The Switch From iPhone To Android, And Why Your First Impression Is Wrong

A week or so later, it clicked. When I want an option that isn’t already visible, I hit the dedicated ‘Menu’ button just beneath the screen. Need to jump to a previous screen in an app or the web browser? Hit the dedicated ‘Back’ button. In some ways, these are actually better than the soft buttons located in iPhone apps, because they’re always in the same place. It also saves some screen real estate. Using them has become totally second nature to me. But they aren’t the reason why I’ve decided I prefer Android over the iPhone.

First time I’ve seen someone make this point, and to me this is dead on. Having used my Droid for a while now, when I go back to using apps on my iPod Touch the lack of dedicated, single-purpose buttons is frustrating, and in some cases even within Apple’s much-lauded app store, it’s easy to box yourself into a corner and have no way to get back to a previous screen. This is because it’s up to the app to provide navigation, and in some cases they simply don’t.

This whole article is great and it’s refreshing not only to see someone stand up and say that Android is actually better (it is), but to examine and explain why long-time iPhone users may find Android off-putting, at least at first.

Facebook iPhone Dev Quits Project Over Apple Tyranny

My decision to stop iPhone development has had everything to do with Apple’s policies. I respect their right to manage their platform however they want, however I am philosophically opposed to the existence of their review process. I am very concerned that they are setting a horrible precedent for other software platforms, and soon gatekeepers will start infesting the lives of every software developer.

The web is still unrestricted and free, and so I am returning to my roots as a web developer. In the long term, I would like to be able to say that I helped to make the web the best mobile platform available, rather than being part of the transition to a world where every developer must go through a middleman to get their software in the hands of users.

Good for Joe Hewitt. Apple may like to say “our phone, our rules” but if Apple keeps up with the draconian behavior they may find a mass exodus on their hands. I hope the Pre and Droid start giving Apple a well deserved thrashing in the market.

Calendar Sync Issues with Droid and Google Apps for Domains Account

Quick tip in case anyone else runs into this. When I first set up my Droid I used my @gmail.com account since my @mattwoodward.com account wasn't associated with Gmail yet even though I was using it as a Google account for things like Google Groups, etc. You HAVE to use a Gmail account specifically to initialize the phone. Note that doesn't mean an @gmail.com Gmail account necessarily, just one that you're using with Gmail.

After the initial setup was complete and I switched my @mattwoodward.com account to Google Apps for Domains, I added that account to the Droid, but in the sync settings screen only Contacts and Mail were showing up as options. There was no checkbox to have it sync the calendar. I deleted and re-added the account a couple of times to no avail.

I started thinking maybe the problem was that I used my @gmail.com account as the "primary" account, though I'm not sure why it wouldn't support multiple calendars. Maybe it does and this was just a glitch. At any rate, I reinitialized the phone to factory defaults since that's the only way you can delete whatever account you chose as your primary account when you first set up the phone. Then when I booted the phone and it went back into the initial setup mode, I used my @mattwoodward.com account and now the calendar sync shows up.

I wasn't using my @gmail.com account for anything anyway and since everything was already in my Google account as far as contacts, etc. are concerned, this wasn't a big deal. I do need to reinstall the applications I downloaded but there were only about three of those to worry about.

More on the Droid later–loving it so far even with this little glitch!

Living in the Cloud: You Gotta Trust Somebody

I’ve been rather vocal about “getting off Google” in the past, and it’s a battle I’ve been winning with my email for a few years now. But today I got my Droid (more on that later), and I thought long and hard before even ordering one because I knew what this would entail.

Obviously the Droid is using the Andoird OS, which means (surprise!) it’s Google-centric. Google offers a huge amount of convenience, and the Android OS itself is absolutely spectacular. Temptation rears its head.

I’ve been researching mobile phones like crazy over the last few months, and when it comes to “freedom” there really are no great choices. The Neo FreeRunner keeps showing promise, but ultimately you’re still going to be at the mercy of a cellular carrier, and picking the least amongst evils there isn’t easy.

The iPhone is a COMPLETE non-starter for me. AT&T coverage is horrendously bad, particularly where I live, and there is no way I’m diving into Apple’s cesspool of control. No offense to iPhone owners; if you’re happy with it, great! But it’s absolutely not for me.

I’ve had Verizon for years and been nothing but happy for years, so I’ve been suffering the crappy phones until the Droid came along. But the Droid has the Google problem I’ve been avoiding for so long, so what to do?

Well, on the Google fight I give up. I’m keeping my mattwoodward.com email address, but I changed that domain over to Google Apps for Domains today. That way I can get this all working seamlessly with my phone, and I guess I just have to trust that Google isn’t all THAT evil. I’ll keep using Scroogle for my searches when I’m at my desk though.

I guess the bottom line of this post is if you want the benefit of living in the cloud, you gotta trust somebody. So I suggest doing your research and choosing an option that works for you on all levels. Just make sure to have an out if the solution you align yourself with turns up the evil dial at a later date.