Android vs Web OS?

I've never tried WebOS in person, only watched videos and read about it, so it's kind of tough to decide how I feel about it. I have a co-worker with a Pre, and OS wise he likes Android better. I've never gotten a chance to play around with his phone to make the choice myself, though.

We'll see what happens. Right now I think development for WebOS is stagnant, while development for Android is climbing like a rocket. That makes a big difference to a lot of people. If the OS works, though, and they come out with good hardware to support it, I'd be willing to give it a shot in the future.

 

I'm in love with WebOS, despite that I have an Android phone. I get a full upgrade next year & I'm hoping it's to the Pre2 or whatever second gen palm device.

 

Palm pre's just not going to get the apps because they must all be html/javascript

 

All:

I owned the Palm Pre for 29 days on Sprint and have now been an HTC Hero user for a week. Here are some quick thoughts comparing WebOS to Android so far....

Overall Experience:

Overall, I must admit that Palm's WebOS is a FAR smoother, intuitive, and easier-to-use operating system. The way the menus and selections work on the Pre was totally consistent across applications, with easy sliders, widgets, etc. that were made to work similarly across all apps.

In Android, the way menus work is far more complicated. Sometimes you have to back up through multiple menu layers in Android to change a phone or app setting, sometimes you don't...it's weird and inconsistent.

Multitasking:

Also, Palm is correct when they say that WebOS has TRUE easy-to-use multitasking. No other smart phone currently compares in my experience. No matter WHAT I was doing on the Pre, I was ALWAYS able push the little button, go into "card view" and simply slide back and forth among all running applications without shutting any of them down. On the Pre, I could check movie times while on a phone call, copy and paste the info into a text to the person I was talking to, or simply TELL them without risking a dropped call or accidentally closing anything (for example). And it was a LOT easier than what the iPhone commercial shows one has to do for the iPhone in the same scenario or what I have to do on the Hero now. There's nothing remotely like the Pre's WebOSlevel of easy multitasking in Android that I can see.

In Android, one has to back out of applications step by step if you want to go do something else at the same time. Sometimes that shuts the first app, sometimes it doesn't. Android is more like the iPhone in this way than the Pre.

[UPDATE: Self-editing here. PiggyGirl later corrected me and made a GREAT point below...one actually CAN switch among up to six currently-running apps in Android if you press and hold the Home button, which then bring up a little window that lets you switch apps. This is a very poorly-advertised feature of Android that everyone should be told when they buy their phone. Still not as easy as multitasking on the Pre, but definitely better than the iPhone.]

Another difference is that the phone and app settings are far more intuitive to get into on WebOS than in Android. In Android, bringing up settings from the home screen pummels you with the total list of every possible setting on the phone, and the order of the list isn't intuitive. On the Pre, one can enter setup screens in a more context-sensitive way than on Android.

Calendars:

Another thing: the native, layered calendar on the Pre that synchs with Google, Outlook, etc. is FAR more slick and intuitive and easy to use than the HTC Hero's native calendar widget. I really miss that on the Pre. Oh..and the Hero's calendar doesn't offer a weekly view! LOL The Pre did that, in addition to month and day views.

Screen and Speed:

Also, the Pre was MUCH faster and had a much brighter screen. Everything was fast, and the browser went from portrait to landscape view very quickly, with a nice rotation effect to let you know it was flipping. The Hero just sort of lags for a few seconds then suddenly changes views. Overall, the Sprint HTC Hero is much laggier, hiccup-y phone than the Palm Pre.

So Why Hero/Android and not Pre for now?

So why did I dump the Pre, despite the clear superiority of WebOS and the Pre computing power? In my case, the initial hardware build quality made for a really bad experience for me....cracked screen for no reason, constant reboots due to loose-fitting battery, etc. Also, like the Hero, the Pre initially had no ability to transfer contacts to my car bluetooth kit. Finally, having to open the little plastic door everytime I wanted to charge the Pre in my car was ridiculous.

If they come out with a Pre2 that fixes those build quality issues, I'd definitely go back to the FAR superior and well-integrated WebOS phone line. For now, I'll try the Hero because of the slightly better build quality...and the digital compass. Also, I wanted to try augmented reality apps, and the Pre simply doesn't have a digital compass like the Hero and iPhone.

- Astro

 

I can go and check movie showtimes in the middle of writing an email, or browse the web, etc. I press and hold home to quickly get back to recently opened apps, and most times it starts off where I left off. I also usually just press home to exit an application, but I can also go back after opening a notification alert. Doesn't have the cards but still is quite functional. I love WebOS, but Android is growing on me. It's a great OS, and I don't feel short changed at all, but the only thing that made me keep my Moment is the trackpad. I will however upgrade next year and I have really high expectations for the 2nd gen WebOS devices, but then again, Android is looking pretty good, too (i.e. 2.1 and beyond).

 

Sprint was the only servicer I ever considered switching to from Verizon. Users in my area have told me that they have excellent service and speed. As I mentioned, I've heard great things about WebOS, but the lack of apps and the shoddy build quality of the Pre made it so I never even went and took a physical look at it. It's unfortunate, really, because it seems like the OS has a ton of potential.

 

Lol? more people know HTML/Javascript than JAVA, which is what Android uses.

And I have to agree with Astro, while i am impressed with Android, WebOs as an Operating system is far superior. The ONLY reason i didnt upgrade to the pre is I didnt like the phone itself. If it had the same specs as my moment, but ran WebOs, I'd be happy as pie. And since you can use all the PalmOs Apps on WebOs, Palm by far has Android and maybe apple beaten on apps.

 

yes but you can do real stuff with java/ndk.

 

Actually, PiggyGirl makes a GREAT point...

...one actually CAN switch among up to six currently-running apps in Android if you press and hold the Home button, which then bring up a little window that lets you switch apps. This is a very poorly-advertised feature of Android that everyone should be told when they buy their phone. I went back and edited my original post in this thread, because clearly this is something that I should've mentioned.

It's still not as good as the Pre's version of multitasking, but not bad.

By the way, if one prefers to choose from among the six most-recently used apps (instead of up to six currently-running apps), well, there's apparently an app for THAT as well:

Task Switcher Android App Review - AndroidApps.com

- Astro