsink/fans

Maybe you are looking for justification, experience is the best teacher. Sure get some more hardware (personally as long as your not getting into debt donig so, who cares right?) But if ask you need to fix the old setup is some thermal paste or a new heatsink/fan then you might as well repair and do with it whatever proves useful to you.