Category Archives: Polls

[Poll] Buying the Epic 4G Touch Today?

Posted by on September 16, 2011 No comments

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So today marks the release of the first Galaxy S II smartphone in America – Sprint’s Samsung Epic 4G Touch Having used the phone myself for a few days now, I can tell you that it’s everything it’s cracked up to be and 10 times more. While my official review has yet to come out (it will be out very soon, but read my initial hands-on impressions here), I can certainly tell you that I’ll have a ton of praise and very little reproach.

With that said, if you were to take a walk into a Sprint store right now to play with it and found yourself liking it, would you buy it? Sure, it’s been out for several months in the world over, but the funny thing is that this is still one of the most powerful smartphones over there and over here.

Will you let your indecisiveness or need to get the absolute latest technology hold you back from buying or will you just settle and accept the fact the phone may be “outdated” within a few weeks’ time? Sound off in the poll below and be sure to leave a comment explaining your choice!

Your Next Android Phone – How Big Is Too Big? [Poll]

Posted by on September 2, 2011 No comments

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A couple of days ago, we posted a story on the rumored HTC Runnymede that should be dropping soon and our readers immediately took to the comments section letting us (and HTC) know exactly how they felt about the device’s huge 4.7-inch screen. Late last night, Samsung unveiled their new Samsung Galaxy Note with its gargantuan 5.3-inch SAMOLED display and I could already see some of our readers shaking their heads in disapproval. But that’s just it. Exactly how big is TOO big?

Where exactly is that magical sweet spot when it comes to screen/overall phone size. The boys over at SprintFeed threw up this nice little infographic showing off Sprint’s Android lineup to scale and exactly where each device stands against one another when it comes to the overall size. As you can see, screen size doesn’t always mean the whole device will necessarily be larger (although often times, it does). But that’s just it, most of the time people are referring to a device’s height/width and not really the screen size at all when making statements like “4.5-inches is too big.” (TWSS)

Oh – and don’t forget thickness. Is this not a factor to anyone? Are you an Android chubby chaser? I for one, don’t mind a tall 4.5-inch device as long as its thin. I cannot stand smaller, thicker devices. What about you guys? Is it really the screen size where you draw your line? If so, vote in our poll on which screen is right for you. Maybe it’s the overall size of the device that matters? Then vote for that. Maybe there is a phone currently available with the perfect dimensions/screen size/thinness? Feel free to explain in the comments. Cheers!

Thanks to SprintFeed for pics!

[Poll] Are You Finally Settling on a Phone This Year?

Posted by on August 26, 2011 No comments

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I stuck with my G1 for a long time when it first came out, but that’s because I kinda didn’t have a choice – it was the only Android phone out. The HTC Hero, HTC Magic and the Motorola DROID – among various Samsung products – were all tempting offerings, but not enough to get me to switch carriers or pay for unsubsidized. I was even a bit skeptical about the Nexus One

Then the HTC EVO 4G came out. I paid $200 to get out of my contract and switched to Sprint for the phone. After many great months of rooting, ROM’ing and modding, the Samsung EPIC 4G grabbed my eye with its Super AMOLED display and 1GHz Samsung Hummingbird processor, not to mention the hardware QWERTY keyboard I had been missing from my G1.

That affair came to an end when America’s first autostereoscopic 3D phone, the HTC EVO 3D was released. I upgraded to that phone, but before this I contemplated switching to Verizon before the tiered data cut-off date. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the sort of phones I was looking for.

The Galaxy S II is finally near release, but it’s taken so long to get here that I am now waiting for the Nexus Prime But even with the Nexus Prime on its way, I’ll more than likely buy the Samsung Galaxy S II unsubsidized. Hell, I almost used my upgrade on a Motorola Photon 4G and I planned on selling both phones to get the money to fund all of this switching. I clearly have a problem, my friends.

But I believe I’ll finally slow down once I get some good ol’ stock Android back in my life. If Ice Cream Sandwich is everything I’m hoping it will be and if the Nexus Prime hardware impresses, I’ll be set for a long time.

Are any of you like me? Even if you don’t actually buy phones as much as I do, have you been waiting and waiting for the perfect time and phone to upgrade? And if so, do you think you’ll find true, Android love by the end of the year? Or have you already gotten your long-term phone to keep you nice and warm until your upgrade is up?

[Poll] Should Google Poach WebOS Designers and Developers?

Posted by on August 19, 2011 No comments

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Well, it’s Friday. We like to pick your brains on Fridays. This time, we’re wondering what you think about the latest happenings over at the HP camp. If you haven’t heard, HP has officially discontinued WebOS. The TouchPad and any WebOS smartphones will no longer be offered for sale. Of course, HP probably won’t just throw WebOS into the trashbin – licensing opportunities for third party OEMs may become an option sometime down the line.

But would this not be a perfect opportunity for Google to try and entice HP employees who worked on WebOS to join the Android team? They’ve already picked up Matias Duarte, the man responsible for all of the new design changes in Honeycomb and the forthcoming Ice Cream Sandwich.

I’m sure there are still some very, very valuable talented developers and designers at HP who probably feel slighted by this move and would want nothing more than to jump on the train that’s actually going somewhere.

This is not to say that Android’s current team isn’t getting the job done – they most certainly are. But the more the merrier, I always say, and I’m sure Duarte wouldn’t mind having some of his old team back to help shape the future of Android.

Biggest Tech Shocker of the Week: Google Buys Motorola or HP Discontinues webOS? [POLL]

Posted by on August 18, 2011 No comments

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Sometimes the tech industry has a way of blindsiding us. Sometimes it has a way of blindsiding us twice in the same week. Such was the case when HP announced earlier today that it would cease all of its current webOS operations, including the discontinuation of the newly launched TouchPad tablet. The news follows only days after another major tech industry shocker, the Google buyout of Motorola for some $12.5 billion. So we are posing the question, which came as the bigger surprise? Sound off in the poll and feel free to discuss amongst yourselves in the comments below.

What’s Keeping You on the Android Side?

Posted by on August 5, 2011 No comments

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I won’t lie – as a fan of technology period, it’s easy to be swayed from one platform to another, whether it be in smartphones, desktop computing, gaming or what have you. I’d hate to admit this being a writer for an Android enthusiast site, but I’ve strongly thought about adopting other smartphone platforms before.

iOS wooed me with its buttery-smooth performance and a quality app marketplace. Windows Phone 7 is dangling Xbox Live in my face. WebOS has always had me jealous of its multi-tasking and unique programming language used to develop apps. Meego taps into my inner-geek and BB OS, well, that’s one platform I haven’t had the desire to try out.

But yes, I get antsy and want to try new things. I’ve subdued my iOS itch by grabbing an iPod Touch and will soon grab an iPad. I’m going to jump on the first Windows 8 tablet the first chance I get as it’s the closest I’ll get to a non-phone Windows 7 device. And with a pretty nice deal on the HP TouchPad today, I’m one retail store away from buying the damned thing.

However, even with all of this great technology in the smartphone sector, I can’t bring myself to leave Android. No, it’s not because I fear I might lose my job here (though that’s certainly a good chunk of my deciding factor), but because Android just fits me. I could have jumped on iOS long before we heard of the G1 with the introduction of the first iPhone, but I stuck to my Windows Mobile phone (I was a devout T-Mobile Shadow user up until this point). For some reason, Android was different.

I’m sure it’s because my life  was tied into Google’s services at the time (and still is), but I also like to believe that I was gravitated toward Android because it was rough around the edges. It had that geeky flare that screamed “I’m not perfect, but with time and a lot of elbow grease, I’ll get there”.

I liked having something that not many people had or knew about. And now that Android has become the fastest. most widely-adopted smartphone operating system in the world, I’m proud to be inside the bubble and I don’t foresee myself leaving.

No one gets as excited about phone updates like Android users because Google always provides significant new features and technology that just can’t be had anywhere else.

Sure, such rapid development cycles have contributed to the fragmentation problem we seem to be facing today, but as a technology aficionado I’ll put up with the imperfections of the Android ecosystem simply because I love wondering what’s going to come next.

I want to hear from you all, though. What’s keeping you on board? Have you had urges to jump ship? And do you see yourself having those urges a long time from now when Android eventually becomes the king in overall global market share? Let’s hear it below!

Do You Think Google is Right in its Stance Against Patent Trolls?

Posted by on August 4, 2011 No comments

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I somehow feel I don’t need to ask our reader base this question, but I’m curious anyway – what do you think about Google’s stance against patents and the recent lawsuits they’ve incurred because of them? We clearly want what’s best for Android, and I’m sure a majority of us are hoping for patent reform sometime this decade.

I’m still wondering if there is anyone out there who feels Google’s in the wrong, though. As much as I don’t like today’s patent system, it’s a legal entity for individuals and corporations to protect their assets and no amount of distaste for it will exempt anyone, even Google, from following the law.

Even then, anti-trust concerns have always taken precedence over legal rights and processes, which is why the judicial sect of our government scrutinizes many high-profile transactions each and every year.

Personally, I’m on Google’s side. No one had a problem until Android began kicking them into the ground and their competitors have clearly come together to try and knock them off of a throne they fear Google will have for quite some time.

Considering the members of the consortium attempting to buy up all of these patents (including successful purchases of Nortel’s and Novell’s patents) are all direct competitors of Google’s in the mobile space, I’d say they have pretty good reason to be upset.

With the advent of technology, the patent landscape has changed tremendously since its arrival. The system was installed at a time where innovation was truly prevalent and where companies responsible for those inventions only wanted to use the patents to protect their inventions.

Now, individuals and companies lay in the wait, hoping to capitalize on successful ventures that could only be because of the patents they hold. They refuse to innovate on their own, and instead will  prefer to wait for someone else to do the ground work so they can come in and yank the rug from beneath them.

I’m sure Google’s not the only firm infringing on all of these patents, but they and their partners are the only ones being forced into expensive and headache-inducing legal battles.

Thankfully, they certainly will get the spotlight they’re asking for. Do you think they’re wrong for being upset and against this? Do you think they and their OEMs should have properly researched the technology they were using before going ahead?

[Poll] What do You Think of the New Android Market?

Posted by on July 29, 2011 No comments

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Now that more and more folks have gotten the upgrade to the latest Android market overhaul, we’re curious as to how you are liking it? This isn’t the first time the market’s been revised and it probably isn’t the last time. In terms of design, the previous revision was flashier than the second update (remember when the market was black?), but the design remained largely the same.

Market 3.0.27 is the most significant update yet in terms of design. It’s geared more toward highlighting popular apps in a number of different categories with big, hard-to-miss banners. It’s more “square” with tiles (Metro UI, anyone?) making the traditional list take a backseat approach. It incorporates movie and book stores now, and it will soon get a music store after Google is finished negotiating with record labels.

But in the here and now, how do you like it? I’m a fan of the design. Does it remind me of Windows Phone 7′s tile-centric Metro UI? Yes, but that isn’t entirely bad. Information is laid out in an eye-pleasing way and it’s easier to discover popular and quality applications recommended by Google and the community. And on individual app pages, information is separated in a way that it’s now almost impossible to get confused with what you’re looking at.

What about you folks? Has the new market been treating you well? Have you even gotten it? Would you rather revert to the previous version? There’s also a poll so feel free to partake in that. Let’s hear it!