Think before you buy

My issues with the Android OS is continuing. Wifi is unable to provide a trouble free performance. Just wondering at many messages saying Android is a superior operating system. If some one asks me, I will tell this is crap. This is the worst performing OS i have ever seen (after Symbian). The scrolling is not as smooth as iPhone, there are bugs every where in the software. I think our beloved Google has lost count on the number of bugs Android is having. Will be using this phone for a couple of months, before listing it on eBay.

Just laughed a lot yesterday, when a hardcore Android fan sent me a message saying that this is a long resolved issue. Come on, how can a long resolved issue be there in the Android phone i bought two weeks back with factory loaded Android Froyo 2.2? You must support your favorite OS, but must accept the demerits of the same.

Yesterday read the latest issue of Stuff and was really amused at how they were going on explaining the merits of Android OS over iOS. Infact, after reading many reviews and articles, I went and bought the new Dell Streak running factory loaded Android Froyo 2.2 two weeks back. I was using iphone 3GS for the last 1 year and pretty much satisfied with its performance. But gave it up to experience the so called superior OS – Android.

Buy Android and face "no solution yet" issues

After I bought Android, I started to realize the demerits of that OS over iphone OS. The first and foremost issue that started annoying me was related to WIFI. Googling the same provided some insights into that issue. A million more people are also affected by the wifi issues starting from Android 1.4. I initially thought this was a problem with Streak. But reading forum after forum, blog after blog I came to the conclusion that this issue is not unique to streak. Even Nexus one, Droid, Samsung galaxy and galaxy tab, all are having the same issue. Dell is purposefully taking out the wifi issue related complaint I raised in the forum – may be because I raised the issue in the US forum and am located in UAE.

If wifi was my problem, another group was having issue like phone freezing soon after getting a call or sms. Some having problem with Bluetooth, some with applications crashing. My wifi issue was strange. Even if my default connection is there, android will go on searching for the network and finally disconnects itself. The Default connection status will be "disabled" or "disconnected". You can check the same in the youtube video  (caught with my iphone). 

Every time after wakeup (phone waking up from sleep mode), the connection with the default connection will be disabled in spite of whatever you set in the wifi sleep policy menu.

No idea why Google is not providing bug fixes. I saw many work arounds in the google android market. From many forums I learned that many people are cashing in on this bug by providing fixes – some work, some wont. Thank god, only free applications are available in the android market in UAE. Else I would have spent more money buying fixes. Google is going on developing new  versions of existing buggy OS. I said this because, even after the introduction of 2.2, this issue is not cleared. I can very well say that Android will sure grow in numbers. This is not because the OS is very good and Bug free, but there are phones as cheap as 500dhs running android. So anyone can afford android and they will definitely  go for an android smartphone. However, the bug free environment (I squeeze my iPhone with applications and it has never let me down) and the glitch free performance of iPhone can never be repeated by an Android Phone. I can’t find any issue in iphone software-wise as well as after dropping the phone for almost 6 times.

Android bugs

History repeats – It was microsoft windows with 90% market and we always complained about the bugs in the OS. Still it used to be the number one OS in the market – not because of performance, but because it was cheap to own a windows powered PC/ lap – any next door geek can build you one. But Apple OSX was best – performance wise, but it never came to the top position because not all can afford an apple. Similarly, Android will be the top selling OS even with all the bugs and issues. Because we always tend to forget some problems for a few bucks we save!

Totally disappointed with the performance of Android.

Iphone Shortcuts - Thanks to Cnet asia (click here for link)

Basic controls

How to	Shortcut
Reorganize your home page	Tap and hold any application icon until they start to "dance". You can then move the icons or delete the apps.
Go to the top	Tap the time display in Safari, Messages and Contacts.
Switch between screens	Switch between screens by swiping across left or right. Or tap once near the corner, to the left or right of the row of dots which indicates the screen you are on.
Cut, copy and paste text	Tap on the letters to activate the magnifying glass, then choose Select to bring up the Cut, Copy and Paste options. Drag the blue sliders to highlight the text.
Take a screen shot	Press and hold the Sleep button while tapping the Home button. The picture will be added to the camera roll.
Force quit applications	Press and hold the Power button until the slide to power off screen appears, then press and hold the Home button for about 6 seconds until the application quits.
Undo an action	Shake the phone.
Make calls from Safari and Notes	Press and hold the number for a couple of seconds.

Messaging

How to	Shortcut
End a sentence and start a new one	Double-tap the spacebar to add a period and a space.
Add words to the dictionary	Type the word when composing a message and it'll be saved.
Enter domain names quickly	Press and hold down the ".com" button and options such as ".org", ".edu" and ".co.jp" will appear.
Enter accented letters	Press and hold down individual letters.
Enter punctuation quickly	Press and hold down "@123" button and slide to the required punctuation, then release it.
Quick delete	Delete emails, SMSes or podcasts in List view by swiping your finger across the right side.
Fix CAPS lock	With Caps Lock Enable on (Settings > General > Keyboard), double-tap Caps Lock to fix it on or off. If it's off, click and hold Caps Lock then slide over to a letter to capitalize it.

Multimedia

How to	Shortcut
Wake up your iPod	Press the Home button to wake the screen then double click the same button to bring up a set of mini-iPod controls and the last music you were listening.
Customize iPod controls	In the iPod application, go to More > Edit. Drag and drop shortcuts into the four slots at the base.
Listen to just the audio in a video	Press the Power button while the video is playing. This will turn off the screen and the video. Press the Home button twice then click play.
Zoom out in Maps	Put two fingers on the screen to zoom out when viewing maps.
Save images in Safari and Mail	Touch and hold an image in Safari or Mail and you'll be prompted to save the image. The picture will be stored in Saved Photos library.
Select camera focus point	Tap anywhere on the screen.
Use the camera's macro mode	The camera automatically goes into macro mode when subject is very close to the lens.
Rename a voice memo	Tap ">" button to open the Info page. Tap Custom and type in a new name.
Edit a voice memo	Tap ">" button to open the Info page. Select Trim Memo and then drag the endpoints of the scroll bar to cut the sound.