Android is the new Windows CE. | Hacker News Reader

Android is the new Windows CE.

blog.calbucci.com

12 pointscalbucci14 comments

This is a pretty low-content rant based on the author picking up what appears to be a Nexus S (!) and complaining that it isn't as good as modern phones. We all know Android had teething problems, but none of his rants seem relevant to my Nexus 4. The interface is beautiful, I've yet to have an app crash, "Browser" has been Chrome for going on two years now... I'm really not sure what the author is hoping to achieve by incorrectly predicting the future of Android based on a 2 year old phone.

It's a Galaxy Nexus (https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Galaxy_Nexus_H...). I see the picture has the Chrome as the browser, but somehow this phone doesn't. It's running Android 4.2.1.

Well you're running the same version I am, then, but I can't say I've experienced any of the issues you describe. I came over to Android from iOS with the release of the Nexus 4, and while the Android UI is certainly more complex (which seems to be your chief complaint), it's eminently more useful as well.

Your complaint that "it has a desktop" seems particularly curious, as there's no functional difference between it and the iOS home screen. Sure, your apps "live" elsewhere, and you can make folders and shortcuts, but what's wrong with that? Beyond "it's PC-like", is there some UX disadvantage it entails?

PINs - I use the pattern, which I find much easier. Actually, that's a nice segue into the biggest improvement I find over iOS - the keyboard. I thought it was a gimmick at first, but the pattern-swiping style of typing is bloody brilliant. I'm consistently amazed at how well Android guesses what I'm trying to type. In fairness, though, this is really only useful for touch typers who know where the key they want to hit is on the keyboard. My buddy, who's a hunt-and-pecker, just found it frustrating.

Photo Album is Gallery - and Apple calls Internet Explorer "Safari". The fools.

Poor synching on GMail - actually, I find the mobile GMail app works better than the web version. I'll consistently get notifications of new emails in my inbox on my phone 5-10 minutes before getting them in-browser. Sure, it doesn't tell you when it last updated (and it could), but it's not really a practical problem as it seems to be constantly up to date.

Anyway, I'm sorry you weren't impressed with your Android experience. I've been an iPhone guy for the last 3 years, but recently made the switch to Android and my only complaints are with the N4 itself: glass back and small battery.

Your article is poorly constructed. It is called "Android is the new Windows CE". It's a very catchy and intriguing title. But it's a scam.

You start by stating your conclusion: "while iPhone and Windows Phone are revolutionary smart phones, Android is the closest thing I ever seen to an evolution of Windows CE."

However, your have only one argument in the whole article defending your conclusion. The only point of comparison with windows CE that you develop is that they "supposedly" share a desktop as a common feature. Wow! I should have stopped reading there.

Then you proceed with various complain about the system

1/ The UI design is poor, that it lacks consistency. Sure that can be a fair point. It's also a matter of taste, but I agree that iOS and Windows are an order of magnitude more consistent. However, what has this to do with Windows CE ?

2/ Google is over-emphasized on Android. Sorry? You are an iPhone user, and you complain about the fact that the company behind Android is too present on it. I would say Android, is much more detached from Google, than iOs devices from Apple or windows from Microsoft. And you are contradicting yourself at the end of your article, by stating that Android is successful because it is customizable. And I would add, that Google has a strong presence in search, maps and emails... So many non-Android users would anyway install Google Apps on their devices.

3/ You could not find the app store easily. Why because it is not called "App Store"? Would someone new to iOS intuitively go to Safari, a compass, as a web browser? If I wanted to read this kind of non-sense, I would read my Grandma's blog. Not someone from the tech industry.

4/ And then random rants. Pin number, News & Weather, Photo Album is called "Gallery" (omg) ... are you serious? And what is has to do with CE?

"For me, Android doesn't work because I'm way too much focused on getting things done fast"

Says the guy checking email every 3 minutes who unlocks and jailbreaks his phone just to have a mobile hotspot.

That's exactly why I get things done fast. Always connected. :)

Why is creating shortcuts to apps a bad design? You can list all of the apps in any screen you want. Or you can choose not to. With iOS? They are all there, even things you don't use constantly. The UI is basically an app selector.

I don't think the app icons are designed badly..

Google Earth, Google Maps, and Navigation are all different apps. Would combining them into one be better UX? Why? Gmail and Email are different apps. The Google app is Google Now. I don't understand your issue here. Btw, the Messenger app you're referring to is probably Facebook Messenger...

The reason Google can't use App Store is because Apple patented App Store. Look it up - they sued Amazon for using the term.

The Downloads app stores your downloads.

I agree with GMail giving poor indication of syncing.

I just searched Yelp and it was the first result.

Browser and Chrome are not the same thing.

> Why is creating shortcuts to apps a bad design?

Why should I have to create shortcuts?

> With iOS? They are all there, even things you don't use constantly

What does this even mean? You put the apps you use the most on the first page, and the apps you use the least on the last page. There are no restrictions as to how many apps you can have or must have on each page, other than the size of the grid. If you want, you can have exactly one app on page 1 and all remaining apps on page 2. You can group apps like how the "Google" app on Android 4.2.1 works if you want to touch instead of swipe.

So somehow moving apps is less difficult than creating shortcuts?

Creating a shortcut doesn't accomplish the same thing moving an icon does; you still have to move it.

Also, moving is generally unnecessary on iOS if you install the most important apps first.

Oh, I almost forgot: Yes, moving an app on iOS is less work than creating a shortcut on Android.

I disagree. To each his own.

Actually, I think he's referring to the Google+ Messenger. It is a bit confusing that the default apps include Messaging, Messenger, and Talk. I don't know how I would explain that to my grandmother.

Android also has Widgets. And even the plain shortcuts can do various things... you can have shortcuts to do a specific action like play a specific playlist. You can also have an indication (on both Ios and android) with a number or other information... for example, missed messages.

Also, on Android you have the ability to use the desktop to pick a specific organization for your applications. You can have your workout programs on one screen, then swipe to work apps. Combining that with widgets, you can have controls for music on your workout screen, and a calendar on your work screen.

That's the use of the abstraction, the ability to organize the items into sets for use in tasks and localize them.

The app drawer contains all your apps... but if you only had an app drawer, you'd still want to organize it.

I feel you are making a assumptions on how "users" will feel about the experience, based on your personal experience, and past experience using another device which you are familiar with.

I experience the same confusion and frustration whenever I quickly pick up an iOS device. Spend some time with Android and you may experience a difference, especially after you have customized it to achieve your tasks quickly.

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