2013: predictions and dreams

2012 was a pretty good year overall for smartphones, but personally I'd like 2013 to be an awesome year. In 2012, it was mostly about the CPU - quad cores to be specific. One can't ignore the midrange phones, which now have dual cores (which was 2011's brand new technology). So how/where can improvement be made?

Predictions

Obviously there will be a race for 1080p screens (HTC is there already with the Droid DNA/Butterfly), and there are already strong rumors for the upcoming CES. I don't think 1080p screens are necessary, unless on tablets/ridiculous sized phones, but it's another number companies can advertise as "new!", "better!" and all that.

I'm guessing that there will be lots of 5" phones, following the trend of increasing screen sizes. It really started with Samsung's Galaxy S lineup. The original S had a 4" screen - larger than the industry's standard 3.5". The next in the lineup, the Galaxy S 2, also had a screen that was considered massive (4.3"). The Galaxy Note continued this trend, trumping the S2 with a 5.3" screen. The Galaxy Note 2 currently comes in at 5.5". I can't see phones going much larger than this at all in the future: there is a point where a mobile phone just isn't mobile enough due to it's massive size.

Dreams

I really hope that the major issue dealt with in 2013 is battery life. It got a bit better in 2012 (the S3 improved on the S2's battery life, same story with the Note 2 and original Note). Motorola really led the way with it's Razr Maxx phone (3300mAh battery in a somewhat average phone). They also have SmartActions, which is software that can adjust settings (GPS, wifi, data, flightmode, ring volume etc) based on your specifications (eg: 'when at home turn mobile data off' or 'go in silent mode between midnight and 7am'), which can save up to 30% battery if used properly (or so they say).

Another dream I have is that OEMs start paying attention to smaller phones. I frequent the subreddit /r/PickAnAndroidForMe, and there are lots of questions about a good, small phone. Lots of people really prefer a 4-4.3" phone as opposed to 4.7-5" phone. I realize that it's easier to make a bigger phone - things have more room to fit, but even just 1 top-tier phone that is 4-4.3" would please so many people.

Manufacturers seem to be scared to make a heavy, thick phone. I've held the Nokia Lumia 920, and it feels damn fine. It's hefty without feeling heavy - it feels extremely well built, and the weight seems to really add to the feel. It is also very thick, but it's curved so that it still feels great to hold. I don't know about the general consensus  but to me the iPhone and Motorola Razr are just too thin - nearing uncomfortably thin. When I hold my phone I want to have that feeling of "man, is this a beastly phone or what?". I may not the the typical user though.

I would really like to see consumers look into their purchase of phones more and rely less on advertising. I do like Samsung as a company (I am currently using their Galaxy S 2 as my daily phone), but HTC, Motorola, and even LG now make very nice phones too that are often overlooked. I have a good feeling that Motorola will turn around and become a more major player (thanks mostly to Google, the new owner).

HTC should really focus more on functionality than design. All of their recent phones lack a microSD card (which can be really useful), and a great battery. Sure, their battery is alright for light users...but I recently just sold my HTC One X because I couldn't even get 1 hour of screen on time in my average day. In comparison, currently on my Galaxy S 2 I've had the screen on for an hour, and its been discharging for nearly 12 hours. It is still at 40% battery which is really nice.

That's my wishlist for 2013. What's yours? Share the dreams by tweeting with the hashtag #2013phoneDreams!

Top 10 Smartphones of 2012

I've been busy (t'is the season and all that), but I'm back to do a 2012 wrap-up. Without further adue, I present:

The top 10 smartphone of 2012 (all operating systems)

10. LG Optimous G
LG really made a great phone with the G. They brought their hardware up to top-notch levels, same with software. Most consumers haven't (and still won't) noticed LG's emergence into the premium phone market - they have traditionally made affordable phones that honestly really sucked.

Key points: Snapdragon S4 PRO quad core processor, neat design.

9. Asus Padphone 2
Asus doesn't get near enough credit for their Padphones. Yes, they are really expensive - but you get both a beast phone, and a tablet in one. The Padphone 2 comes with an optional 'dumb tablet' that is useless until you put your phone into the dock. Once the connection is made, the tablet  uses the phone's brains to operate.

Key points: Snapdragon S4 PRO quad core processor, optional tablet.


8. Samsung Galaxy S 3
I honestly think that the S3 has been over-hyped. Yes, it is good all around, but it lacks anything to set it aside from the rest (besides its marketing which is stellar in comparison to other manufacturers). It has Samsung's plastic design, a decent processor, OK screen...the only reason it is on this list is because of TouchWiz. Many hate Samsung's UI, but none can argue it adds a ton of features.

Key Points: So many features (your gaurenteed to use at least one)


7. HTC 8X
HTC's flagship Windows Phone 8 device, the 8X is interesting. The design is refreshing, and is much thinner and lighter than the Lumia 920 - but about on par with the average flagship android phone. It has a really nice LCD2 screen, and is only 4.3" making it the smallest non-iPhone phone on this list.

Key Points: smallest flagship WP8 device, refreshing design, great screen.


6. HTC One X+
HTC had a good phone in the One X, but improved it with the X+. It has an amazing screen, great camera, but it suffers a bit from it's battery life. It is important to note that it comes with 64GB of internal storage, which means you get tons more storage for the price of the phone. This phone is also quite snappy with it's 1.7GHz Tegra 3 quad core processor

Key Points: huge storage, great screen, pretty fast.


5. HTC Droid DNA
The DNA hands down has the best screen on any phone anywhere. With it's 1080p LCD3 screen, it blows everything out of the water. It also has a great processor and camera, and one of the best designs of any android phone. It is held back by it's 16GB of non-expandable storage however.

Key Points: Snapdragon S4 PRO quad core processor, 1080p LCD3 screen, great camera.


4. Nokia Lumia 920
This 4.5" phone is the thickest, and heaviest flagship smartphone by quite a bit - but it doesn't feel chunky...it feels like the most premium well made device you've ever touched. It is super quick and has epic battery life (mostly thanks to it's WP8 OS). The physical and software designs are both top-notch, and this phone would be top of the list...if WP8 was caught up to Android or iOS (the app gap is still annoying).

Key Features: nice design, undying battery, feels premium, has all the benefits of WP8.


3. Nexus 4
LG did it twice this year: it surprised everybody with both the Optimus G, and the Nexus 4. Google made some sacrifices with the Nexus 4: it lacks LTE, and a microSD card slot. It also has sub-par battery life and also a subpar camera (although more than usable for most consumers). However, you know that if you buy the Nexus 4 you get a great processor, design, and you will be laughing at all your friend's android phones when they're running 2 versions of android behind you. Despite it's downfalls, it has enough going for it that it made it into the top 3.

Key features: timely updates, price, Snapdragon S4 PRO processor, stock android UI.


2. Apple iPhone 5
While many were disappointed with the iPhone 5, it is still an amazing phone. Sure, your going to pay top dollar, but you get one of the thinnest, lightest, fastest phones on the market. Everything "just works", and apps are plentiful and of very high quality. To some, iOS has become stagnant (every other OS had a major refresh recently, but iOS has mostly remained the same since 2007).

Key Features:  super thin, light, with a manageable 4" screen, fast, feels premium.

1. Samsung Galaxy Note 2
The Note 2 is a beast in every way. With a 5.5" screen, it's 1.6GHz quad core Exynos processor, all of TouchWiz's features...you can't call it anything besides a complete brute (unfortunately, that includes the price). As mentioned with the S3, TouchWiz has it's haters, and other UIs are set up much nicer. You can always modify it, but 80% of android users won't. There is nothing on a phone that is better than the Note 2. It's got one of the fastest processors, best battery life, cameras, biggest screen, and it's still relatively thin and light. Because nothing is better than it, it grabs top spot.

Key Features: massive screen, great processor, really good battery life, missing nothing.


If you'd like to complain about this list, you can email me at qandandroid@gmail.com, tweet me on twitter (@qandandroid), or bombard my inbox on reddit (qandandroid).

Smartphone Guide 4) Windows Phone

I want to make this 100% clear: WP 7 devices will NOT be receiving the WP 8 update. It runs off a different kernel, and isn't compatible (WP 7 ran off a really old kernel that didn't allow for HD resolutions or more than a single core processor, Microsoft decided to go with a kernel that doesn't have any limits we know of)

Windows Phone 8
Windows Phone 8 might not look like too much, but as they say, "life lives in the little things", and that sure holds true here. WP8 is very simple, yet still allows you to do what you want to do with your phone fast, and effectively. Take their "Smoked by Windows Phone" campaign for example. 88% of tests were won by the Windows Phones, and that was WP7...

Apps
Apps aren't quite up to snub when compared to Android or iOS, but if you are a smartphone noob, you won't even notice. The Market is filled out enough that it covers Have a look here if you are interested in WP apps.

Style
I haven't included style in the Android or iOS overviews, because they are what you'd expect from a smartphone experience. Windows Phone 8 takes a step away from the norm - and I think it works.

It's all about the simplicity with WP. On your homepage you have a vertically scrolling list of tiles that update, and can be sized to small, medium, and large. Each size will display different amounts of information: the smallest simply act as app icons, while the larger sizes display information relevant to the app (for example the messaging app will display the number of new messages when the tile is medium size, and it will display recent texts when it is large).

Every menu is amazing, and unique looking. They have giant headings up top that bleed off the edge, and by scrolling horizontally through the sub-headings you can reveal more letters of the heading.

Absolutely everything is ultra-smooth; just like WP7, WP8 makes even a "single core look like a Ferrari". The WP operating system is so lightweight with very few graphics to keep track of, it really makes the hardware seem better than it is.

Features
The features found on the phones will vary by manufacturer, with the Lumia devices having the most. Don't worry though: if you get one of the HTC 8 series or the Samsung Ativ, you still get Nokia Mapps which is very near on par with Google Maps, but adding neat features like augmented reality.

Overall
WP8 looks amazing, and is gaining traction. It may not be able to do quite as much as an android or have as many epic apps as the iPhone, but the design of each and every Windows Phone is stellar. You will get stopped and asked "what phone is that?", and you will proudly reply: "This is my Windows Phone".

Smartphone Guide 3) iOS

Up until very recently, the iPhone was the single most popular smartphone ever sold. It is very solid, and the most tried and true smartphone experience.

Tried and True

iOS hasn't changed much from when it was originally released in 2007, which is both good and bad. It's great because once you get used to it, you will always know exactly what's going on, and it is pretty easy to use to begin with. The downside: it is stagnant. There's not going to be the same innovation that other mobile operating systems are experiencing... Android saw a re-haul with android 4.0 list year, Windows Phone also just got a massive update to WP8 in the fall, and BlackBerry is also getting completely redone in early 2013. So iOS is pretty stable, and doesn't appear to be changing anytime soon. Also, Apple controls both the hardware and software, so you won't have any weird conflicts between the hardware and software... Even better they are optimized for each other. If you used the 1.2GHz dual core processor found in the iPhone 5 on an Android device, it wouldn't be pretty. Another place where iOS really shines is apps. It has the biggest app selection (although android is quickly catching up), and has by far the highest quality games available for download. iOS is the best mobile operating system if you want a stable, get-stuff-done with no-nonsense in between.

The iPhone is the world-wide standard as far as smartphones go, and for good reason - it's simple enough to understand whether you are a Computer Science major, or a non-tech savvy grandparent. There are hardly any menus to get lost in, you can't mess up the software (unless you know exactly what your doing...but then it's nearly impossible still).

Apps

The Apple App Store has the widest selection of quality apps. Android typically has free apps, but there are quite a few that look like they are 8-bit games...If you are an app-aholic, iOS is certainly the operating system for you.

Updates

Windows Phone just screwed over it's users. Windows Phone 7 will not be up-gradable to Windows Phone 8. It won't happen...in order to upgrade to full WP8, you will have to buy a new phone. Android's updates are very slow, the fastest updates (besides the Nexus line) still take 3 months at least. 

On iOS, updates work like this: Apple releases the new update (next year will be iOS7), and then within a few days you will be able to update your software if your device is supported (Apple generally supports devices up to 3 years old). This is by far the best upgrade cycle, as it actually happens.

Strong points, Weak points

Strong: "It just works", tons of quality apps, one iPhone available worldwide (no confusion), the industry standard, amazing hardware (both build quality and materials), anybody can use it

Weak: Bare minimum customization options (only wallpaper), has become stagnant (or "stuffy" some say), Apple keeps you out of dangerous waters (by locking you into their realm of services and such).

Smartphone Guide 2) Android Overview

This is a continuation of a post done 2 days ago, the Smartphone Guide 1) Operating Systems. This post is specifically going into detail about android as a whole - yes, I will talk about specific phones eventually, but not today.

While some would argue Android is a "stolen product", it does everything considerably different than any other mobile OS out there, and is my personal favorite. I realize it isn't for everyone, but by reading this you should get a better idea if it's for you or not.

Extremely brief history:
- Developed by Android Inc (2003)
- Google bought Android Inc (2005)
- Unveiled (2007)
- first android released (HTC Dream, Oct 2008)

Now that the history is out of the way, let's talk about where android is today. Currently, over half of android phones are running software that is 2 years old... Sorry guys, let's go back to the history books.

Somewhat less brief history

(Stock) Android Software Release
- Beta (Nov 2007)
- 1.0 (Sept 2008)
- 1.1 (Feb 2009)
- 1.5/Cupcake (April 2009)
- 1.6/Doughnut (Sept 2009)
- 2.0/2.1/Elcair (October 2009)
- 2.2/Froyo (May 2010)
- 2.3/Gingerbdead (Dec 2010)
- 3.0/Honeycomb (tablet only, Feb 2011)
- 4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich (Oct 2011)
- 4.1/4.2 Jelly Bean (June 2012)

For the remainder of this article, I will only mention 2.3 and above, as the older versions a) have insignificant market share and b) don't reflect on the android of today.

Gingerbread was the first version of android to offer support for front facing cameras, but also offered noticeably improved battery management and user interface.

Honeycomb was the first (and only) UI meant just for tablets. It wasn't generally accepted, and in Ice cream Sandwich they merged the tablet UI with the phone UI.

Ice Cream Sandwich looked similar to Honeycomb, but with obvious enhancements. It had an overhaul of the UI, and is considered the biggest jump in UI for android. Android became more refined, looking sleeker, and this is when the "Holo" theme became prevalent.

Jelly Bean adds more features to ICS, and makes everything run much smoother (codenamed project butter). It also adds Google Now, Gesture typing, quick settings notifications, locks creek widgets and more.

So over 50% of android users have their device on Gingerbread, which is 2 years old. They've been missing major feature and usability upgrades not once, but twice. Why?

Android is open source, and it's manufacturers put their own custom UI on their phones. So when Google makes an update, the manufacturers take their time fitting it to all their phones.

Strong points, weak points
Strong: Customization options are everywhere, you have a massive choice in hardware, there is a handset that fits every budget, everything (including 3rd party apps) work together great, app selection

Weak: Updates, has a steeper learning curve than other OSs, different custom UIs mean different experiences, only the most expensive phones are really worth getting (low range phones especially have a generally poor user experience).

Nexus 7: the $200 tablet that could

Whenever anybody asks me what tablet to get, the Nexus 7 is always on the list - and yes, it is as good as you've herd...maybe even better.

For $200, you get a 16GB higher-than-720p resolution screen, a quad core processor, decent build quality, and an ultra-portable 7" size. What's not to like?

Design
The front of the Nexus 7 is almost bare (as per the usual Nexus design). You see the silver edge that looks somewhat like a 2-3rd generation iPod Touch, the 1.2MP front facing camera, and a vast black void. Around back it's almost as sleek: you see the prominent Nexus logo near the top, and at the bottom the smaller Asus logo just above the long, thing speaker grill. The back is made of plastic and is dimpled, but almost feels like cheap leather. Nice touch. The sides are almost non-existent, as they gently curve away helping it feel thinner than it really is. On the right side is the power button above the volume rocker, and centered on the bottom is the standard microUSB port.

Any minimalist would approve the design, and it looks great. Afterall, who wants to be distracted while on a mobile device?

Interface
It's a shame so few devices run stock android...it really is beautiful. You might not have all the bright colors of HTC's Sense UI, or the added functionality of all of Samsung's TouchWiz features, but there is enough pre-installed to get started with. If you do want to download a different email client, browser, keyboard or anything else, you still can on the Google Play Store.

Have you ever herd of "Holo design"? The Nexus 7 is all about that. All of the android settings and most of the default apps use the greyscale+light blue color theme, and it really does look quite sleek. Google has released holo as a guideline for apps, and it is slowly gaining traction. I know it sounds like blacks, greys and blues would get boring after a wile, but I can tell you that after using my Nexus 7 for 5 months, I've switched away from it only to come back, and embrace it further (this is my current homescreen). I might change my mind later though...but for now at least I really like the way it looks.

Multitasking is how it should be: in a vertically scrolling list, that opens apps right where you left off without any updating.

Notifications are great - scroll down from the top on the left side to get traditional notifications, or scroll down from the right to get the new quicksettings. Quicksettings is a group of settings that are the most useful and are displayed in tiles. You can a shortcut to brightness, the regular settings, wifi, battery, and bluetooth. You also have the screen orientation lock and airplane mode toggles. There is 1 empty space, which gets filled with whatever else is relevant (currently I have an alarm icon there).

Did I mention the Nexus 7 gets the fastest updates straight from Google? That might explain why it also supports multiple user accounts. Different users can download the same apps, and it has been coded so that you won't download the game twice - it recognizes that the app is already installed - yet different users can have different data (one account could have beaten Angry Birds, while another is stuck on the 3rd world).

The biggest upside to the interface is the updates: in 5 months of owning my Nexus 7, I've gotten the 4.2, and 4.2.1 updates. What other android device can say that they got 2 updates in 5 months? Only other Nexuses.

Usability
The Nexus 7 has been great in everyday use...the battery lasts a long time (I've gotten more than 5 hours of screen on time in a day: wifi was on the entire time, and total time was about 12 hours) which is better than average. the screen is pretty good overall (compared to other screens it appears slightly washed out, but by itself it looks find).

The Tegra 3 processor isn't all that some people have made it out to be. Don't get me wrong though - for a $200 your not going to find a more powerful processor, but compared to Qualcom's new upper-range dual core processors (found in the Nexus 10), the Tegra 3 doesn't do great. In all games it fared good, but did skip a few frames here and there. Overall a better gaming experience than either my Galaxy S 2 and HTC One X.

The main issue I found with the Nexus 7 was updates (ironically, it's my favorite features as well). When JB 4.2 came out for the N7, it was smoother than 4.1, but overall didn't work as good. For example, YouTube, Gmail, and a few other apps made from Google themselves were completely unresponsive. You could pull down the notification bar and press the bottom buttons, but the apps were locked up.

Conclusion
For any pricepoint, this is a great tablet. The $200 price tag is very nice, too. This has been rated very highly by users and reviewers alike, and sites like cnet and techradar have put it right up there as one of the best tech gifts this holiday season. If you get the Nexus 7 for yourself or someone special, you won't regret it.

Smartphone Guide 1) Operating Systems

This is going to be a series of blogs meant to bestow all the information I know upon you. By the end, you should have a good idea of exactly what phone is best for you, and have a good idea of how to use it to it's full potential. This article is all about Operating Systems, which is the best place to start.

Links to completed guides
Smartphone Guide 2) Android
Smartphone Guide 3) iOS
Smartphone Guide 4) Windows Phone 8

As far as smartphones go, there are a few major players: Apple (iPhone), Google (android), Microsoft (Windows Phone), and RIM (Blackberry). Each are very different, and have their ups and downs...but you'll realize this soon enough. Without further ado...

The iPhone excels as app selection. I know, I know..."but android now has as many apps as Apple". While that is true, the Apple App Store has better quality apps than Android. Mind you, you will pay for any good app on the App Store.

Android's biggest asset is personalization. You can change the keyboard, add live wallpapers, put widgets on your homsescreen, install apps from sources other than the Google Play Store...you can do whatever you want with your android.

Windows Phone 8 is the newest player, and it's all about sleek design. You have access to just enough options to make your experience nice, but focuses on simplicity and stunning designs. The menus all look amazing, every phone runs smooth, and the LiveTiles are a great way to present the homescreen.

BlackBerry has really gone through a rough patch, but BB10 (scheduled for Jan. 30, 2012) looks very promising. They are making an entire new line of phones, and are finally bringing their phones up to par with the offerings from any other smartphone. Currently, BlackBerry phones have small screens, subpar processors, and an outdated mostly-non-touch UI. I'm going to disregard BlackBerry for the remainder of this blog, because I don't want to confuse buyers with BB7 when BB10 is just around the corner.

Now that we all know the names of each, let's see how they compare for different users. Please note that this is a guide based on stereotypes (somewhat), and isn't a "1 guide fits all" sort of thing. In future blog posts I'll try to really narrow it down.

Casual users: The iPhone is the easiest to use. There is no way to break the software on the iPhone, and it's hard to mess anything up. When you install apps (Apple App Store only), they all go onto your homsecreen. If you want to search, scroll all the way to the left. That's most of the OS...Windows Phone 8 comes in a close second. It has some added more advanced options - when you install apps they are listed alphabetically in their own list. From this universal-app-list, you can 'pin' apps to your homescreen, and them re-size them to fit your tastes. There is a bit more customization here, but not as much as Android. Android comes last here, because of all of the different layers of complexity. When you install apps, they are hidden in your app drawer until you drag them onto your homescreen. But you can also download widgets, which are also found in your app drawer, but are all grouped last. There are lots more options, making for overall a more complex experience. Keep in mind - any of these are certainly usable, and even Android isn't too hard to get used to.

Average usage: I'm going to argue that Android is the best overall for the average user. It is pretty simple to get used to (should be a wiz at the everyday stuff in a week tops), and within the first month you've probably explored a few options that WP8 and iOS don't offer. After a year of owning your phone, you will look at iOS and WP8 devices and think "whoa - my phone can do way more than that". The iPhone comes next here, as apps are a big deal. Sure, you'll have to pay for all the good apps, but lots of them really are worth it. Android's apps are typically of much less quality, and Apple has a huge developer base loyal to them. Windows Phone is a close last - yes, they are getting many more apps everyday. Yes, they are growing faster than iOS. No, they aren't perfect. They're coming along fast, for for the average user the experience is still lacking.

Hardcore user: Androd is hands down the best Operating System for hardcore phone addicts. Hardcore users will have probably installed a whack-ton of apps, are using SwiftKey 3 Flow as their keyboard, using a Launcher (if they haven't ROMmed), and maybe even made their own widgets. You can't do this on either WP8 or iOS. Windows Phone surprisingly sneaks ahead of Apple on this one. You have access to a bit more customization, and discovering all the unique things to WP8, like Nokia's Mapping technology which can use the camera and gyroscope to see places of interest close to you, just by panning your phone around you...or taking videos and turning them into still pictures, with just 1 moving object. The iPhone lacks exciting features, and takes last place. After using your iPhone for a few weeks, you are a master. There isn't going to be anything groundbreaking to discover.

So in summary of Operating Systems, Android appeals to users who want more out of their phone, Windows Phone is great for the artsy type with its gorgeous designs and nifty features, and the iPhone is the rock-solid phone for users who don;t want to have to worry about anything.

Come back soon for the continuation of the blog-series, where I'll start talking more about the phones themselves and not just Operating Systems.

If you want to get in touch, you can tweet me on Twitter @QandAndroid, email me at QandAndroid@gmail.com, or see me lurking/posting/wreaking havoc on Reddit (username: QandAndroid).

My goal is to blog about 5 times a week here, so make sure you come back often!

Nexus explained

How many of you have herd of Google's own Nexus line of devices? They are beginning to be huge in the android community, but have some common misconceptions. First, let's look into the history of Nexus.

Nexus Devices

First exhibit: the Google Nexus One. Google teams up with an Android manufacturer to make a completely stock experience, and for the One, they chose HTC. It was originally intended as a developer device, as something that would be used primarily by developers, as a kind of standard to develop for.

The next room is labeled "Samsung", and is the largest in this Nexus museum. The first device in here is the Nexus S. It really pushed boundaries when it came out, and it arguably started Android's quest for giant screens. It was only 4", but in it's day it was a behemoth. The Nexus S has stopped getting updates (officially), and is currently on Ice Cream Sandwich

The Nexus S is followed by the Galaxy Nexus, which was the phone that started 720p resolution as a standard. The "GNex" is still currently getting all the new Jelly Bean (4.2) updates.

Nexus 4 is the first Nexus to be extremely popular among average consumers. It is leading the android pack in terms of processor speed, design, screen, and cost. It is just $300!

This year, we also got 2 Nexus tablets, the Nexus 7 (7", built by Asus) and the Nexus 10 (10", built by Samsung). The Nexus 7 is hugely popular, especially thanks to it's rock-bottom $200 price, Tegra 3 quad-core processor, and size. It's still too early to tell how popular the Nexus 10 is; all we know is that it's been out of stock on the Play Store since launch.

How are Nexuses different?

A device with the "Nexus" name has been designed in collaboration with Google, and will run the 'stock android' user interface. That means that you won't get any carrier-made bloatware, but you also won't get OEM tweaks (whether good or bad)...but every coin has 2 sides. Because Nexuses run stock android, when a new update is released, BAM - the Nexus gets it right away while OEMs take their time designing their UI to look or feel more like the new update. Also, generally Nexus devices cost less (the Nexus 4 costs $350 compared to other top-notch devices costing $500+, The Nexus 7 is $200 which is a much better bang for your buck than any other tablet. Even the Nexus 10 starts at $400 which is $100 cheaper than the iPad 3 and comparable android tablets).

Find me on Twitter, and you can personally ask me questions about the tablet line. You can find me @QandAndroid.

Alternatively, post a question in the subreddit /r/PickAnAndroidForMe, or email me directly at QandAndroid@gmail.com.

Android customization

For those of you wanting to customize your device quickly and easily, check back later this week for a beginner customization crash course. This is intended for users who want more functionality, but also willing to spend an hour making just the right setup. All apps I mention here are free, just because that's how I roll.

Here is a link to my current homescreen, and the 3 widgets are all custom made using the Ultimate Custom Widget app.

Ultimate Custom Widget (UCCW) - this is an app that let's you assemble your own widgets. It is simple once you get used to it, and it has tons of functionality built in, but is cumbersome to get the hang of. 

1 Tap Quick Bar - more useful than you'd think. It stays in your notification bar, and can contain toggles, shortcuts, and more. You can customize the order, color, and more of these shortcuts.

Nova Launcher - this launcher app that modifies the home screens and app drawer. Adds functionality throughout...uninstall apps straight from the app drawer, resize any widget, gestures on home screen, way more transition effects, and options. There are many launchers, this is my personal favorite. Another popular launcher is ADW Launcher.

SwipePad - get access to a quick-launch folder type thing from anywhere. To access this folder type deal, drag your finger from the top-right edge (this is default, you can adjust it) towards the middle of the screen.

For more apps, check out Google Play > Apps > Personalization. There are so many live wallpapers, launchers, and other apps. 

If you'r looking for some ideas on how to make your device look more awesome, or get some inspiration, check out this subreddit, /r/androidthemes. There is lots of good stuff there.

Let me know if you want more information on any/all of these apps. If there is interest, I could do an entire walk through on how I made my theme, teaching you how to make the most of these apps (especially Ultimate Custom Widget...I spent about 2 hours figuring it out and perfecting the widgets I now use).

HTC One X: thoughts and opinions.

I'm going to get started this blog by talking about the HTC One X (North American version), my current phone. Overall, its a pretty nice phone. Everything looks amazing, but is does have some major downfalls.

Design
The HTC One X has a really nice design, and it looks almost like one of those futuristic designs made in the 80's. I really like that. I have the white version, and the black screen completely surrounded by the white case does look great. I'm not a huge fan of the enormous silver ring around the protruding camera though, or the camera's placement in general. Most phones try to hide their camera away in the depths of the phone, but HTC made the camera protrude so that when resting flat, the phone rests on the camera.

It feels good to hold, it is more angular than square-ish meaning that whan you wrap your hand around the back, the tips of your fingers rest almost in a perfectly natural position. The screen is curved slightly on either side giving the screen the effect that it just melts away into the back case.

The design is awesome, and the only gripe I have is with the placement of ports and buttons. I'm not the only one who's had trouble pressing the on button - it's on the down-curved side of the top meaning you have to reach around an edge to press it. The microUSB charging port is oddly on the left side, which is OK if you don't use your phone while charging...but the cord is right where I normally hold the phone in landscape.

Interface
You either love or hate HTC's Sense UI. I've herd it has become much less intrusive than it had been previously, but for me it's still too much. They have altered just about everything they can: the lockscreen, homescreens, menus, app drawer, multitasking panel, notification bar...and mostly not in good ways.

The good: I like the changes to the lockscreen. to unlock, drag the ring up. To quick launch an app (same apps as on your dock), drag that app into the ring. They made the homescreens look nice, with big, beautiful widgets. Finding the right one can be hard though, because there are some 20 pages of pre-installed apps. The app drawer is at least organized alphabetically, and you have access to a 'personalization' option in the settings panel, which is capable to adjust colors and designs on everything made by Sense (the ring on the lockscreen, color of the dock, color of widgets, color of bars on the top and bottom of the app drawer), which is welcomed. The notification bar looks clean, and it's nice always having the 'clear all notifications' button there, even when you don't have any notifications.

The bad: the app drawer seems out of place to me. There are these 2 giant bars going across the top and bottom of the screen - I have never used anything on those bars and I don't know anybody who has. The menus have this weird separating effect when you try scrolling past the end of a menu, where all the individual elements will separate whether they are related or not. I know this is a workaround Apple's bounce-back patent, but now that they've settled I'd much prefer either the bounce-back or stock android glow as opposed to this. HTC completely butchered the multitasking panel. They changed it to scroll horizontally instead of vertically, which I guess is so that you can see the entire rectangular snapshot of your previous screens in apps (apposed to stock android's vertically scrolling square snapshots), but you can see less open apps, they've made it more difficult to close apps (swiping them away Sense-style takes quite a bit to get used to...you have to swipe much further than stock). One last thing about the multitasking: it doesn't even multitask. Everytime you open a previously opened app, it will refresh. That means that if you were in the middle of a game and went to reply to a text, when you switch back to that game it will reload as if it weren't ever open in the first place. Same goes for Facebook and all other apps - go back to it and it refreshes leaving you at the top of whatever you were on.

After about 3 weeks of trying to get used to Sense, I realized it wasn't for me and installed Nova Launcher Prime, a launcher app to make it at least look more like stock android (although this doesn't fix any of the issues).

Usability
In-app performance is great. The dual core 1.5GHz Krait processor really gets the job done. Gaming is fast and fluid, with only the occasional hiccup between frames. Looking at the Google Earth app (which is traditionally extremely laggy), it is much smoother than most devices. There wasn't any checkerboarding, but it did take a second to clear up when scrolling.

Battery life is sub-par. With the screen on minimum brightness reading reddit (mostly text posts) over 4G cellular data and under continuous use, the battery drained 33% in 1.5 hours. I can make it through the typical day without charging, but that's only with about 1 hour of screen on time. The battery is also non-removable, so your stuck with what you got.

Calls sounded good and clear, but a bit quiet. I was herd loud and clear on the other end always, and I didn't have any dropped calls.

Wear and Tear hasn't been an issue for the most part, the colors aren't scratching off at all anywhere, but the screen has managed to pick up a few very small scratches (just from being in the same pocket as other stuff) - nothing you'd notice if you wern't looking for it though. Maybe it's just the white version, but any bits of dust and/or pocket lint really slow up. especially in the indented front camera hole, the tiny space around the edge of the volume rocker, and just a tiny bit of stuff finding it's way in between the screen and the casing.

Overall
It's not quite what I'm looking for in a phone, but by no means is it a bad phone. I've used TouchWiz and stock android as my daily drivers for a wile, and adjusting to Sense wan't happening to me. This is almost the perfect phone hardware-wise, especially because now that it's technically outdated by the One X +, you can snag it for pretty cheap. If I were comfortable putting a custom ROM on it, this would quite possibly be the phone I kept for 2 or 3 years, assuming the battery holds up (it has so far).

Phone rating: 8/10 (+speed, power, design. - battery life, software)

You can find out more about me either on Reddit (username QandAndroid, you can usually find me around the Android related subreddits), or on Twitter (@QandAndroid). Also, feel free to email me at QandAndroid@gmail.com, I would love to hear back from you guys! Thanks for reading, and hopefully you learned a bit :)

My thoughts on android today

Android has had a lot going for it, but it has it's flaws. First, the manufacturers aren't making any money. Samsung and HTC are the only OEMs currently spinning a profit. Samsung is the only one really packing much of a punch, and fragmentation is still the number one issue.

Where do I begin... let's start with Sammy. Samsung have blown the industry away, beating both Nokia and Apple, the used-to-be top manufacturers in their divisions (Nokia was top in the 'dumbphone' market, and Apple was the leading smartphone producer). How did they accomplish this? Marketing, and branding. They've been advertising everywhere from TV, YouTube, Internet ads, joint operations with carriers and more. The term 'galaxy' is slowly becoming interchangeable with 'android'. They are also one of the only companies still putting microSD card slots in their phones, and with removable back covers.

The other OEMs are struggling to stay profitable, and most are failing even at just that. HTC had a good line-up with their One series (One X, One S, and One V) but still really struggled to gain traction in Samsung's dust. Why did I say 'good' lineup? It isn't great. Many users dislike Sense to the point where it's a deal breaker. HTC really like the uni-body design, which doesn't allow for microSD cards or removable batteries. HTC seems to be so focused on design that it makes usability sacrifices just to keep the design amazing.

Android's future could be very different than it is today if Samsung continues to be the only main player. The smartphone market has flourished because of all the competition. With only 1 key player, they won't have to worry about keeping ahead of the pack; they determine when and where. Without competition, eventually android could turn into RIM: a lack of innovation (on a sidenote RIM is finally doing a roundabout turn with their new BB10 software debuting on January 31, 2013).

With so many phones available and the world-wide market share android currently enjoys, it's in a pretty happy place. However, it does need to remain innovative as Windows Phone 8 has had a better launch than expected, and BB10 is coming soon.

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First, a bit about me...

Android is an ever-expanding multiverse it seems, and I'm going to try my best tohelp you keep ontop of everything new, upcoming, and exciting that is mobile phone related - but with a special emphesis towards android

I'm 18 years old, live in Canada, and have a special plave in my heart for technology. I am currently typing this on my Nexus 7, and in my pocket is the HTC One X. For reasons you'll learn of later (in future posts), I have already ordered the Nexus 4 and it's due for delivery in late January.

I'm going to keep this first post short, as there isnt any real information to write about. I'm here, and feel free to email me with any questions, comments, suggestions, or whatever is on your mind. I'm also available for Google+ Hangouts if your into that, and im also on twitter @QandAndroid. My email is QandAndroid@gmail.com, and check back soon for new posts!