What are some common issues with Android phones?

fuzzybabybunny

Moderator<br>Digital & Video Cameras
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Jan 2, 2006
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I'm thinking hard about getting a Samsung Epic on Sprint. Never used Android before. What are some common issues that users experience with Android? I've heard that since it is still fairly new, people experience lockups and sluggishness? I've used an Evo 4G before in the store and it also doesn't feel as smooth or refined or even logically laid out as iPhone.
 

MJinZ

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2009
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Don't think you should get anything less than a Droid X if you are new to Android or you will be disappoint.

Also HTC products are generally full of disappoint. If you can find it under the mountains of cheap Taiwanese plastic. But you will find it. The disappoint. Inevitably.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
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I've had crashing core apps (Gmail, pretty important app), poor battery life and bad lag with some widgets
 

Deeko

Lifer
Jun 16, 2000
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As for issues I've seen....

-The UI just isn't terribly smooth compared to competing platforms (iPhone, WebOS). Even on high end phones there's some stutter here and there.

-The more you install, the more the phone slows down. Many apps run background services, so even if you aren't actively running the app, it still bogs down your performance. That's my theory anyway.

-Battery life
 

BigSmooth

Lifer
Aug 18, 2000
10,484
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I don't have any sluggishness and only very rare app crashes or lockups on my Nexus One. Certainly no more than I had on my last BlackBerry.
Honestly, I can't think of anything that really annoys me about my phone, except for occasional signal hunting inside buildings and that's more T-Mobile's fault.

Android isn't really that new anymore and it's so customizable that a "logical" layout is what you make of it. Battery life generally isn't the best in the world (varies by phone, of course), but 100&#37; charge always lasts me a full day with room to spare, unless I am using Google Navigation a lot.
 

YoungGun21

Platinum Member
Aug 17, 2006
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Don't think you should get anything less than a Droid X if you are new to Android or you will be disappoint.

Also HTC products are generally full of disappoint. If you can find it under the mountains of cheap Taiwanese plastic. But you will find it. The disappoint. Inevitably.

I'm gonna have to disagree with the 2nd part. My HTC Incredible is still rock solid after almost 4 months of use.
 

AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
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If you are the type of person that loves tweaking with everything on Android, I would recommend a custom rom such as cyanogen. The performance is noticeably better then default ROM's such as HTC's Sense and Motorola's Blur.

From there you will still see some performance degradation depending on what sort of apps you install and what they are doing in the background at times, but it will not be as noticeable since you started out with a smoother running OS at the beginning. Speaking of which, load Cyanogen fresh - meaning before you add a bunch of apps. Then add the apps afterward.

Other then that I would say that besides normal performance, you can also see a degradation in battery life depending on what you do. I'd suggest a task manager to make sure things aren't running when you may not want them to be.

Lastly, and this is a personal issue of mine with Android phones as of today - its not the OS which is fantastic - its the manufacturers that make android phones. HTC makes incredibly cheap feeling phones. I am unsure on longevity, but they just feel cheap. I cannot wait until Sony Ericsson gets into the fold making Android devices, and I would pray for other manufacturers as well. Nokia would rock but probably won't happen.

I know I will get lambasted for this last part, but I wish someone like ASUS would get involved. They make fantastic everything else why not phones? One of the reasons I got addicted to iPhones after owning the first one was its incredible resilience. I had it since June of 2007 and had absolutely zero issues with it. The battery started to go bad and wouldn't last like it used to, 3 years later and that was it. It also feels solid, sturdy and simply top notch - even more so then my iPhone 4 which I love. If a manufacturer could capture the same type of "feel" I would love it.

The so called Dell Thunder is a prime example, that thing looks like it might be exactly what the Dr. ordered. I'm sure with time, more companies will get involved and my wish will be fulfilled. I cannot wait for the new SE running gingerbread and PS games with that slide out controller. Looks like a killer phone to me as long as Sony follows through with great games on it. Will make the PSP obsolete, won't need to get an N3DS because I love my NDS so much right now. My iphone cannot replace my NDS, its about the only device it can't replace. This SE has a chance to replace everything since the camera should also be awesome being a Sony device.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
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I know I will get lambasted for this last part, but I wish someone like ASUS would get involved. They make fantastic everything else why not phones? One of the reasons I got addicted to iPhones after owning the first one was its incredible resilience. I had it since June of 2007 and had absolutely zero issues with it. The battery started to go bad and wouldn't last like it used to, 3 years later and that was it. It also feels solid, sturdy and simply top notch - even more so then my iPhone 4 which I love. If a manufacturer could capture the same type of "feel" I would love it.

you mean the Garmin phone?
 

AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
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you mean the Garmin phone?

Except without the emphasis on GPS, and on a carrier other then T-mobile. But yes, its a start. ASUS should just make it themselves and not as a partnership.

I'm thinking more like this - something sleek, sexy and metal not plastic.
 

BigSmooth

Lifer
Aug 18, 2000
10,484
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Blanket statements that HTC has poor build quality are unfounded. The Nexus One and the Legend, for example, are generally regarded as having a quality feel. Sure, they have a fair number of crappy-feeling phones, but that's because they offer about a million of them.
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
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Yeah, I really think HTC make solid devices. You may not like the way they look, but they ARE solid.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
Blanket statements that HTC has poor build quality are unfounded. The Nexus One and the Legend, for example, are generally regarded as having a quality feel. Sure, they have a fair number of crappy-feeling phones, but that's because they offer about a million of them.

my myTouch is rock solid
 

DivideBYZero

Lifer
May 18, 2001
24,117
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You're right, I didn't realize that it was released in the US. I thought it wasn't going to be, as most of the good SE phones never hit our shores. Seems it hit 5 days ago

Here is the one I am siked about

Me too. I'd jump on a PS phone in a heartbeat. If they managed to get PSN style online play, too it would be epic.

I want to get my hands on a working X10 mini, as I have no idea how you type on it, it's tiny and has no hardware keyboard. I've only held dummy units.
 

AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
12,589
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Me too. I'd jump on a PS phone in a heartbeat. If they managed to get PSN style online play, too it would be epic.

I want to get my hands on a working X10 mini, as I have no idea how you type on it, it's tiny and has no hardware keyboard. I've only held dummy units.

Common ground. DBZ and I found common ground. Woooooo
 
Aug 23, 2000
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I've had my Samsung Galaxy S Vibrant for a week now and even with screwing with rooting, uninstalling core apps, and installing the "lag-fix" it's still rock solid and stable.
I've noticed people complaining about apps crashing, but most of those apps are 3rd party, so That's like blaming Microsoft because Lotus Notes sucks.

The only issues I have are I only get about 1 day of use out of a charge, and everyone ants to play with it and see what Android is all about.
 

MJinZ

Diamond Member
Nov 4, 2009
8,192
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Like oh mah gawd look at this solid piece of plastic!
Google-Nexus-One-51.jpg
 

jpeyton

Moderator in SFF, Notebooks, Pre-Built/Barebones
Moderator
Aug 23, 2003
25,375
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My biggest gripes:

1) They are too awesome.

2) My computer feels faster without having iTunes installed.

3) Too much variety; I like being told exactly what to buy.

Satire is cute, however this feels a little close to the trolling line. Just keep it in check please.
Moderator TheStu
 
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foghorn67

Lifer
Jan 3, 2006
11,883
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I don't have any apps crashing except 3rd party apps. I haven't had a core process or a Google App crash yet.

The biggest gripe is the occasional stutter.
 

AMDZen

Lifer
Apr 15, 2004
12,589
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Nevermind, good joke jpeyton ;)

Let it go.
Moderator TheStu
 
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