Is it time for an alternative OS to Android?

Stiggles · 26-02-2014, 21:42

Quote:

Now this thread can get back on track.

Sadly there's a few posters who dislike my posts and actually put negative troll comments in the threads.

The thread is for alternatives and new OS coming to the market. Also would like to know where Blackberry is heading next after the Z10.

The only one putting troll comments in this thread is you.

You started this thread by slagging off every other OS apart from iOS then refuse to believe you did it!!

gomezz · 26-02-2014, 21:45

There are only two apps I want which I cannot get on my Windows phone: BT Sport and Viewranger. And the version of iPlayer does not do live TV. Other than that I am sorted.

finbaar · 26-02-2014, 21:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinceben

A lot of people slag off Windows phone due to the lack of apps, but there are about 250,000 apps available.
I have an iphone 5 and a Windows phone and prefer the Windows os over iOS. Windows is not terrible, it's just getting bad press possibly due to the Windows 8 desktop os

I have just switched to WP8 after several years on Android. WP8 is obviously inferior. It reminds me of Android 2.3. But so what. I will stick with it for a few months as I am enjoying it and I am interested in what the 8.1 (if that is what it is called) update will bring . I may well switch back later in the year but I think a lot of people on this forum criticise operating systems or phones without ever actually ever experiencing them. They read a review that agrees with their pre conceived ideas and regurgitate it.

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 06:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

When Windows was all we had it won though choice of software.
Does anyone really care what OS to use when their app of choice is available?

Obviously the op does but why?

Not so much the OS, but more to do with the way it works, the user interface. Like if say windows phone looked more like Android, it may sell better, not saying it will, but it may. If android looked like windows phone OS it may have flopped.

Most people are not bothered about the underlying OS, just the Ui and if it works for them.

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 06:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidspud

There has never been a time when windows was all we had. There were always (some would say better) alternatives.

Not sure about that to be honest, In the early days of windows there was nothing for home users, you look at windows 95/98 days and what was available? Remember it had to be easy to use and at a good price.

These days it is different Linux is now as easy to use as Windows and is now doing better than it ever did, but still need to go further.

AlecR · 27-02-2014, 07:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by noise747

Not sure about that to be honest, In the early days of windows there was nothing for home users, you look at windows 95/98 days and what was available? Remember it had to be easy to use and at a good price.

These days it is different Linux is now as easy to use as Windows and is now doing better than it ever did, but still need to go further.

Are you joking? OS 9?

Without OS X, Windows would never have had a GUI - just saying...

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 07:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinceben

A lot of people slag off Windows phone due to the lack of apps, but there are about 250,000 apps available.
I have an iphone 5 and a Windows phone and prefer the Windows os over iOS. Windows is not terrible, it's just getting bad press possibly due to the Windows 8 desktop os

I have tried windows phone and as you said it is not terrible, but I did not like it. I think I prefer the customisation of Android, windows phone seems to have very little.

You could also be right, some people may not want it because of the windows desktop, I admit, I have had enough of windows on my desktop over the years and I prefer not to have it on my phone, but if I liked it then I would have got a windows phone.

I think they also came onto the market late and a lot of people remember Microsoft venture into the mobile phone market a few years back, myself included.

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 07:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlecR

Are you joking? OS 9?

Without OS X, Windows would never have had a GUI - just saying...

I said at a good price.

Without Xerox apple would not have had a GUI, just saying

clonmult · 27-02-2014, 07:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by finbaar

I have just switched to WP8 after several years on Android. WP8 is obviously inferior. It reminds me of Android 2.3. But so what. I will stick with it for a few months as I am enjoying it and I am interested in what the 8.1 (if that is what it is called) update will bring . I may well switch back later in the year but I think a lot of people on this forum criticise operating systems or phones without ever actually ever experiencing them. They read a review that agrees with their pre conceived ideas and regurgitate it.

I'm intrigued ... I swapped from Symbian to Android to WP8, and cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would claim that WP8 is obviously inferior. It definitely isn't. The interface is way more consistent and polished than anything from Google or Apple.

alanwarwic · 27-02-2014, 08:37

Maybe the problem there is that in being a hardware seller there is more risk of the phone being 'end of life' somewhere down the road.

gomezz · 27-02-2014, 08:38

I would be interested to hear the specifics of what people do not like about the WM interface compared to the alternatives?

I will start by saying that my current biggest bugbear is not being able to cut and paste appointments in the calendar.

clonmult · 27-02-2014, 10:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomezz

I would be interested to hear the specifics of what people do not like about the WM interface compared to the alternatives?

I will start by saying that my current biggest bugbear is not being able to cut and paste appointments in the calendar.

I've never had to do that; but having just tried that on my iPhone 4S, its not even available on there. At least not in an obvious way. Same goes for my Nexus 7 running kitkat.

My only irritation with WP8 is no persistent back button in the browser, although that can be implemented via a bookmark (which is a bit of a kludge).

gomezz · 27-02-2014, 10:31

What do you mean by "persistent"? The back button works for me.

Rossby41 · 27-02-2014, 10:55

I feel if Ubuntu got a good backer it could do well. Also make it available on Nexus devices as (easy to install as well).

neo_wales · 27-02-2014, 12:18

Blackberry sales dropping, Apple sales have seen a dip, Windows phone sales growing (Now 10%) and Android booming.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57...ws-phone-grow/

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...mixed-fortunes

I can't see Android loosing the lead now.

clonmult · 27-02-2014, 12:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomezz

What do you mean by "persistent"? The back button works for me.

The back button is system wide.

Browse a web site. Switch to another app. Switch back to the browser. Press the back button. It doesn't go back to the previous web page, it goes back to the previous application.

On my N7, I wish the system back button worked like that (it doesn't), but at least it has a back button in the browser.

alan1302 · 27-02-2014, 12:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlecR

Are you joking? OS 9?

Without OS X, Windows would never have had a GUI - just saying...

Windows has always had a GUI

clonmult · 27-02-2014, 12:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo_wales

Blackberry sales dropping, Apple sales have seen a dip, Windows phone sales growing (Now 10%) and Android booming.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57...ws-phone-grow/

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...mixed-fortunes

I can't see Android loosing the lead now.

There was once a point when people couldn't imagine Symbian losing the lead ...

But those market share stats only show part of the picture. Without the actual sales figures behind them, they're almost meaningless.

gomezz · 27-02-2014, 14:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by clonmult

The back button is system wide.

Browse a web site. Switch to another app. Switch back to the browser. Press the back button. It doesn't go back to the previous web page, it goes back to the previous application..

You can get to your browsing history using the Recent option and select a previous page to go back to from there. Maybe not as quick and convenient but the functionality *is* there. OTOH given you can press and hold the back button to close an app or switch to another open app then maybe time to use the back button in the browser to work the way you want it (or at least make it an option).

WebGeek · 27-02-2014, 15:06

OP hasn't got a clue.

DYOR, Windows Phone usage is on the uptick, getting better all the time.

What about the Jolla system?

Or Tizen?

neo_wales · 27-02-2014, 15:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by clonmult

There was once a point when people couldn't imagine Symbian losing the lead ...

But those market share stats only show part of the picture. Without the actual sales figures behind them, they're almost meaningless.

Symbian like Linux was always a niche market, Android will take an awful lot to knock it off the top spot, I really can't see a viable alternative becoming available in the next decade that will beat it given the integration that Google and Windows now have with home user devices and that many people such as myself go cross platform between the two. I've tried Linux and still play with it but 99.9% of people just want a working out of the box experience which Linux simply does not provide so what chance do the likes of a new kid on the block really have against the established 'big boys' like Apple, Android and Windows?..... none in reality.

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 18:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by gomezz

I would be interested to hear the specifics of what people do not like about the WM interface compared to the alternatives?

I will start by saying that my current biggest bugbear is not being able to cut and paste appointments in the calendar.

I don't like the look of it to be honest, those silly tiles and the way you got to scroll down the screen to get what you want.

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 18:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan1302

Windows has always had a GUI

True, otherwise it would not be called Windows.
But it was Xerox who had the first wimp system, and that went onto the Apple Lisa.

noise747 · 27-02-2014, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by clonmult

There was once a point when people couldn't imagine Symbian losing the lead ...

But those market share stats only show part of the picture. Without the actual sales figures behind them, they're almost meaningless.

I think things are very different now, smart phones are becoming the norm and there are hell of a lot more Android phones out then phones with Symbian.

While i never had a symbian phone, i was told they was a bit hit and miss.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neo_wales

Symbian like Linux was always a niche market, Android will take an awful lot to knock it off the top spot, I really can't see a viable alternative becoming available in the next decade that will beat it given the integration that Google and Windows now have with home user devices and that many people such as myself go cross platform between the two. I've tried Linux and still play with it but 99.9% of people just want a working out of the box experience which Linux simply does not provide so what chance do the likes of a new kid on the block really have against the established 'big boys' like Apple, Android and Windows?..... none in reality.

You are kidding? A linux machine can work out of the box just like a windows machine. In fact better in some ways as you don't have to go through all the rubbish of registering like on a windows computer and also no hassle with security software.

I have set up a few Linux machines for different people that have machines with Xp on them and they wanted something a bit more secure for them, they are happy as Larry with them, who ever Larry is.

Not saying linux is fine for everyone, if you play games it is pretty limited, but for almost every thing else it is ideal. Even video editing is getting better on it.

What confuses people with linux is the amount of distros and different desktops, but choice is good. i like KDE desktop for it effects, but for lesser power machines something like XFce. I prefer the Cinnamon desktop myself for everyday use.

but i could set up a say a mint based computer and anyone that is used to using windows would get used to it pretty quick, in fact installing software is a lot easier, just use the software centre and the best bit, it is all free.

alanwarwic · 27-02-2014, 20:02

People told us why Symbian failed but in my mind with Symbian and Blackberry it was the low spec lack of choice that mainly stood out.

26-02-2014, 21:42	#51
Stiggles Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Dundee, Scotland Posts: 9,293	Quote: Originally Posted by linkinpark875 Now this thread can get back on track. Sadly there's a few posters who dislike my posts and actually put negative troll comments in the threads. The thread is for alternatives and new OS coming to the market. Also would like to know where Blackberry is heading next after the Z10. The only one putting troll comments in this thread is you. You started this thread by slagging off every other OS apart from iOS then refuse to believe you did it!!

26-02-2014, 21:45	#52
gomezz Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Buckingham Posts: 28,590	There are only two apps I want which I cannot get on my Windows phone: BT Sport and Viewranger. And the version of iPlayer does not do live TV. Other than that I am sorted.

26-02-2014, 21:57	#53
finbaar Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 3,921	Quote: Originally Posted by vinceben A lot of people slag off Windows phone due to the lack of apps, but there are about 250,000 apps available. I have an iphone 5 and a Windows phone and prefer the Windows os over iOS. Windows is not terrible, it's just getting bad press possibly due to the Windows 8 desktop os I have just switched to WP8 after several years on Android. WP8 is obviously inferior. It reminds me of Android 2.3. But so what. I will stick with it for a few months as I am enjoying it and I am interested in what the 8.1 (if that is what it is called) update will bring . I may well switch back later in the year but I think a lot of people on this forum criticise operating systems or phones without ever actually ever experiencing them. They read a review that agrees with their pre conceived ideas and regurgitate it.

27-02-2014, 06:54	#54
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by alanwarwic When Windows was all we had it won though choice of software. Does anyone really care what OS to use when their app of choice is available? Obviously the op does but why? Not so much the OS, but more to do with the way it works, the user interface. Like if say windows phone looked more like Android, it may sell better, not saying it will, but it may. If android looked like windows phone OS it may have flopped. Most people are not bothered about the underlying OS, just the Ui and if it works for them.

27-02-2014, 06:57	#55
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by kidspud There has never been a time when windows was all we had. There were always (some would say better) alternatives. Not sure about that to be honest, In the early days of windows there was nothing for home users, you look at windows 95/98 days and what was available? Remember it had to be easy to use and at a good price. These days it is different Linux is now as easy to use as Windows and is now doing better than it ever did, but still need to go further.

27-02-2014, 07:08	#56
AlecR Inactive Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 514	Quote: Originally Posted by noise747 Not sure about that to be honest, In the early days of windows there was nothing for home users, you look at windows 95/98 days and what was available? Remember it had to be easy to use and at a good price. These days it is different Linux is now as easy to use as Windows and is now doing better than it ever did, but still need to go further. Are you joking? OS 9? Without OS X, Windows would never have had a GUI - just saying...

27-02-2014, 07:12	#57
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by vinceben A lot of people slag off Windows phone due to the lack of apps, but there are about 250,000 apps available. I have an iphone 5 and a Windows phone and prefer the Windows os over iOS. Windows is not terrible, it's just getting bad press possibly due to the Windows 8 desktop os I have tried windows phone and as you said it is not terrible, but I did not like it. I think I prefer the customisation of Android, windows phone seems to have very little. You could also be right, some people may not want it because of the windows desktop, I admit, I have had enough of windows on my desktop over the years and I prefer not to have it on my phone, but if I liked it then I would have got a windows phone. I think they also came onto the market late and a lot of people remember Microsoft venture into the mobile phone market a few years back, myself included.

27-02-2014, 07:14	#58
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by AlecR Are you joking? OS 9? Without OS X, Windows would never have had a GUI - just saying... I said at a good price. Without Xerox apple would not have had a GUI, just saying

27-02-2014, 07:52	#59
clonmult Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,291	Quote: Originally Posted by finbaar I have just switched to WP8 after several years on Android. WP8 is obviously inferior. It reminds me of Android 2.3. But so what. I will stick with it for a few months as I am enjoying it and I am interested in what the 8.1 (if that is what it is called) update will bring . I may well switch back later in the year but I think a lot of people on this forum criticise operating systems or phones without ever actually ever experiencing them. They read a review that agrees with their pre conceived ideas and regurgitate it. I'm intrigued ... I swapped from Symbian to Android to WP8, and cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would claim that WP8 is obviously inferior. It definitely isn't. The interface is way more consistent and polished than anything from Google or Apple.

27-02-2014, 08:37	#60
alanwarwic Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: the wild world web Posts: 28,132	Maybe the problem there is that in being a hardware seller there is more risk of the phone being 'end of life' somewhere down the road.

27-02-2014, 08:38	#61
gomezz Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Buckingham Posts: 28,590	I would be interested to hear the specifics of what people do not like about the WM interface compared to the alternatives? I will start by saying that my current biggest bugbear is not being able to cut and paste appointments in the calendar.

27-02-2014, 10:27	#62
clonmult Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,291	Quote: Originally Posted by gomezz I would be interested to hear the specifics of what people do not like about the WM interface compared to the alternatives? I will start by saying that my current biggest bugbear is not being able to cut and paste appointments in the calendar. I've never had to do that; but having just tried that on my iPhone 4S, its not even available on there. At least not in an obvious way. Same goes for my Nexus 7 running kitkat. My only irritation with WP8 is no persistent back button in the browser, although that can be implemented via a bookmark (which is a bit of a kludge).

27-02-2014, 10:31	#63
gomezz Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Buckingham Posts: 28,590	What do you mean by "persistent"? The back button works for me.

27-02-2014, 10:55	#64
Rossby41 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 844	I feel if Ubuntu got a good backer it could do well. Also make it available on Nexus devices as (easy to install as well).

27-02-2014, 12:18	#65
neo_wales Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria Posts: 8,298	Blackberry sales dropping, Apple sales have seen a dip, Windows phone sales growing (Now 10%) and Android booming. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57...ws-phone-grow/ http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...mixed-fortunes I can't see Android loosing the lead now.

27-02-2014, 12:43	#66
clonmult Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,291	Quote: Originally Posted by gomezz What do you mean by "persistent"? The back button works for me. The back button is system wide. Browse a web site. Switch to another app. Switch back to the browser. Press the back button. It doesn't go back to the previous web page, it goes back to the previous application. On my N7, I wish the system back button worked like that (it doesn't), but at least it has a back button in the browser.

27-02-2014, 12:44	#67
alan1302 Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: West Yorks Posts: 6,180	Quote: Originally Posted by AlecR Are you joking? OS 9? Without OS X, Windows would never have had a GUI - just saying... Windows has always had a GUI

27-02-2014, 12:45	#68
clonmult Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: UK Posts: 3,291	Quote: Originally Posted by neo_wales Blackberry sales dropping, Apple sales have seen a dip, Windows phone sales growing (Now 10%) and Android booming. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57...ws-phone-grow/ http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...mixed-fortunes I can't see Android loosing the lead now. There was once a point when people couldn't imagine Symbian losing the lead ... But those market share stats only show part of the picture. Without the actual sales figures behind them, they're almost meaningless.

27-02-2014, 14:18	#69
gomezz Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Buckingham Posts: 28,590	Quote: Originally Posted by clonmult The back button is system wide. Browse a web site. Switch to another app. Switch back to the browser. Press the back button. It doesn't go back to the previous web page, it goes back to the previous application.. You can get to your browsing history using the Recent option and select a previous page to go back to from there. Maybe not as quick and convenient but the functionality is there. OTOH given you can press and hold the back button to close an app or switch to another open app then maybe time to use the back button in the browser to work the way you want it (or at least make it an option).

27-02-2014, 15:06	#70
WebGeek Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 36	OP hasn't got a clue. DYOR, Windows Phone usage is on the uptick, getting better all the time. What about the Jolla system? Or Tizen?

27-02-2014, 15:55	#71
neo_wales Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: South Wales/Gran Canaria Posts: 8,298	Quote: Originally Posted by clonmult There was once a point when people couldn't imagine Symbian losing the lead ... But those market share stats only show part of the picture. Without the actual sales figures behind them, they're almost meaningless. Symbian like Linux was always a niche market, Android will take an awful lot to knock it off the top spot, I really can't see a viable alternative becoming available in the next decade that will beat it given the integration that Google and Windows now have with home user devices and that many people such as myself go cross platform between the two. I've tried Linux and still play with it but 99.9% of people just want a working out of the box experience which Linux simply does not provide so what chance do the likes of a new kid on the block really have against the established 'big boys' like Apple, Android and Windows?..... none in reality.

DS Forums

Is it time for an alternative OS to Android?

27-02-2014, 18:53	#72
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by gomezz I would be interested to hear the specifics of what people do not like about the WM interface compared to the alternatives? I will start by saying that my current biggest bugbear is not being able to cut and paste appointments in the calendar. I don't like the look of it to be honest, those silly tiles and the way you got to scroll down the screen to get what you want.

27-02-2014, 18:55	#73
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by alan1302 Windows has always had a GUI True, otherwise it would not be called Windows. But it was Xerox who had the first wimp system, and that went onto the Apple Lisa.

27-02-2014, 19:07	#74
noise747 Forum Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Herefordshire Posts: 22,810	Quote: Originally Posted by clonmult There was once a point when people couldn't imagine Symbian losing the lead ... But those market share stats only show part of the picture. Without the actual sales figures behind them, they're almost meaningless. I think things are very different now, smart phones are becoming the norm and there are hell of a lot more Android phones out then phones with Symbian. While i never had a symbian phone, i was told they was a bit hit and miss. Quote: Originally Posted by neo_wales Symbian like Linux was always a niche market, Android will take an awful lot to knock it off the top spot, I really can't see a viable alternative becoming available in the next decade that will beat it given the integration that Google and Windows now have with home user devices and that many people such as myself go cross platform between the two. I've tried Linux and still play with it but 99.9% of people just want a working out of the box experience which Linux simply does not provide so what chance do the likes of a new kid on the block really have against the established 'big boys' like Apple, Android and Windows?..... none in reality. You are kidding? A linux machine can work out of the box just like a windows machine. In fact better in some ways as you don't have to go through all the rubbish of registering like on a windows computer and also no hassle with security software. I have set up a few Linux machines for different people that have machines with Xp on them and they wanted something a bit more secure for them, they are happy as Larry with them, who ever Larry is. Not saying linux is fine for everyone, if you play games it is pretty limited, but for almost every thing else it is ideal. Even video editing is getting better on it. What confuses people with linux is the amount of distros and different desktops, but choice is good. i like KDE desktop for it effects, but for lesser power machines something like XFce. I prefer the Cinnamon desktop myself for everyday use. but i could set up a say a mint based computer and anyone that is used to using windows would get used to it pretty quick, in fact installing software is a lot easier, just use the software centre and the best bit, it is all free.

27-02-2014, 20:02	#75
alanwarwic Forum Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: the wild world web Posts: 28,132	People told us why Symbian failed but in my mind with Symbian and Blackberry it was the low spec lack of choice that mainly stood out.