Jan

Five reasons to choose… Android

Android

Opinion

SmartphoneDaily

Confused about the ever-expanding number of smartphone platforms

HTC Hero
Confused about the ever-expanding number of smartphone platforms? Unsure which is the right one for you? Our Five Reasons to Choose series gives you an instant guide to the things you need to know about every mobile OS.

Part six: Android

1. Google integration
One often-overlooked benefit – yet the most important one to consider – is that Android devices work so well with Google apps. For example, on the T-Mobile G1, you can tap in your Gmail account when you first turn on the device and quickly view your messages. Android devices also work well with Google Maps, the Google Maps service, and Google search.

2. App variety
The Android platform does not boast the most apps – the iPhone has about three times as many – but app selection tends to be just as varied, including some of the best Twitter clients on any smartphone platform and tools that use the built-in GPS for location awareness.

3. Custom interfaces
A bare-bones Android device – such as the T-Mobile G1 – uses the Android OS without too much customization. The HTC Hero, however, adds some interesting extras to the interface, including custom ‘Scenes’ to quickly change the look and feel of the interface.

4. Openness
Google is committed to openness with the Android platform, meaning they make the development tools widely available and support open standards that make it easier for any developer – either a commercial entity or just one person – to create apps.

5. Fast browsing
Android devices include a Google browser that runs faster than the browser found on Windows Mobile and BlackBerry devices – so fast that, for some sites, the page will load in about half the time and still support rich content, including some Java features.

Series written by John Brandon. Originally published in Smartphone Essentials magazine.

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