Gizmodo 
Enter your username and password.
-
posts about #android20review more → 
Android 2.0 Review: Almost Human
Tip your editors:
tips@gizmodo.com
Editorial Director:
Brian Lam | Email | Twitter
Editor:
Jason Chen
Email | AIM | Twitter
Features Editor:
Wilson Rothman
Email | Twitter
Senior Contributing Editors:
Jesus Diaz
Email | AIM | Twitter
Mark Wilson, Reviews
Email | AIM | Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Matt Buchanan
Email | AIM | Twitter
Adam Frucci
Email | Twitter
Sean Fallon
Email | Twitter
Jack Loftus
Email | Twitter
John Herrman
Email | Twitter
Dan Nosowitz
Email
Chris Mascari
Email
Danny Allen
Email | Twitter
Rosa Golijan
Email | Twitter
Chris Jacob
Email
Columnist:
Brendan I. Koerner
Interns:
Don Nguyen
Email
Kyle VanHemert
Email
Comment Intern:
Nick Ellenoff | Email
Comment Account Questions:
Comments@gizmodo.com
| posts about #android20review more → |
Android 2.0 Review: Almost Human |
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
11/03/09
Where mobile Safari leaves a lot to be desired is displaying single column pages such as Craigslist, and some mobile pages not specifcially designed for mobile Safari. In many cases, mobile Safari displays single column pages with too small a font size to read comfortably even in landscape mode. In portrait mode, basically unreadable. Double tap zoom will not increase the text size substantially, so you are forced to use pinch zoom. Major problem with pinch zoom is the text does not reflow when increased, and the result is the dreaded horizontal scrolling to read each line. If the webpage developer returns and adds a viewport META tag to the page, mobile Safari can display the pages at a comfortable text size without horizontal scrolling, but most page owners have not included this META tag. Although most multi-column pages display with a comfortable text size without horizontal scrolling on mobile Safari, I have encounted some two column pages on major sites that required pinch zoom, and the resultant horizontal scrolling of each line to read comfortably.
I have not had the opportunity to use the Droid. The specs are impressive, and that large screen beckons use. I have used Android 1.5 on the Archos 5 IMT with its 4.8" screen, and I am impressed with the browser. I understand many like multi-touch, but for me, multi-touch on a small screen is awkward, bordering on gimmicky. I respect the opinion of all you multi-touch fans; however, I prefer the virtual buttons at the bottom of the Archos's screen. You can zoom by just pressing the appropriate button, and the zoom control is not blocking the page like multi-touch gesture do. Multi-touch vs. icon zoom controls are certainly a personal preference. Where the Archos's browser slaps mobile Safari is its contant text re-wrapping with each zoom level. The result is reading those single column, and mobile sites that many prefer on small screen devices at a comfortable text size without the dreaded horizontal scrolling. The text reflows when zooming also work on multi-colmn pages as well. Mobile Safari may be an 8 or better for full desktop pages, but is about a 2 for some single column pages, and some non-iphone specific mobile sites.
I respect the reviewer's opinion, just wanted to post a differing opinion based on extensive use of many mobile browsers including mobile Safari (iPod touch), IE, NetFront, Opera, Opera Mini, Skyfire, and the new browser on the Archos 5 IMT. #android20review
11/03/09
Who cares about a poll from this site. Only tech heads who come to internet sites like this. 90% of the low-tech world who have more important things to do prefer using sync software, iTunes or otherwise. #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
While most of your criticisms are fair, what's so great about the Android platform is that by and large, these missing features can be added by third party developers with much greater ease than if these features were missing from the iPhone. Then, all that's left is for uninformed to find a techie friend to help out. #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
Huge plus over the iPhone for me. #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
He could have said something about not knowing which media players could sync with Android, but he didn't, indicating to me that he didn't bother putting in the effort to see if he was making an accurate statement or not. #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
"The only way to get your music and videos on the phone is to manually drag and drop the files. There is no syncing, no easy way to get your music library onto your phone. How are normal people supposed to figure this out? Verizon reps actually joked about how putting music on the Droid is sure to make for a lovely Saturday afternoon. What. The. Shit. ...
Until I can magically and perfectly sync 12 gigs of music and videos over the air, you can't get away with not having a media sync desktop application. And DoubleTwist, a third-party app that can sync to Android, doesn't really count, since it's not bundled with it. Make no mistake, for a phone platform that's supposed to be ready for consumers now, this is a disaster, like a spaceship that's about to shoot into the atmosphere with a gaping hole in the side."
I took this to mean that he's quite aware that there is at least one third party app but knows that your average end user won't find them on their own so, for them, it may as well not exist. When they're making their buying decisions and totting up the feature bullet points, if they don't see a synch program they may well shy away. #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
On a more positive note, this was a very thorough review. I just wish it could have been worded more positively seeing as you seem to actually like Android 2.0 #android20review
11/03/09
Also, doesn't the Gallery application support video playback now? #android20review
11/03/09
too soon.
- NASA #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
So, yeah, I'm a little bitter. They don't exactly make it inviting (or explain the process to new readers.) #android20review
11/03/09
I'm not gonna say that there's not a fair level of arrogance.....ok, there's actually an extremely unfair level of arrogance. But their process, however exclusive, usually ends up with a wittier, more informative, more helpful community of commenters. It's annoying and will piss a lot of people off. Then again, it's way better than reading YouTube comments.
Best advice I can give you, though, is keep at it. I mean, after all...it's comments on a website. If you can't let yourself just have fun with it, why do it? #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
11/03/09
Alternately, the Gallery app itself will display both pictures and videos, initially displaying groups, based on folders, and whether they were taken with the internal camera. In fact, the top two groups shown are "Camera Pictures" and "Camera Videos." From there it will play the videos, or display the pictures.
Why they would deliberately break that simple, internal functionality is very confusing. So, Matt, it has no Gallery app, or does that app no longer play videos? #android20review
11/03/09
11/03/09
As a (somewhat ironic) side note, I used Badaboom to transcode my movies, using the iPhone h.264 codec setting, in stereo, and scaled to 480x320. A 2 hour movie (from DVD vob files) took about 5 minutes to transcode. Very handy.
11/03/09
11/03/09
Still want to use iTunes? That can work, too.
[androidforums.com]
Of course, the real issue here is that Apple doesn't want anyone else syncing with their software. #android20review
11/03/09
Someone else in this thread said it syncs with Windows Media Player just fine. Which brings up two points: a.) there is (allegedly, I've never tried it) decent syncing with something other than iTunes, and 2.) there's apparently at least one person left on the planet that doesn't use iTunes. #android20review
11/03/09