An iOS user migrates to Android | Hacker News Reader

An iOS user migrates to Android

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45 pointsFredericJ44 comments

I've been doing something similar. I'm on my fourth iPhone, so I'm well invested in that ecosystem. I recently added a Galaxy S3 with a new line for testing purposes. I'm comparing both devices: if I prefer the S3, I'll transfer my personal line to it, and use the iPhone as the backup/test device.

I have no problem buying apps. I have a few apps I depend on, and many I like. My thoughts so far:

* The S3 is a superior piece of hardware, hands down.

* Most of the OS features are superior on the S3 as well, and the built in apps are as good or better than what's on iOS.

* The app situation is what kills the S3.

1) Many apps I depend on that are awesome on iOS don't exist on Android, and the "substitutes" are really poor in my opinion (for example, OmniFocus vs. the generic to-do apps)

2) Some of the same apps don't have ad-free Pro versions on Android as they do on iOS. Perhaps there needs to be a separate app store filled with more curated, paid apps? (Say Google Play and Google Pro)

3) Some of the same apps are absolutely horrible on Android. I suspect they are quick ghetto ports of successful iOS apps, not properly developed Android software. (Example: The Chive is pretty decent on iOS, and a bug-filled mess on Android)

Again, I was really cheering for the S3, but honestly, ecosystem trumps innovation.

Which iPhone were you comparing to the S3? The iPhone 5?

In my hardware comparison, yes, the iPhone 5. (I've also owned the 4S, 4, and 3G)

You look like those Frenchmen going to China and complaining that the bread is not as good. Try android native apps.

Where do you get the idea that he is not?

Personally, the vibrate on keypress feature is the greatest thing ever (Nexus S), and I'm heartbroken that my fancy new ASUS tablet (TF200T) doesn't support it. Fortunately, it has a (physical) keyboard, so all I need now is a decent SSH implementation. Alternatively, maybe just Ubuntu.

As a side note, you can turn off the vibrate on keypress in the keyboard options. It's separate from the system-wide vibration settings, I think.

Not sure if this is what you're looking for, but I've been using ConnectBot[1] for the past year or so and it has worked great. I've never used it with a physical keyboard, though, so YMMV.

[1] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.connectbot

try Hackers keyboard in conjunction with connectbot.

Makes life much better if you don't have a physical keypad.

edit: I should elaborate. You dont really even need connectbot with hackerkeyboard as the multi keypress features aren't needed; HK supports that on itself.

My SSH combo is just Terminal Emulator + hackers keyboard

Hacker's Keyboard is awesome for SSH/terminal.

Stock ConnectBot has a lot of irritating behaviours with a physical keyboard. GitHub presents several dozen forks with something like what I want, but methodically going through and figuring out which are actively maintained and which actually offer everything (back key as ESC, working number+shift, etc.). I'm a VI user, and a lot of forks are optimised for other editors.

VXConnectBot - please contribute!

ConnectBot is the best I've found; though the main branch has never been updated to account for full-size keyboards (it has a few tweaks to let you use ctrl/alt on phone-size keyboards without breaking your fingers, but no way to disable them). I've got a fork sitting in my Github that nixes those tweaks; be warned it was a very quick hack and I never thoroughly tested it so other things could be broken.

https://github.com/ConstantineXVI/connectbot

I've found a few quick Git forks of ConnectBot, I have a harder time finding one that's being maintained. It seems like everyone is very quick to patch (which is awesome), but I don't think the main developer is maintaining ConnectBot anymore, which makes it a bit of a dud from a security perspective.

VXConnectbot

If you have time, it might be worth checking out if you can contribute to VXConnectbot, which seems to be the most maintained fork

So far, the best thing I've found for my Transformer TF300T is Better Terminal Emulator Pro. It's four bucks, and comes with ssh and vi. The ctrl, tab, and arrow keys all work, and the back key (upper left of keyboard) is remapped to esc.

Unfortunately, the developer appears to be MIA, and the website (which help redirects to) is broken. Still well worth the four bucks.

Maybe link to the original instead of linking to daringfireball that only contains a link to the twitter feed (or what you younglings call it) http://storify.com/joestump/an-ios-user-migrates-to-android ...

but it never would have made the front page unless it was on daringfireball :)

He's really amazed at being able to just pop a SIM in another country and just use it. Don't they sell unlocked iPhones on the US?

They do now sell them in USA, but it's a fairly recent development and the vast majority of iPhones sold there are still carrier-locked.

plus verizon's comes with unlocked GSM

"An iOS (unknown version) user migrates to Galaxy Nexus (unknown Android version) (c. November 17, 2011)."

At least several of these are not issues (eg. having Chrome and Browser apps or unable to disable keypress feedback) in Android 4.2.1; I can't really speak to earlier versions.

I've been living on 2.3 for the past 2 years.

Haptic feedback has always had an option to disable. I'm pretty sure I've seen settings to even change the intensity of said feedback.

In fact, most of this guys issues are either

a) apps I want aren't available

b) I don't know where that setting is located.

I will agree though, the android settings browser is a bit of a train wreck. Not bad for me, but trying to explain any of this to my father, for example, is an effort in futility.

>the android settings browser is a bit of a train wreck

I have to say, I really don't understand this criticism. I go to settings and I have really simple categories: Sound, Display, etc with the settings inside. I guess I don't know how it could be easier...

I wonder if this person is aware of the swiping keyboard. No mention of that, easily one of my favorite 4.2-specific features.

I don't have a particular issue with the settings system. I forget which category some settings are in sometimes but I'm not sure I can really blame the system since I also forget where I left me keys sometimes.

And I've been using Swype on my 2.x phones for a couple years too. It is a good one for devices that don't have the latest OS.

If you haven't seen the Settings app in 4.1 / 4.2, it got a lot better, IIRC.

I have, and it certainly is an improvement in my eyes, however the biggest difficulty when doing UX is, to put it bluntly, getting yourself in the mindset of an absolutely clueless user.

My dad is over 60 and loves his nexus 7, but trying to explain to him how to clear an application's cache is about as effective as educating him on the underpinnings of posix threads.

Do I know a better way? Hell no. Were it up to me, everyone would be forced to learn a CLI before they even get to THINK about a file browser.

> My dad is over 60 and loves his nexus 7, but trying to explain to him how to clear an application's cache is about as effective as educating him on the underpinnings of posix threads.

This is interesting, as it highlights one of the big differences between iOS and Android for me. With Android, a lot of appliance-like convenience was given up for more flexibility and control, which makes it more like a general computer. iOS, on the other hand, takes a more curated approach to UI (not to mention hardware options) and is easier to use since it is a more appliance-like experience. The ability to even clear app cache for an Android app shows that you are using a computer, and with that comes the complexity of operating one (granted Google is making attempts to make things easier in default cases).

There is a way to clear the app cache in the same manner as iOS. Simply uninstall the app and re-install it.

Except I think this is a terrible thing to highlight the differences. The user should never have to think about clearing the application cache, or what that even means, and in my experience on Android, you don't have to. I can't think of a single time I've had to outside of trying to reproduce a bug for my own app. The fact that his father had to think about it indicates that someone, somewhere along the line screwed up.

He shouldn't have to think about clearing an application's cache. Seriously, if that's something he's thinking about, someone, somewhere along the line, screwed up.

iOS is way worse. Maybe not if your used to it, but the categories are totally random. And every setting is either on the top level or in "General", apparently decided by a coin flip. And then the app-specific settings that only some apps actually use so you have to check two places half the time? Gross.

I'm confused by most of this list really.

- A few of his complaints are about apps on the store (1Password, Tweetbot, Circa, Reeder). I'm not sure how these are "Android" problems. - Ads in apps are the responsibility of the app author to provide a free/pay model to remove them. Again, not an "Android" problem. - The settings menus make complete sense to me, but I will agree with him about the toggles-as-buttons thing. That had me wondering where wifi settings were for a few minutes. - Keyboard vibrate is an option in the keyboard settings in every single version of android I've ever used, and every single third-party keyboard too. - Jumping to a specific screen (the "home" screen) is usually an option in the settings. I'm not sure about on 4.2, but I know that it is on CM10, which is based on 4.1. It might be their third-party launcher that provides this though. It's in Settings -> Launcher -> Homescreen -> Default Screen.

He is referring to Android the platform, as opposed to Android the OS. Any WP8 review will be pretty harsh on the lack of decent apps.

Indeed. "It's the app developer's fault, the OS rocks!" is a bikeshed argument in my opinion.

I'm not sure you know what bikeshedding is.

Terrible apps in the Android store is kind of a problem with the Android platform, even if they aren't a problem with Android directly. So for a user going "Why can't I just pay for this?" that's distinctly an Android platform problem.

I can't think of an instance that I've had an app that is ad supported that doesn't have a "pro" version that often does nothing more than removes the ads.

Well, apparently this guy did.

Also, if I remember rightly Angry Birds original is ad supported only, but I've not had an android device for a while so I could be wrong.

That's because Amazon locked Rovio into an exclusive deal, you could only get the Ad free version from the Amazon App Store.

Proof for the downvoter: http://www.amazon.com/Rovio-Mobile-Angry-Birds/dp/B004SBQGHS...

and

http://phandroid.com/2011/03/30/after-brief-amazon-exclusivi...

Hearing a few convert stories over the past few months, I'm getting the impression that Google is evolving at a steady pace and is now at par with the revolution that iOS created when it first debuted. Seems like Android is going to continue to improve while iOS gets stuck in a rut.

I've been considering a switch to Android for my next upgrade, which I never thought would happen. The Android platform has reached a point where it's at least as compelling as iOS, though probably more for technically minded users. I've got increasing nerd envy over some features in Android that iOS will probably never see, or if it does it won't be for quite a while.

Has anyone here regretted making the jump from iOS to Android?

$35/mo. with no contract ... on T-Mobile is amazing.

Walmart does it for $30 on t-mobile

Nothing of note here.

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