Two weeks after switching from iPhone to HTC Sensation

[Keydogg]

Hi guys,The purpose of this post is purely illustrate my opinion of Android and iPhone and their comparative features. I owned an iPhone for 2 years and experimented with things like Jailbreaking, customisation (back before iOS 5 Beta came out) etc. Since owning the HTC Sensation I have found that it is more suited to MY needs, however there are some things that are better on each phone.

Things I like better about the Sensation / Android:

Bigger Screen
Widgets
Flash on Websites
Contact Linking
Interchangable Battery
Quick Settings
Hard Back Button

Things I like better on iPhone / iOS:

Standard Email Client is a bit better
Apps such as Sky Go
Calendar
Sync over Wifi
Silent Toggle Switch

Now as I have said previously things like the bigger screen and Flash are a big thing to me which is what made me sway from Apple, but Android isn't perfect in anyway. The calendar is absolutely dreadful compared to iOS, and this is something I use frequently with work. I haven't mentioned iTunes because although I don't like the software, HTC's is no better. In fact it's made me appreciate iTunes that little bit more. Not having a Sky Go app was a bit annoying for me, but that is the one and only App that I have wanted and there hasn't been one to suit.

For those who firmly stay in either camp (fan-boys) there is certainly a case for either, however it is not simply a case of "Nothing touches an iPhone", nor is it simply a case of "iPhones are s**t". Before all the flaming starts, it's just down to personal preference at the end of the day and neither phones/platforms are bad.

By the way before anyone says it, I'm very, very, VERY poor.

 

[MicKPM]

What about Blackberry yo? I loved my 3GS but moved away as I had technology needs that Apple simply couldn't forfill to.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Who/what do you use for email ? I've used Gmail for years now, and when I got my Desire 18 months ago, it linked seamlessly with the phone, calendar and contacts etc.. I don't use the HTC mail app, Gmail wanted to use another app so I let it get on with it.

I'm still impressed with it mind, it even puts events from Gmail into the calendar and pops a reminder up without me telling it to...

Not having a go, just interested to see your thoughts as I find the iPhone drives me mental.

 

[Keydogg]

I don't use Gmail, so I couldn't comment, although I have heard the Gmail app is better. I only use my phone for work emails not personal, so I can't just use a Gmail account.

 

[Revels]

What are 'Contact Linking' and 'Hard back button' ?

People use the battery excuse on an iPhone but I used to have two batteries for my Samsung D500, which was so long ago, I'm surprised it's not on Antiques Roadshow, but I never used it. I have chargers on my desk at home, at work, bedside table and one in the car. I rarely use it all in a day anyway. It charges back to full overnight.

I still maintain that Flash isn't an advantage. The sooner people realise it's not 1999, the better.

 

[Tom]

Gmail (infact many of the google services) is 2000000% better on android. But then it would be.

I've given up on a native gmail app for iOS

Contact linking is the ability to display all of the contacts data (facebook, twitter updates) in the same place. (the contacts app)
Trouble with that is its not useful to most people, because they use the contact app for 2 things. 1. To add a contact. 2. to find a contact to make a phone call/email/text. I'd never use the app to see what individuals are doing.

Hard back button is a hardware button that lets you go back, presumably in a web browser?

Flash is a joke, the sooner i can uninstall it from my mac the better.

 

[Mr Pants]

Lately I've been finding myself contemplating the lure of one of the latest Android offerings. I think it's because my iPhone 4's home button is being a little b**ch.

The 4 is well over a year old now and it's hardly a surprise other handsets have come out since then that people can realistically consider as viable alternatives. This is what gets me most excited about the next generation iPhone. Apple need to up their game and I'm sure they will.

 

[Keydogg]

People use the battery excuse on an iPhone but I used to have two batteries for my Samsung D500, which was so long ago, I'm surprised it's not on Antiques Roadshow, but I never used it. I have chargers on my desk at home, at work, bedside table and one in the car. I rarely use it all in a day anyway. It charges back to full overnight.

I still maintain that Flash isn't an advantage. The sooner people realise it's not 1999, the better.

Regards the battery I am like you; it's constantly on a dock at work anyway, however it is nice to know I have a spare battery laying around in case it dies. Being a manager of a company sometimes I am out and about and having to make multiple phone calls and emails without the chance to charge and there has been a couple times when my iPhone had died or nearly died at a crucial point. It's rare but it happens so to me it's handy.

Regarding Flash: I'm not saying Flash is good, I'm saying most websites still use it, and being able to view them all now from my phone has made a big difference to my browsing experience. As much as we all know HTML5 is 10x better, the fact is Flash is still absolutely everywhere.

Contact linking is the ability to display all of the contacts data (facebook, twitter updates) in the same place. (the contacts app)
Trouble with that is its not useful to most people, because they use the contact app for 2 things. 1. To add a contact. 2. to find a contact to make a phone call/email/text. I'd never use the app to see what individuals are doing.

Hard back button is a hardware button that lets you go back, presumably in a web browser?

The contact linking is more of a nice gimmick than a necessity, but it's quite good that some times someone can change their email or phone number without telling me and my phone will already know. Again, particularly useful for business.

The hard back button has no real advantage in web browsing, its a nice little luxury that has an effect on all apps. For example if I am on the email app and I get a facebook notification I can click the facebook notification, do what I need to do and then press back and it takes me back to the email. Pretty much exactly the same as double-tapping the home button on iPhone for multi-tasking and going back to the last app you were on. Again it's really not needed but its a good little feature which I enjoy having, especially when I think back to the odd time I went to double-tap the home button and through my retardedness ended up only pressing it once and coming out of the program completely.

 

[Revels]

Regards the battery I am like you; it's constantly on a dock at work anyway, however it is nice to know I have a spare battery laying around in case it dies. Being a manager of a company sometimes I am out and about and having to make multiple phone calls and emails without the chance to charge and there has been a couple times when my iPhone had died or nearly died at a crucial point. It's rare but it happens so to me it's handy.

Regarding Flash: I'm not saying Flash is good, I'm saying most websites still use it, and being able to view them all now from my phone has made a big difference to my browsing experience. As much as we all know HTML5 is 10x better, the fact is Flash is still absolutely everywhere.

Then do you not find the spare battery is dead if it's rarely used? Especially as it has to be in the phone to charge it at some point. Or it just gives you an extra 20mins so that's good enough? You carry that battery with you everyday?

As for flash.. Everywhere?! That's a bit of an over exaggeration. Ignoring crap adverts because the chances are you didn't want to see them anyway, what other sites/content do you use frequently that's flash? Aside from YouTube.

 

[Keydogg]

Then do you not find the spare battery is dead if it's rarely used? Especially as it has to be in the phone to charge it at some point. Or it just gives you an extra 20mins so that's good enough? You carry that battery with you everyday?

As for flash.. Everywhere?! That's a bit of an over exaggeration. Ignoring crap adverts because the chances are you didn't want to see them anyway, what other sites/content do you use frequently that's flash? Aside from YouTube.

To be fair I haven't used my spare battery yet so whether it will hold charge is a different matter, but with Li-on batteries usually they are fairly good at holding charge if not left for ridiculous lengths of time. I keep my spare battery in my car because where ever I am, my car is (generally).

The two sites that I use the most are pgatour.com and europeantour.com, which have flash videos etc on there. Flash isn't the be all and end all but it's cool having the choice of whether I want to view flash or not. Horses for courses really, some people may never go on sites that use flash and therefore not need it.

 

[imprezaworks]

Interesting thread as im in the process of deciding what phone to go for and i was looking at the sensation. I just dont want anything to confusing lol. I know im coming accross thick but i just cant be a$sed with hassle on mobile phones. The 4 is the obvious choice as it seems straight forward enough, although i appreciate there are 'better' phones to go for.

 

[.Ben.]

My Dad is the original techno-phobe. He has an iPhone 4 and really rates it. He gets confused with the amount of settings and options on my Desire HD (same OS as the Sensation).

If don't want a wealth of settings and options (that you may never use!), get the iPhone.

 

[imprezaworks]

Just rang orange to see what they can do for me.

£69 for the phone
500 mins talk
Unlimited txts
500mb of internet

£35 p/month with i think 10% loyalty discount

 

[PP200t]

I came back to ios after trying android. I didn't rate the desire or the android platform (though I know the latest version is different) I didnt have the ability to use the software to my advantage and the battery was shocking. I agree on the flash thing, but I don't really miss it now. Also I read that window 8 won't support flash either.