> Perhaps a software update or two can fix the speed issues?
I think this has been the primary complaint about Android from discriminating users for years now. I swear there have been multiple rumors that "the next version of Android will fix that" (by providing hardware acceleration of native UI elements or some such), but I will believe it when I see it.
Until then, I suspect every Android device will be continue to be unusable, including the ones with fancy n-core x gigahertz CPUs that are theoretically y times more powerful than a modern iPhone. When a flagship Android device obtains UI performance on par with the original iPhone, maybe I'll start taking Android seriously.
The day I got it, my Nexus One was noticeably faster than my original iPhone, and that was pre-JIT. It's not as polished and smooth as iOS, but claims that it's "unusable" are dishonest at best.
I'm not sure we're talking about the same things when you say "faster." Obviously, a Nexus One has a much faster CPU than the original iPhone, and will perform much better on benchmarks (graphics, JavaScript, etc.). However, I've used a Nexus One fairly extensively (as well as even more powerful Android phones like the Galaxy S II), and I think it's completely reasonable to say that the basic UI elements are more consistently smooth and responsive on the original iPhone. Granted, it's been one year since I had hands on an original iPhone, so perhaps I should amend the comparison to the iPhone 3GS.
I'll also concede that in the strictest sense, Android phones are usable: I do have the ability to use them, and many people do use them. Of course, I would also call IE6 unusable, even though it's also clearly usuable in the strictest sense.
I use the term "usable" to describe any product that I would use if someone gave it to me for free and I wasn't allowed to sell it. If you gave me the current best Android phone for free, I guarantee you I would not use it.
My 3GS is struggling with iOS 4.2.1: seconds of nonresponse in certain situations. I'm planning on jailbreaking and rolling the OS back sometime soon if I can figure out how to do it.
Ha ha ha, are you kidding? I have been forced to use the Nexus One for the last 2 weeks. Maps do not work, it often forgets caching, and never finds my current position. This worked so well on the 3g and iPhone 4. There is stuttering about 1 a day. The gmail app is awful, it never starts up on the inbox page, and doesn't seem to automatically refresh when I restart it. Putting the buttons at the bottom of the screen is plain stupid, whenever I use the keyboard I seem to keep hitting the home button.
Sure it is useable, and I with the newer OS they seem to have gotten rid of the bottom buttons.
That is good to hear, maybe I am doing something wrong. Maybe Android does not work that well in South East Asia, where I am traveling at the moment, whereas the iPhone worked very well.
I think this has been the primary complaint about Android from discriminating users for years now. I swear there have been multiple rumors that "the next version of Android will fix that" (by providing hardware acceleration of native UI elements or some such), but I will believe it when I see it.
Until then, I suspect every Android device will be continue to be unusable, including the ones with fancy n-core x gigahertz CPUs that are theoretically y times more powerful than a modern iPhone. When a flagship Android device obtains UI performance on par with the original iPhone, maybe I'll start taking Android seriously.