The Android Searcher: Cherry Mobile Orbit (The Android Searcher's First Android)

12.12.11 The Android Searcher 2 Comments

An ordinary week it was, or so I thought, until Android Pub got me interested with something. Seems like your Android Searcher stumbles upon a pot of Android gold ever so often, doesn't he? This time, it was not a mobile phone stall or a chance encounter with a new Android store.

Rather, this recent "pot of Android gold" was...

My first-ever Android phone!

Yes, my very own Android phone. Android Pub just bought his new Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc from Macau, and since two phones suffice for what he needs, he interested me in starting out on Android with the Cherry Mobile Orbit.

Cherry Mobile Orbit had been a pretty memorable model, since this is the phone that Mom proposed as the replacement to her "ancient of days" touch screen phone. On the technical side, the Cherry Mobile Orbit is a Dual-SIM Android that runs on Froyo 2.2, and powered by 528 MHz of a Qualcomm MSM7225 Processor, as well as 512MB ROM and 256MB of RAM.

Android Pub introduced me to a lot of Android features that definitely caught my interest. One feature he particularly liked and is the Phonebook sync with Gmail and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Google+, which, after discovering the potentials of this function, I also instantly liked. True enough, when I added contacts on the phone and tried the sync features, it did sync with my Gmail and Facebook contacts. It means that if I chance upon another good Android phone and will replace this one, I need not move my contacts manually but just have to open Gmail and sync in.

Applications-wise, I did not have a hard time finding games and other app necessities on the Android Market. Sure enough, all those apps I am interested in come for free in the Android Market. From FourSquare, Food Spotting, to Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja, I had was like a child in a candy store, downloading everything I wanted -- and needed -- immediately. A little bit of a damper, however: while playing some game apps, it didn't take long before I encountered the same problem the befalls almost every Android phone (except for the Sky Vega Racer, so far): The Lag.

Angry Birds did not have that problem but when it came to some games that required a lot of touch screen moves, that's where the problem came in. Nevertheless, I love how it has GPS features which interested my Mom very much and scared me a bit. Will it be possible for me to be tracked wherever I go? Not really; it turns out that the GPS is just for you (and me) to find your way back when you're lost.

How was my first Android phone experience? Not bad at all! Apart from my issues with lag and occasional mysterious exits while I am surfing through Facebook, it's a good entry level phone. How will I fare with this Cherry Mobile Orbit? My Mom got interested with the phone and gave me a juicy offer I could not resist.

So for now I'll take my sweet time while on the road to finding the best Android phone that I would surely love. I have my sights on the Sky Vega Racer, but since it is not yet available in the Philippines, I'll bring you the latest releases of Android phones from your most trusted brands soon.