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First Android Experience

Smaptastic

Newbie
Feb 26, 2013
12
0
Just picked up a Galaxy Note II today. I was really looking forward to this, as I thought I would enjoy Android. Here are my thoughts so far. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

  1. It is absolutely absurd that Android, a Google product, ships with a default mail app that does not support GMail, another Google product. I know I can use the GMail app, but seriously.
  2. The screen is great. I love the size.
  3. The maps and navigation are really amazing.
  4. Having the front screen taken up almost entirely by a weather prediction (for the wrong city, despite allowing it to locate me) is hideous design.
  5. Seriously, why can I not doodle a picture over text with the S-Pen without getting a third-party texting app? Note that this is the second (email being the first) major native function I've had to replace.
  6. The worst sin on this list: Visual voicemail should not require an additional subscription. It's not 2005. You're competing with the iPhone. Suck it up and give that service for free. There's no excuse for this one at all. Yes I know I can use Google Voice, but that's a kludge and replaces yet another major native function with an outsourced version.
  7. Google Voice isn't putting up a notice on the app icon when I have voicemail waiting. Fantastic. And it's not hooking into texts properly. Double awesome.
  8. Turning the phone sideways to type a text covers all previous texts. Come on - that's lazy design.
  9. Not being able to delete a TON of pre-installed garbage is greedy, lazy, or both.
  10. The Google Play store is laid out like it was designed by a team of 50 artists who had no shared vision or communication. You can't find anything your account has done in the past (such as a download history) and if you were to remove the search function, I doubt I'd ever find a single app I was looking for.

If some of these issues are my inexperience showing itself, I'd be happy to hear it and I'd love to get a fix. Otherwise, I cannot understand why anyone would want to use this? Being able to tinker is fine, but being FORCED to tinker because the stock software is badly-designed is certainly not ideal.
 
Sounds like a lot of your gripes are with Samsung rather than Android.

It is absolutely absurd that Android, a Google product, ships with a default mail app that does not support GMail, another Google product. I know I can use the GMail app, but seriously.

I personally use the GMail app, but I know of several people who use the stock email app for their GMail accounts...not sure why you think the stock app doesn't support GMail?

Having the front screen taken up almost entirely by a weather prediction (for the wrong city, despite allowing it to locate me) is hideous design.

You can simply remove the weather widget by long pressing it and dragging it to the trash can icon.

Seriously, why can I not doodle a picture over text with the S-Pen without getting a third-party texting app? Note that this is the second (email being the first) major native function I've had to replace.

I'm not sure what you mean here...you want to draw a picture over a text (as in text message)?


The worst sin on this list: Visual voicemail should not require an additional subscription. It's not 2005. You're competing with the iPhone. Suck it up and give that service for free. There's no excuse for this one at all. Yes I know I can use Google Voice, but that's a kludge and replaces yet another major native function with an outsourced version.

I'm not in the US so it may be different there, but that would be up to your network whether or not they charge you for that feature, surely?

Not being able to delete a TON of pre-installed garbage is greedy, lazy, or both.

Again, this is an issue with your network installing bloatware on the phone - not Android. If it bothers you that much, you can root your phone and remove it. There's many threads explaining how to do this.


The Google Play store is laid out like it was designed by a team of 50 artists who had no shared vision or communication. You can't find anything your account has done in the past (such as a download history)

You can view every app you've ever downloaded. On the Play store, go to My Apps (which will bring up a list of all currently installed apps) and swipe right to 'All'.
 
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You may want to hold your disdain for android for at least a week or two until you get all the iOS out of your system. It sometimes takes a few days to get used to being able to do what you really want without someone forcing you to do it their way.

Most of your complaints are going to rectify themselves as you post and read more here
 
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Hello,

1. Not true, I just added my Gmail account to the Email app and I had already the Gmail app installed. The only setbacks are that you must remove notifications from the Gmail app or you'll end up with two notification for one mail and you don't get the auto-fit option.

4. You can delete the weather widget and put only a clock widget or anything you like.

10. If you go to Play Store> Menu > My apps on first screen are the installed apps and if you slide right you have all the download history for your account.
 
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The exact quote in the "Set up email" screen is: "For Gmail account, use Gmail app."

I went to my email app, selected >Settings >General Settings, and then pressed the + at the top of the screen, to "add an account". I entered my Gmail address/pwd, then pressed next...gmail account was automatically configured:

7ade7ape.jpg


You can also share anything created in S-Note via the "stock" text app, which is called "Messaging"...not sure why you would need a 3rd party app.
 
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Visual Voicemail is free for me. Just had to set up the voicemail and was good to go. Don't know what you are talking about you have to pay for that service. I have T-Mobile by the way.

I don't get what you are saying that the defaul mail app does not support Gmail? That you need to use the Gmail app for that. Wrong. Google owns Android. You actually think they won't have the default mail app on a Google product not support Google's mail service? Lol. I've used the default mail app on the Evo and now on the Note 2 for my Gmail messages.

PlayStore is fine. Can easily find anything in there along with what you are looking for which is a history of all you have downloaded in the past.

Like some have said, not being able to delete the bloatware is the carrier and brand of your phone, not Android. Android did not put all that junk on there. Your carrier and Samsung did. Rooting fixes that problem and is simple to do.
 
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Just picked up a Galaxy Note II today. I was really looking forward to this, as I thought I would enjoy Android. Here are my thoughts so far. I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

  1. It is absolutely absurd that Android, a Google product, ships with a default mail app that does not support GMail, another Google product. I know I can use the GMail app, but seriously.
I do not use the stock mail app (on Android you are not forced to; their are plenty of apps available that offer far more customization). I use K9 mail.
  1. The screen is great. I love the size.
Yes, it is a little bigger than the Fisher Price My First Cell Phone (also known as the iPhone). ;)
  1. The maps and navigation are really amazing.
Obviously the maps are phenominal; even Apple tells you to use them!
  1. Having the front screen taken up almost entirely by a weather prediction (for the wrong city, despite allowing it to locate me) is hideous design.
Again, completely customizable by the use of widgets, shortcuts or a myraid of different apps. Check your refresh rate setting.
  1. Seriously, why can I not doodle a picture over text with the S-Pen without getting a third-party texting app? Note that this is the second (email being the first) major native function I've had to replace.
That IS the beauty of Android; don't like it, replace it!
  1. The worst sin on this list: Visual voicemail should not require an additional subscription. It's not 2005. You're competing with the iPhone. Suck it up and give that service for free. There's no excuse for this one at all. Yes I know I can use Google Voice, but that's a kludge and replaces yet another major native function with an outsourced version.
Not sure what carrier you are on, but Sprint does NOT charge for this. If you are paying for it, that is greed on your carrier's part.
  1. Google Voice isn't putting up a notice on the app icon when I have voicemail waiting. Fantastic. And it's not hooking into texts properly. Double awesome.
The native app will put up a notification when you have VM waiting. Same with texts.
  1. Turning the phone sideways to type a text covers all previous texts. Come on - that's lazy design.
The keyboard has to go somewhere! It has to be big enough to be usable.
  1. Not being able to delete a TON of pre-installed garbage is greedy, lazy, or both.
Again, this is on the carrier for the most part; some on Samsung.



Simple solution: root the phone, and freeze all unwanted apps with TiBu, or go to a custom ROM of your liking.
  1. The Google Play store is laid out like it was designed by a team of 50 artists who had no shared vision or communication. You can't find anything your account has done in the past (such as a download history) and if you were to remove the search function, I doubt I'd ever find a single app I was looking for.
What?? Open the Play Store, hit the menu button, choose "my apps", and you can view "installed" or "all". Or, from a PC you can view all apps ever installed on any android device, and pick and choose which ones to install on what device. All without EVER plugging the phone in to the PC; unlike iTunes.


If some of these issues are my inexperience showing itself, I'd be happy to hear it and I'd love to get a fix. Otherwise, I cannot understand why anyone would want to use this? Being able to tinker is fine, but being FORCED to tinker because the stock software is badly-designed is certainly not ideal.

I can understand your frustration with having sooooo many options for customization, and not being "walled in" as far as what the opsys will allow and not allow you to do.

Embrace this philosophy; it is what Android is all about. No limits, no boundaries.

Good luck, and enjoy!!
 
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On my google navigation app. there is a nagging issue.
When you go to your list of recently found places, sometimes without notice, some of them get deleted or hidden, etc.
I dont know if there is a time frame where they fall off or if there are only so many that will fit but I naviagted to a place just yesterday and now it is no longer listed in my recenlty found places and I need it back as I fogot the address.
I thought by default that every entry you make, gets stored and stays stored unless you remove it which by the way, I have not figured out how to do that either.
So, does anyone know how I can find the info on recent places when I was just there and now cant find it?
Mike

note2 /sprint
 
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I can understand your frustration with having sooooo many options for customization, and not being "walled in" as far as what the opsys will allow and not allow you to do.

Embrace this philosophy; it is what Android is all about. No limits, no boundaries.

Good luck, and enjoy!!

Great response. Unfortunately, with Verizon charging for visual voicemail and Google Voice not properly hooking/notifying, there's just too much kludge there. A lot of things in Android seem to require significant work to even bring it up to par with the iPhone, functionality-wise. As admitted, there are several things that are better.

Being walled in can be ok, as long as the room is nice. :p
 
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Great response. Unfortunately, with Verizon charging for visual voicemail and Google Voice not properly hooking/notifying, there's just too much kludge there. A lot of things in Android seem to require significant work to even bring it up to par with the iPhone, functionality-wise. As admitted, there are several things that are better.

Being walled in can be ok, as long as the room is nice. :p

I understand where you are coming from; my daughter uses an iPhone 5, and owns iPads and Macs. She doesn't need or want the customization capabilities of Android. She just wants a phone "that works".

I came from an iPhone 3Gs back when Android was in its infancy. The EVO 4G changed all of that. Yes, there was a learning curve involved, as the mode of thinking and philosophy behind the opsys is completely different.

Android is a whole new way of thinking. The statement: "A lot of things in Android seem to require significant work to even bring it up to par with the iPhone, functionality-wise" is fair when coming from a device that doesn't offer a lot of options for most features.

The appeal of Android is that you CAN customize to your heart's content. Some like the freedom; some (like my daughter) don't.

Give it a week or two, and show your iPhone buddies what your phone can do that their's can't, and you will know you made the right decision!
 
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This is my second Android phone. And yes jumping into it can be a little frustrating. BUT, as with everything else, you need to take the time to learn it. It took me a few weeks to grasp certain things about it and to get it working the way I want it too. I had to 'unlearn' from my past devices and learn from the new.

Give it some time and see for yourself. If by the end, you are still not satisfied with the experience, go back to what you're comfortable with. Sometimes jumping into new territory is tricky and takes some time to adjust. Just keep an open mind and learn to think things through in a different way.

I came from PalmOS, Symbian and Windows Mobile. Each jump required a different way of viewing things and getting things done. One thing is to stop comparing different platforms. Let it go. They are different products and will only cause further frustration if you continue to do so. Doing one thing in one platform is different on another. Though it will still yield the same results.

Got questions, ask them. You'll be amazed by the amount of support you can find here than official channels. I learned a bit about Android through here. And I even griped about it when I was comparing it to Windows Mobile. Still not happy that there's no native support for Outlook though. But then that's probably between MS and Google.
 
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i must give all of you credit for your incredibly kind responses...
BUT...
obviously the op did not do his/her homework prior to purchasing this wonderful device.
it seems to me that this is almost a plea to return to the arms of apple and the confines that we all know come with this decision...
all of these complaints are unwarranted and shortsighted.
new os=extensive learning curve, what was expected?
 
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I know the change in OS must be a "culture shock" but some of us have been there (not me, ive been with Android for some time). Im in the military and most of the guys i work with own iphones, from the 3gs to the 5. I'm sort of an outcast with my note 2 (LG Spectrum and Droid X before that). all my buddies joke around that my screen is too big, that its a paper weight, and that android phones are stupid and complicated. I tell them about its specs, the proccessing power, battery life, the VAST differences the Android OS has over IOS. And what do they have to say in there defense? "Iphone is just better, everyone has the Iphone so it has to be the best."they all think im some sort of nerd because of my interest in phone tech, like having one device in my pocket that can do anything no matter where im at isnt something to be intrigued by? and they get steamed once i show them what my "inferior" device can do. Even something as simple as a live wallpaper catches apple owners eyes. OPTIONS, FREEDOM, and INNOVATION is what captivates android owners. it's also whats turning heads and bringing a few IOS folks over to the green side. I just really wish Apple would show a little innovation...
Sorry for my rant, but please just give it a chance! you'll come around once you realize its potential.
 
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I think some of you could be a little more helpful than criticising a new android user!

I have been on android for years and never liked apple stuuf, but there are a couple of point OP is correct on, like landscape keyboard blocking the text area! What is all that about??! About time android got it right.

Similarly when entering text on forums and internet pages - sometimes it just doesn't put the text box in the right place (using dolphin or chrome)...a schoolboy error that they should address.

Help users out instead of telling them they should go back to apple!
 
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perhaps what put people off was the whiney attitude out of the box.
it is painfully obvious that there was a minimal amount of time spent exploring the vast amount of options at their disposal.
actually, it was the op that expressed a desire to return to apple.
i can sympathize with the level of frustration evident in the og post, but it did not feel as though support was desired and the objective was merely a soap box for a rant.
 
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perhaps what put people off was the whiney attitude out of the box.
it is painfully obvious that there was a minimal amount of time spent exploring the vast amount of options at their disposal.
actually, it was the op that expressed a desire to return to apple.
i can sympathize with the level of frustration evident in the og post, but it did not feel as though support was desired and the objective was merely a soap box for a rant.

thats all i meant with my rant, people just dont give the Android OS a chance. they just assume its a pile of crap and fail to spend some time with it. and i wasnt trying to tell him to go back to apple, thats the opposite of what i was trying to do.
 
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