Showing posts with label Editor's Notes. Show all posts

Google Play Has Landed


It was a cloudy, blustery day in March when ominous news reached my Social Media-glazed eyes.

Well, I really don't recall the state of the weather then. And neither was the news totally ominous. I'm really just adding that factoid for drama.

But it was on March 7, 2012 that news broke out that the Android Market would be replaced by Google Play. Philippine Android Community founder, Android app developer and Android evangelist Charo Nuguid, broke the news on the Philippine Android Community, at 2:06 PM.

At 8:18 PM, Geekier Chick sent me the .apk of what was Android Market.

At 3:51 PM on March 8, 2012, Android Pub alerted me about the news.

And as of 7PM yesterday, March 11, 2012, my Cherry Mobile Nova's Firetrap Lollipop stock Android Market changed icons. And then I noticed that it was labeled Google Play store.

Google Play had landed on my phone.

What is the difference between Google Play and the Android Market, save for branding? Content.

Instead of hosting just apps, Google Play will host and store your:
  • Music
  • Movies
  • Books
  • Apps and Games

Not only that, you will be able to sync and store all your purchased content among your Android devices.

So how cool is that? Say goodbye to clunky moving from your PC to your Android and screaming and yelling at your Mac for not accepting your Android. Well, not really. Sync software for the Android and your Mac are readily available, even if Apple is suing the pants off of OEMs and Android in general.

More details on Google Play here:

And if you're into watching video tutorials and intro's:





How about you? Did your Android Market wirelessly (albeit somewhat intrusively) change into Google Play already? Are you liking it? Disliking it? No, it's not Cinderella's coach that will change back into Android Market at midnight.

Me, I'm itching to fill up my Smart Money and start buying books! Not to mention music!

Also, I'm thinking it's a great idea, one that certainly resurrected the old media platform of Google, Google Music. While that one certainly bombed, Google Play, being fully integrated into Android (though it does feel a little in-our-faces), is a better marketing strategy. Since it's all there, lazy consumers like me will be able to get my media fix at my fingertips, almost literally.

If before it was a headache for me to get signed into the iTunes Store (so many prohibitive things like credit cards and location limitations), Google Play promises to give me access to content I had been itching to have.

So again, how about you? How do you feel about Google Play invading our Androids?
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Update: Things Heating Up On The Tech Front, Android Possibly The Hottest


There's just so many exciting things on the Android front, that I don't know where to start. I was starting to apologize for dropping off at our MWC 2012 notes, when I lost the draft.

First time it ever happened, and I blame using too many tabs, 2 windows and Yahoo Messenger on this Windows machine. Makes me want to think about those machines that I heard now come with Android.

But enough of that, here is a bit of a braindump, to get my thoughts on the Android out of the way. Prepare to link-hop:




Seems like we'll be getting more and more functionality on our phones this year and beyond. I won't be surprised if someday we'll have phones that can microwave as well as freeze food. :p

***

With thanks to the Philippine Android Community for some discussion threads that inspired this, namely:




Again, thank you. :)
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MWC Update: HTC One Is The Darling Of MWC So Far


So we continue our Android Alliance Ph MWC coverage this week. Last night, as we published the latest update at around 8:30 PM, it was around 1:30 PM in Barcelona, Spain. And around that time, the MWC was in full swing, with Keynote #2: The Connected Consumer.

Here are the highlights of the MWC so far. This may look like an HTC-Centric post, because it is. Apparently, for the past 2 days, HTC became the darling of the MWC, despite Nokia and Windows 8's major moves. Pardon us if the spotlight is on HTC, for today.

HTC, as we've hinted at yesterday, is drumming up the buzz for its new One Series. While Techcrunch is on the money that the "One" branding is definitely confusing, the hardware under the brand isn't something to be trifled with.

We already linked to the things that HTC is planning to do for their phones. In case you didn't have the time to click through the links yesterday, here are the innovative boosts that HTC cameras are getting:
  • ImageSense is what HTC branded the technology that is targeted to rival traditional digital cameras.
  • ImageSense allows image capture to be much quicker, with autofocus clocking in at 0.2 seconds, and image capture at 0.7 seconds. 
  • The continuous shots function will be given a boost: holding down the shutter button will allow the user to take unlimited shots successively.
  • The HDR Algorithm will allow an HTC phone camera to still capture awesome photos, even in adverse lighting conditions. 
  • ImageSense will also be able to gauge the distance of the subject and adjust the LED flash's brightness for optimal image quality.

What is more is that the new HTC One phones will boast of:
  • 1.5 GHz Tegra 3 QUAD CORE for One X
  • 1.5 GHz Snapdragon S4 Dual Core for One S
  • 1GB RAM for both
  • Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich for both
  • HTC Sense 4.0 for both

Just as a guide, HTC's One Series is composed of:
  • HTC One X: the premium HTC One phone. Premium hardware (this is the Quad Core phone) with a 4.7" screen, in a polycarbonate chassis.
  • HTC One S: the mid-range HTC One, this one has an aluminum unibody design.
  • HTC One V: the entry-level HTC One, it comes with a 3.7-inch screen, and is powered by a 1GHz single core processor. Just like the other two HTC One's, it still runs Android and HTC Sense 4.0. As for the camera, it carries an adequate 5.0 MP cam.

With that, there is no doubt that HTC is gearing to edge in on the Samsung-dominated Android device market. Seems like 2012 may bode well for the Taiwanese gadget giant.

Tune in later for more snippets of the MWC!

Btw, in order to give way to the MWC's updates, we're going to publish the post on sustainable/solar-charged smartphones maybe Saturday or next week. See ya in a few!

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Photo Credits: TNW via tch nws
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State Of The Android, Q1 2012


The second month of 2012 is ending and you're probably wondering where the Android is headed. These are exciting times, as Apple is still maintaining its dictatorial stance, while the Android is still moving forward, with fast turnarounds for upgrades in the core OS.

Fast upgrades have been the mark of Linux distributions, namely Ubuntu Linux. Seemingly, Android is adopting that as its own upgrade paradigm. Barely has the Ice Cream Sandwich been implemented, that it is now rumored to release the Android 5.0 OS, Jellybean, reportedly in Q2 2012. That's something to look forward to.

In other news, HTC seems to be moving towards making their Androids the ONE-stop device with the HTC One line of Smartphones.

Rebranding the whole lineup to fall under HTC ONE, HTC is working towards great audio, a great camera, on top of a great OS, the Android.

After partnering with Beats Electronics LLC for the Beats-branded line of HTC phones, HTC is now moving to create phone camera technology which will rival or even supplant a point and shoot camera. A wise, strategic move, given that HTC CEO Peter Chou pointed out that next to making calls, one of the most-used functions for the smartphone is as a digital camera. More than that, HTC is looking to add juicier innovations.

Is HTC veering away from the iPhone copycat bandwagon the whole smartphone market seems to be getting onto, just as the guys at TechCrunch are saying? Or are they really just looking to corner the market by finding a way to make their phones stand out, and stand out really well?

Another big development for the Android industry is the rush towards Quad Core. No longer content with Gigahertz-fast DUAL Cores, now, Androids are going to be shipped with QUAD Cores. What's better than killing dem pigs in Angry Birds at lightning-fast speeds, ey?

More than any of these developments, do you guys realize that it's the MWC?

What's that?

It's the Mobile World Congress, the major gathering of mobile service providers and gadget makers. It is the equivalent of CES or WWDC for GSM/Mobile Telphony.

This year's 2012 MWC is held in Barcelona Spain, and will be held in Barcelona up until 2018.

All this mad rush about Android developments are currently going down at the MWC: From HTC's newest innovations, up to the Quad Core craze, and even for Samsung Galaxy SIII's no-show and Windows 8's unveiling. expect that we're going to give you updates and newsbites from the MWC from today up to March 1.

Enjoy the rest of Monday!

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Photo Credits: Android At MWC
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Of Love And Android App Development

For these guys, it was all about love.

"LOVE" is hardly a word we associate with coding, let alone SOFTWARE coding. When we say "coding," half-geeks like me think Matrix's logo and promo flyer design. When we say "coding" the keywords that hit me look like these:

 

And yet, if there's anything that hanging out in Levitan Software taught me, it was LOVE that drove them to keep going at it. Coding, that is.

Marvin and Dexter hardly seem to be the stereotypical coding geeks that are in my head. They certainly don't look like this guy:


In fact, if I ran into them at Gaisano Capital in Kalibo, Aklan, I may not figure out that they're the guys who churn out game after game in homegrown Levitan Software. I'd probably pass them off as the regular Kalibonhon, happy to go about their days, in NORMAL fashion.

And yet, "Normal," hardly describes what they do.

Would you call being an iApp developer "Mundane," "Normal," "Regular?" Would you call developing Android Apps for a living as a "Regular Job?"

I don't know about you, but the first time I heard that an Android App company called Kalibo its home base, my jaw dropped.

And when I stepped into the Levitan Software office:


I was awed... By how easily I could have passed it off as an extra-posh (in Kalibo standards), extra-nice Accounting, or even Graphic Design office. Hardly would you call it a place where programmers do their thing.

Things like apps that made it to the top spots of the iOS weekly downloads, for instance.

Things like 52 apps for the iOS, 15 apps for the Android, and 13 apps for the Amazon Appstore and a self-sufficient business model that these guys are actually TURNING DOWN offers for coding projects.

Things like an ad-driven business model that has survived and thrived since 2008, too.

I envisioned a programming company to have a messy place, with computer peripherals and wiring snaking over and making a modern-day jungle of wire canopies mimicking a literal jungle's vines. If that's my stereotype of a software company, then I met the complete opposite.

Levitan Software was rather neat and cozy. Homey, yet cool, professional and, at some points, even dainty. 

Asked how he got the idea to start a software company in the heart of Kalibo, founder and CEO-in-denial Heinz Militar just simply and succinctly says, "Because there isn't one in the area yet."

I was beyond incredulity at that point.

Heinz Militar, head honcho of what I call the Google of the Visayas, has big dreams, but an ego that is inversely proportional to that: he refuses to say that he is the CEO of the firm. Rather, he tells me that his staff are the owners of Levitan Software.

And indeed, with a business model centered on sharing the ad profits from the sales and downloads of their apps, the Levitan Software staff ARE enjoying the fruit of their labor, more than Heinz himself.

Levitan Software shot up to profitability thanks to the dress-up apps they hosted on flash game websites and communities like Mochi Games. These websites will allow devs like the guys at Levitan Software to host their games and both website and the developers will get a share of ad revenue.

Heinz recounts, with equal incredulity at how mere dress-up games actually pulled in their money.

More than the dress-up games though, Marvin and Dexter shared with me the secret of how they continue to churn out app after app: They make games for the love of making games.

Given the fact that I feel, with equal intensity, the abhorrence for programming as much as these guys have the passion for it, I kept asking,

"So why do you do it?"

Marvin, with all the patience that a guy barely out of his teens can muster, after having been asked "Why do you do it," at least thrice, finally told me:

"You're a Blogger, right?"

[Err, correction, this is a Web Magazine by the way, but I tolerated that statement, after all, I do blog for my own websites.]

"Yeah? I am." [What's your point?]

"Well, why do you do the things that you do? It's because you LOVE what you do, right?"

"Yeah?" [Hmm. He DOES seem to have a point.]

"Then it's exactly why we do the things we do: we LOVE programming. We LOVE finishing making a game. We're excited to play the game after we finish it. We love having finished a game/app project. So it's exactly like why you blog: Because we love what we do."

And that, my Android Alliance Ph friends, is the essence of Valentine's. Love, in its fullest essence, and never more than in this story, isn't just limited to the huggy-kissy expression of it: it's the passion for what you do, and the commitment to what you're doing.

And with that, I picked my jaw off the floor, and left Levitan Software, feeling like Tinkerbell just poured a bucket of her pixie dust on me.

More on Levitan Software in the coming weeks!


P.S.

Congratulations to Heinz and Jocyl Militar for welcoming Baby Asaph Militar into their family!



***
Photo Credits: ProductDesignHub
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Social Experiment: 90 Days Without Facebook. Can YOU handle THAT?

We depart from the usual Android talk about gadgets and apps with this piece of news that caught my eye:


This is the story of a guy who had decided to forego the usual things that the modern human, especially us wired, techie folk, are accustomed to: Facebook, Twitter, Texting, and even Email. In this experiment, Jake Reilly lived without a mobile phone, no email, and did without all of his social networking accounts and profiles. Indeed, he lived just as an Amish person probably would have: disconnected.

Read more on the story HERE.

This certainly isn't the first time anyone tried to do a disconnect, and this may not be the last time. But it gives us wired folk reasons to rethink the way we live, don't you think?

I did try living with less Facebook and less online presence around the first weeks of 2012, and it was refreshing. In fact, I believe my life was made richer because I connected more, read more, and was able to enjoy life more, because of less connectivity.

So how about you? Will you be able to survive 90 Days without being connected to the rest of society?
Amish Project
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Of SOPA and Piracy

A major event caused waves to rock the entire Internet and the wired people dependent on it for their information, entertainment, and even careers: the SOPA was introduced as a US Bill, and as an effect, websites the world over launched their own protests against the passage of this legislation into law.


While the law had good intentions, indeed, as "SOPA: An open letter to Washington from Artists and Creators" has pointed out, SOPA:

"...Could be easily abused against legitimate services [...]. These bills would allow entire websites to be blocked without due process, causing collateral damage to the legitimate users of the same services - artists and creators [...] who would be censored as a result."

Indeed, with a massive and sweeping law as the SOPA, worldwide censorship and a "Big Brother" state seems like a closer reality than ever before. And it was a good temporary victory for freedom of speech, indeed, when US legislators decided to review and revise the bill and delay a vote. It may be shelved, and the Internets can let out a good sigh of temporary relief, but it's not totally out of the radar, just yet.

Good laws will serve the best interests of the general public, they should only be crafted well, stated well, and implemented without abuse.

Good luck to that happening this side of Heaven.

In other news, tech pundits note that the feds may have gotten impatient with the SOPA's temporary defeat and went on and sacked MegaUpload:

Full Size Picture Here




What does this mean for the Internet-hooked public? If you're a torrent and downloads addict, then you better start deleting your "borrowed" files and start buying from iTunes, Amazon, or the other licensed digital downloads stores. It may cost you, but it will save you from massively catastrophic consequences such as these:

From CNet's Report

Take note: each of the 24 songs she downloaded would have cost her only $0.99, as even Jammie Thomas-Rasset, the defendant, was quick to point out. For a measly $23.76 she tried to avoid paying, she got a high-profile case, infamy, and a $1.5 MILLION DOLLAR fine. While the case is said to possibly drag for years, even a decade or so, still, the hassle, the energy spent, the money spent on the case: are all these really worth skipping iTunes/Amazon and turning to Limewire/Kazaa/Frostwire/Bittorrent?

Weigh your options before you torrent/download illegally.

Aren't you glad that the Android as an ecosystem is basically Open Source? :)

***

More On Today's Stories:

SOPA:

Wikipedia on SOPA
Gizmodo: What Is SOPA?
SOPA: Shelved, But Not Dead
An open letter to Washington from Artists and Creators

MegaUpload Sacked:
Why Did the Feds Target Megaupload? And Why Now?

Woman Fined For Illegal Downloads:

Jammie Thomas hit with $1.5 million verdict
Woman fined to tune of $1.9 million for illegal downloads
Minnesota Mom Hit With $1.5 Million Fine for Downloading 24 Songs

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Photo Credits:

***
With thanks to Karen Ang for the story inspiration/lead. :) Find Karen Ang here: 
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What The Android Can Learn From The Blackberry


The Blackberry used to be the gold standard of smartphones. And still, its engineering and construction are still a gulf above the competition, considering its level of encryption and unparalleled data management. And you have to admit that the Android is nowhere near the Blackberry. Not yet, anyway. Thus, it is still worth saying that the Android QWERTY still has a lot to learn from the Blackberry.

Here are my thoughts on why the Blackberry still reigns:


Standard Keys, Across Models

Ever notice that an entry-level model of Nokia QWERTY will differ from the high-end model's keypad orientation? It seems to me like they're still figuring out the kind of QWERTY layout they'll keep. The same is true for the Android QWERTYs. Good luck syncing your keyboard tapping between a Samsung Galaxy Y Pro, an HTC Chacha and a Cherry Mobile Candy Chat.


Military-Grade Encryption

Did you know that the Blackberry got banned in different countries, because it handles data encryption so well, it bypasses these countries' firewalls?

Makes you feel like a spy, if you tote one of those beautiful Blackberry babies, right?

And yet, it gives a user a better night's rest when he knows that no hacker will be able to intercept his work, and even personal mail, thanks to Blackberry's encryption and self-hosted email servers.


Efficient Data Management

Ever wonder how the Blackberry could handle email after email, message after message, then diary entry after another, on its sometimes-jeered internal storage space? Me too. I wonder how it can fit all of that in internal storage sizes ranging from only 64MB on its early mature models (on the Blackberry 8800, still available on the market) to 512 MB storage/512 MB RAM for its latest Blackberry Curve 9380 or even up to 8GB storage/768MB RAM for its Bold Touch 9900, Bold 9790, Porsche Design P'9981 models.

This is what the Android should do. Given that the HTC Chacha has only 512 MB ROM/512 MB RAM to its name, and given how the Android's user-available Internal Storage just fills up so easily, I'd have to sneer at how it should do better than that.


Efficient And Effective Battery Management/Long Battery Life

I may be an Android advocate of sorts, but this is another area that I, along with a good number of disgruntled users, am picking on.

The Android, I guess, is much like Windows in this respect. Unlike the Mac, which has both the hardware AND the proprietary OS with its products, Windows computers have been notorious for battery or power management malfunctions, because the hardware/software interaction was less than seamless. Maybe it's the same for the Android. Since it has been only last year that Google bought out Motorola and will thus be working more closely in developing the "Android Standard," no company has yet perfected the Android's seamless interoperability with their hardware.

It's not sad, it's just that it's a work in progress, for now.

By contrast, Blackberry models have batteries that last for DAYS. Thus, Blackberry users enjoy days of not needing to charge their phones.


Standard Quality Across Models

Because the Android is an Open Source system, allowing OEM's to use the system as they please, there may be differences between brands and models, making the quality different from brand to brand. This is why some Android users who choose less sturdy brands end up dissatisfied or leaving the Android as an ecosystem altogether and switching back to the iPhone or the Blackberry.

While the devs at Android Inc. are working on creating a standard for the OEM's, the user who is particular about the phone's quality will be better off either choosing from the Android's best brands and models, or, sad to say, choose the iPhone or the Blackberry, or even a Nokia or Windows Smartphone instead.


Even though tech pundits are saying that the Blackberry is losing ground in significance, one thing is clear, it is still top-notch in quality, and unparalleled in these areas I outlined.

***
Photo Credits: Wireless Ground
Android vs Blackberry
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Why You Should Trust A Cherry Mobile Android


Cherry Mobile, Torque and MyPhone, as we've mentioned in previous posts, have caused a stir in the Philippine mobile telephony market when they entered the scene. As is wont of Filipinos, we tend to be skeptical, even downright critical of things "Made In The Philippines."

We don't trust brands made in local shores, thinking that these are not going to be as sturdy as those made in, say, Japan.

However, there's one thing I've increasingly discovered, as my days in the Android beat add up: Cherry Mobile's Androids are worth trusting.

As a sidenote: I'm not sure how or where Torque gets their stocks, but given that their Androids are powered by MediaTek processors, I'm not sure if they perform as well as Androids powered by Qualcomm chips. I'm not sure if they have the same system of procuring models like Cherry Mobile, but we'll work on finding that out, in the days to come.

Now back to scheduled programming.

I started to develop a greater appreciation of my Cherry Mobile Nova, as well as the rest of CM's Android Lineup when I had to read through Geekier Chick's sources. I discovered that the Cherry Mobile Nova is actually a Spice Mi-300 in disguise.

In like manner, the other models in the Cherry Mobile Android Lineup are actually whitebox models, rebranded:


If you take a look at the OEM brands that Cherry Mobile chose to use for its lineup, you'd realize how sturdy and actually impressive these are. These OEM brands are definitely not small fry, in terms of hardware. With Huawei Ideos X6 alone, you'd know that your machine has been crafted with attention to detail, and built to last.

When I realized that the Cherry Mobile Android Lineup had been chosen this way, I realized then that this lineup is not to be tossed out like their, sorry to use the term, "disposable" models. The Cherry Mobile Android Lineup was meant to give you your money's worth.

Suffice to say, hearing Sheila* tell me that Cherry Mobile's high-end lineup had the fewest returns of all the Cherry Mobile products was no longer a surprise. Rather, it was a confirmation about what I realized since coming across the information that Cherry Mobile's OEM's were among the better and sturdier brands of the international mobile phone market. And what I realized is this: Cherry Mobile's Androids are not meant to be crossed off one's list. In fact, they are good enough to compete with the likes of the established brands. If it's higher value for a good bargain that you're looking for, look no further than Cherry Mobile.

***

Photo Credits: Pinoy Ambisyoso

 
*Sheila is a sales staff of Play/Cherry Mobile kiosk in SM City Iloilo. We first mentioned her here.
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An Android Is A Casual Gamer's Machine



There are three types of gamers, in my opinion:
  • The "Professional" Gamer
  • The Hardcore Gamer
  • The Casual Gamer
While all three may look the same to the non-gamer, these three are vastly different in their tastes, game choices and frequency of gaming.

All three types may come from all walks of life. Both may spend hours, even the equivalent of days, just gaming. But the similarities may well end there.

The Professional Gamer is stereotyped as the classic parents' headache. He or she may be the teen who goes home at 3AM because he just had to finish a game of DotA (Defense of the Ancients), Warcraft, or some other MMORPG, RPG or strategy game.

The Professional Gamer may choose a career that will allow for games for hours on end. In fact, there are cases that they never get a career at all. On the other hand, Professional Gamers based in the US do have a shot at success: game companies do hire Beta Testers for their game releases.

Professional Gamers tend to choose strategy games, RPG's and other games similar to DotA in gameplay and level of graphics complicity.

The Hardcore Gamer has similar tastes, but usually just uses games to relax themselves. They may play just as tough and as hard as Professional Gamers do, but they only do this for fun, and this is at the mid-level to the last of their priorities. They do this to de-stress, but that doesn't mean that they play in a mediocre manner. They may work hard, but they will also play hard.

I know of a high-ranking IT officer in a multinational company who may well be classified as a Hardcore Gamer. A CEO of a call center in Iloilo City may also be classified as such.

Lastly, the casual gamers.

Casual Gamers are those who loved Super Mario, Tetris, Battle City, Adventure Island, Twin Bee, B-Wings, and their ilk as kids. As they were growing into adulthood, DynoMite, Bejeweled, Text Twist, Chuzzle and Peggle caught their fancy. They have Nintendo DS', PSP's or iPod Touches. Today, they may have installed Plants vs. Zombies, Insaniquarium, and Feeding Frenzy on their PC's. And if they are Android users as well, their apps may mostly be games.

Many an Android casual gamer I know has Angry Birds, Fruit Ninja and a permutation of a Match 3 Game (Bejeweled, Frozen Bubble/Bubble Shooter, Luxor). An Android could very well be an equivalent of an iPod Touch, with phone capabilities, or a more affordable equivalent of an iPhone.

However, The Android Searcher has noted that lower-spec Androids do have that "signature" lag, because a majority of entry-level to mid-range Androids do have only 600MHz in CPU speed/256MB RAM. If you want a seamless gaming experience, then higher-end Androids are recommended. Choose one with at least 1GHz in CPU speed, preferably a Qualcomm-powered machine, and at least 512MB in RAM. With that, you won't go wrong.

For those who are still on entry-level to mid-range hardware, however, we will have to find kludges for our handicap. For me, all I need to do would be to kill all the running apps then leave only the game. Removing or not even installing moving/dynamic widgets like a Facebook widget is also a good solution. Widgets tend to eat up resources, making the Android slower.

A friend once experienced having her Samsung Galaxy Y overheat and slow down, especially with playing Fruit Ninja. We cleared the memory using Android Assistant, killed all apps, and she even uninstalled nearly everything except for Facebook Messenger. Her Samsung Galaxy Y still stayed turtle-slow; until, she rebooted her Android. After the reboot, everything was back to normal. So remember, when all else fails, it won't hurt to reboot. It may well the fix-it-all solution for your Android's bugs.

But I digress.

While there are games that may cater to a Hardcore or even Professional Gamer's tastes on the Android, there is no doubt that it is a Casual Gamer's machine.

***
Photo Credits: Design.inc
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How, When, And For How Much? Benchmarks For Buying A New Gadget


The other day, I broke the news that the Nokia 3310 now retails for only Php 190 in a certain store in MaryMart Mall (the section with the Iloilo Supermart grocery) in Iloilo City. In that same article, I noted a series of questions that gadget buyers may be thinking about:

  • How often should one buy a new gadget?
  • At what rate/price should a buyer make that decision to get a new machine?
  • How soon after release is it "safe" to buy without regret?

These questions may be considerations that a gadget consumer is thinking about, given that technology seems to upgrade at rates that consumers' wallets may not be able to keep up with. In fact, I've personally noted some bloggers getting disillusioned with Android Smartphones because of this "bad habit" that gadget manufacturers seem to be adopting.

We also discussed that gadget manufacturers have one concern: to get consumers to buy and upgrade constantly, and up to bigger and better specs, every single time. Thus, as a wise consumer, there is one thing you can do to protect yourself:

Don't believe the hype.

That's basically it. When you know what you want, and you know what you can be contented with, you won't need to get flushed out with the flood of advertising that companies can inundate you with. All you need to do is to take a stand. Don't mind, don't care.

But how do you deal with the gadget envy that plagues techies everywhere, when specs get better with every new release, which seems to happen every single month?

How about set a benchmark and refuse to budge unless the gadget meets it?

The Android Searcher has constantly noted that Androids have this "signature lag" which isn't experienced on an iPod Touch or an iPhone. Even as an Android evangelist of sorts, I would have to honestly agree. Whenever I play Pumpkins vs. Monsters, I do get that annoying "catch" and lag, but I can say that it's pretty much tolerable. I'm on a Cherry Mobile Nova, and at 256MB/600MHz, you can't expect much. But here is what I do to deal with this, when ignoring is no longer an option: remove all widgets, kill all previously opened apps, then go back to playing the game. Using Android Assistant also helps, as its "Quick Boost" button frees up the RAM itself.

This is what happens when you're on a low-spec Android. But if you're on a Samsung Galaxy SII or a Sky Vega Racer, this shouldn't be a problem.

Usually, dissatisfaction with one's gadget is the main reason that prompts users to upgrade. But for those who are limited by the amount of resources in their hands, it would be wiser to grin and bear the defects for a few months more, and then upgrade when able.

It would also make sense to just make a list of gadgets you can, and will buy for that year and stick to it. Unless you do that, you may get prone to wanting every new release that comes out on the market.

Now, to answer the three questions posed earlier:

How often should one buy a new gadget?

How about every two years?

Take the benchmark of postpaid plans: Postpaid plans will issue a new phone as a loyalty reward for its subscribers, every 24 months. That means that they will give you a new unit to use with your plan every two years. I believe this is a sensible benchmark for upgrading phones. New units may have significant hardware upgrades every 2 to 3 months, but these are not truly necessary for day to day use. You don't really need to have your Facebook load lightning-fast. It pays to get disconnected every now and then.

At what rate/price should a buyer make that decision to get a new machine?

I'd rather wait for a gadget to depreciate up to half its original price, if possible. I've always had that sick feeling to my stomach whenever I bought a machine, only to find that it's depreciated considerably, just months after. I also have a smug feeling whenever someone else (usually my significant other) made the stupid decision to buy a gadget I wanted at first-release price, only to see it depreciate to half or even a quarter of its original price, a year later. Thus, I've learned to make the purchase when the price has gone down to a comfortable level, or the lowest it can go.

How soon after release is it "safe" to buy without regret?

Frankly, I won't buy a gadget when it comes out. I'd rather wait a year or even two years before I get it. Nevermind that the market will make me think it's obsolete. It's not. It will be faster than my previous machine, and it will be exactly what I need, even though months, even years have passed since I first wanted it.

I don't and will never buy the patterns that the manufacturers will try to set for the market. While the Androids are on a race to be bigger and better in terms of months, and Apple's machines will always have a 2-year timeline for its gadgets, I will maintain that it would be better to be a wise and sensible consumer. As I said, two articles by now, manufacturers only want one thing: your money. It is your job to stand your ground and not be taken in by their wiles.

Hope this guide helps!

More on my personal experience here.

With thanks to Karen Ang for unwittingly sparking the idea for this article. :)

***
Photo Credits:

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PostSecret Shelves The PostSecret App



This just in: PostSecret has announced the shelving of the PostSecret App.

This means that the PostSecret App for the Android will never be released. At least, until Frank Warren and his team at PostSecret.com may be able to figure out a way to filter bad content properly.

PostSecret is a website and online community built around people mailing in their secrets in the form of postcards. Frank Warren came across the idea to build PostSecret from a strange lucid dream, and a series of strange events that started on a trip to Paris, France. THIS may better explain why and how he built the community that is PostSecret.

The app was shelved due to bad content and people bullying, threatening, and maligning others, most likely in an attempt to defame, manipulate, threaten, or otherwise hurt the people for whom the "secrets" were for. Since I'm not an iOS user, I've never gotten to take a peek at what the PostSecret app had dished out. But I could imagine how ugly and bitter some of the "secrets" sent in had gotten.

PostSecret was intended to be an avenue to release the demons of the past. Definitely, some bitterness and anger would be carried by some of the members who send in their secrets. However, despite the nature of being a place to release bitterness, this should never have been turned into a venue to harass and abuse other members.

Cyber-bullying is a crime in the US, and a law is being processed here in the Philippines. Meanwhile, harassment, slander and libel are already crimes here in Philippine shores. The nature of cyber-bullying is such that the perpetrators tend to feel like it's "okay" to do it, simply because they are shrouded by a sense of anonymity: how long would it take to create an anonymous account, then post maligning content about someone else, or even their contact details, online?

However, no evil deed goes unpunished. For those who have enough faith in divine justice, justice does, indeed, happen. And for those who have faith in the legal venues of justice, justice can and will happen, as long as you persist in seeing your case to completion. And in these shores, just as long as you're not up against a powerful person.

Bullying, cyber-bullying and the act of hurting other people should never be condoned. It may be sad that Frank Warren had to censor his own app and take it down. In fact, according to his account, he had to take it down from his own daughter's phone. This is the saddest part. However, it may be for the best. Even if people will cry that "Censorship is evil," enabling people to hurt others is even more evil.

I respect and even support Frank Warren's decision to take down the PostSecret App, even if I and the hordes of Android users have never tried it. It's a sad day for the freedom of speech. But while there is abuse, some controls need to be imposed. And in this case, it's the demise of what could have been one excellent Android App.

Till the day that people no longer have an urge to hurt others, I guess this is how it will be.

***
Photo Credits: PostSecret
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What's In Store This Week?


Happy New Year, everyone!

It's the first workday of the year, and I'm not sure if everyone else is excited, as I am.

I'm excited, because things are heating up on the Android front:

  • I got to touch, tinker with and toy with a Lenovo A60 last week, so I have my impressions about it already.
  • I got to touch, tinker with and toy with a Cherry Mobile Stellar as well, just yesterday.
  • I got to talk with a Cherry Mobile partner store saleslady, Sheila from Play, SM City Iloilo, and I got some inside info about how Cherry Mobile Androids have fared, from their store.
  • I already got to bug a few people, who promised to cooperate with me in telling me their stories about their Androids.

As for me and my Android, my Cherry Mobile Nova is actually doing great, post-root and install of new Custom ROM. Actually, yesterday, it lasted a day and a half. Most likely since I haven't used it as a WiFi Hotspot for hours, and left it alone because I was busy cooking for New Year's Eve and hanging out with my mom. It drained quickly as soon as I put it on 3G, though.

Its internal storage is still hovering at around 20 to 30MB! Even after I installed Pumpkins vs. Monsters!

So this week, I plan to give you information on:

  • What the new props for Pumpkins vs. Monsters can do.
  • Finally, that first-impressions shootout of the Cherry Mobile Stellar and the Lenovo A60. I haven't found an Alcatel OneTouch Blaze Glory, but I will do a specs shootout between these three models and add the Samsung Galaxy Y Duos to the mix. That way, you will have a good comparison chart of the multi-SIM Androids out there.

So just sit back, relax, and here's to a rocking, awesome 2012 for all of us and our Androids!
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Happy New Year! How Was 2011 For You? What Do You Look Forward To In 2012?


Earlier, we talked about dreaming big. Dreaming big isn't just applied to getting the best and the biggest in STUFF. It's actually about living a full life, a life that is exciting, a life that keeps you going, even when you hit the rough patches.

As a saying once declared, "Without a vision, people perish."

Indeed, without a life vision, without dreams, people will get discouraged, aimless, depressed, to the point of being useless.

That's why dreams are essential: they literally give you hope, life, and a reason to live.

It's that time of the year again, when people bring out their notepads, or, in the case of Android aficionados, possibly their Samsung Galaxy Notes or even their Cherry Mobile Androids and jot down their resolutions. It's also that time of the year to think about the year's highlights, milestones, and the year's victories. Then aside from looking back, we will look forward to listing down our 2012 goals, the things (not necessarily material) we hope for, the things we aim to achieve.

For me, 2011 had been a defining year in more ways than one. I won't go into details, because this isn't my personal blog, but Android Alliance Philippines had redefined my life and my career in more ways than one. As you can see, even if I do have a certain degree of Dummy in me, I have a passion for Tech and gadgets, and this is what I thrive on. To be part of the Android Alliance Ph team is something I've been grateful for, over and over, and I've only just begun. I am optimistic that 2012 will be so much more awesome.

So, to end the awesome year that was 2011, I'd like to ask you, dear readers, what are you thankful for in 2011? What are your dreams that came true in the year that was? What do you dream about for 2012?

And the fun-est question of all: How did the Android, as a gadget, a mobile OS, or an ecosystem, change the way mobile telephony works for you? How did it change your life even?*

Comment away, either on our Facebook or here in the comments!

Have an awesome 2012, you guys!

***

*I'll answer these questions HERE on January 1, 2011. :)

Photo Credits: Xylker.com
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A [Triumphant] Rooting Survivor's Tale: I Rooted My Cherry Mobile Nova And Lived To Tell It!


Disclaimer: Before you attempt to do like I did, please read our post on ROOTING YOUR ANDROID: PROS CONS, CAVEAT EMPTOR.

I recently posted a full review of the Cherry Mobile Nova, and in there, I complained about how the internal storage had gotten cramped to “sheer frustration,” or “quiet defeat” proportions. I was puzzled why I had been able to retain only 8 downloaded apps:
  1. Android Assistant
  2. Battery Indicator
  3. ColorNote
  4. Opera Mini
  5. TM World Clock
  6. Trillian
  7. Viber
  8. YouVersion Bible
And still get that annoying “Low Storage Space” notification time and again. I’ve  uninstalled everything but these last apps, and I couldn’t for the life of me, understand why I still kept hovering around the last 16 to 17MB of space. I could only conclude that my Cherry Mobile Nova has already accumulated enough data gunk to render it frustrating.

Seeing as I’m about to go on a trip back to my home city, and I will be subjected to an excruciating 3-hour ride, one way, I knew I needed something to fiddle with. Probably work out my budget, my expenses, play a game, transfer my contacts, things like those. I knew I needed space on my Cherry Mobile Nova, but given that I’ve loaned my 3G Router and given away my Globe Tattoo dongle to friends in Manila, I didn’t want to risk bricking my Cherry Mobile Nova, for fear that I may not be able to work because I rendered it out of commission.

Geekier Chick, whom I had approached a few weeks ago to ask for help regarding the Cherry Mobile Nova, had assured me in super certain, super confident terms, that if I’ve upgraded the phone using the official Software Update Tool from Cherry Mobile, I’ll be able to go through the Root-and-change-ROM process perfectly fine. I had approached her, because after reading the guide on her website, I realized that my Cherry Mobile Nova is not a good candidate for the standard process of rooting and modding.

 
Rather, a different process needs to be used.

Geekier Chick had issued several warnings that once you've updated your Cherry Mobile Nova to the official Cherry Mobile Nova Froyo release, it's not a good idea to follow the original process she posted. That one was meant for the Cherry Mobile Nova on Android 2.1.6, Eclair.

After giving my frustrations and my impending trip some thought, I realized I could no longer wait for the time when I’ve saved the money to buy another Android, as a safety net/backup in case things go awry. I had to root my Cherry Mobile Nova, and ASAP.

So I read through the docs that Geekier Chick gave me. And when I came up for air, I got more confused than ever. No offense to her source (another blog guide on rooting and modding), but dang. That’s one heady piece of work, that guide!

I’m a centrist, through and through: I’m geeky enough to work with blog template code, but I will stop short at programming from <html> to </html>. I’m strictly a middle-way kind of geek. I can and will be able to translate geeky stuff to the n00b, but I cannot swim through über-geekiness. Like programming. Or rooting terminologies. My brain just isn’t built for that.

So I asked Geekier Chick if I understood the guide right: I decided to follow her original guide, then go through the guide she gave me, using this file, which she also gave me.

Geekier Chick took pity on my clueless self and made this ROCKING AWESOME SUPER SIMPLE MY HEAD BURST GUIDE.

So in between washing dishes in preparation for Christmas dinner and Plants vs. Zombies and Facebooking and Plurking, I downloaded the ROM.

And fell asleep.

Then woke up to realize that my download had paused. So I redownloaded.

Then discovered that I couldn’t open the .nb0 file (that’s the OS/ROM file) that was uploaded on Uploading.com. I was getting an error every time I tried to unpack it. Either the server hates me for not upgrading to premium, 110MB is just not a happy filesize for Sun Broadband Wireless, or I’m just in seriously tough luck on Christmas morning.


I redownloaded the file twice to make sure that the work computer wasn’t just being an inconsiderate hunk of metal towards me. It wasn’t. It was the file host that was being an inconsiderate hunk of code. Or my 3G Broadband provider. Whichever, the .nb0 file just wasn’t cooperating.

Then I remembered that the other night I had already downloaded the Firetrap Lollipop, from the guys at Ubiquitense, whose guides I couldn’t understand (I’m really, really sorry).

I tried unpacking it. Awesome. Working, fully downloaded file. (Thank you. :D)

So I fired up the Software Update Tool, followed Geekier Chick’s instructions, and twiddled my mental fingers while I tried to journal while my phone was going through a Frankenstein-esque transformation.

According to the detailed log I kept, I started the process at 5:32 AM, after I finished backing up all my apps and data. The Software Update process ended at 5:34 AM. Two minutes!

But then the scary part came: it took too long to open at 5:36 AM. It seemed to stay on the part where the sparkly Android boot screen kept sparkling. Was this the part that I go, “ONOEZ,” slap my forehead and call the significant other and bawl my eyes out for killing the phone?!

I decided to play it cool and reboot the phone the classic way: take the battery out and just turn it on normally.

At 5:43 AM, after figuring out that the Android must be consolidating its bytes for the first-ever boot up (I conveniently recalled that new Androids take a while to boot up, presumably because it’s configuring data for the first time), I decided to wait out the sparkly Android splash screen.

And lo and behold – PORTUGUESE!!!

Just my luck. Why do Google products always keep forcing non-English language on me?!

After wading through the unfamiliar interface and finally bumping into the Language settings, I finally saw the phone’s menus in English. Sweet relief. Then I went back to the apps gallery and discovered that the labels were all still in Portuguese. I tried looking for the settings to change that, but I found none. So I decided to reboot, figuring that the phone needed one to update the language settings.

At 5:50 AM, I could finally confirm that the root and change of ROM was successful.

I tweaked the settings all up to 9:16 AM. Then in a reply to my deliriously happy thank-you emails, Geekier Chick pointed out that the Firetrap Lollipop is Android 2.2/Froyo.

Um, so I didn’t upgrade to Gingerbread (2.3) after all. I just rooted, wiped out and changed the flavor of Froyo I used.

Did I throw a fit and complain? No; I was too busy being happy about having a clean Internal Storage that I couldn’t care less.

Now that I’m on Root, I probably have some privileges that I need to find out. I keep talking about how Lifehacker is all agog about it, but actually, I’ve only just begun to explore what being a Superuser really means. I will be researching on what a Root user can do in the coming weeks, and I will play with my Cherry Mobile Nova to the max that time will allow.

If there’s anything I want to know first and foremost, it’s how to get rid of those stock apps I don’t use, like the generic Email app. Gmail suffices for me, thank you. I don’t even know if Superusers/Root users actually can uninstall those, but I’d be happy if the Root state would allow me to. I’ve been itching to delete the Email, GTalk and Latitude apps for so long, it’ll be a pleasure to finally see them deleted someday.

For now, I’m just happy to make the most out of this new OS. I will be reviewing apps again since the holiday fever is dying down, and I'd like to share more about apps, more than just gadgets themselves, so I predict that the installs/uninstalls will clog up my phone again.

I don’t mind. Geekier Chick directed me to where I can download custom Gingerbread ROMs, and I’m excited to change my ROM once more. At this point, though, having spent 3 hours and 44 minutes Rooting, Restoring and Customizing my Cherry Mobile Nova, I’m pooped from all that excitement. I’m content to wait for when this phone slows down considerably once more and I have the excuse to install a Gingerbread ROM on it.

Tomorrow, a review on what I thought about the OS I used, the Firetrap Lollipop, which is a Froyo distro.

REMEMBER: If you attempt to Root and mod your Android, you will VOID YOUR WARRANTY, and will RISK BRICKING YOUR PHONE. Even if you get inspired by our tales, please, ROOT AT YOUR OWN RISK.

For walkthroughs for the Cherry Mobile Nova, however, I recommend Geekier Chick, as she knows more on the matter than we do.

Enjoy living life on the edge! :D

***
Photo Credits: AndroidGuys
Android How-To's
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A Joyous Christmas From AndroidAlliance.Ph!


 In a few hours, it will be Christmas, the day most of us are awaiting. Christmas means so much for a lot of us:
  • It means Gifts
  • It means Friends
  • It means Family
  • It means Being With Loved Ones
  • It means the birth of a Child in a manger -- who died and rose again, to save humanity.
More than the feasting, the merry-making with family, more than the wishlists, even, we at Android Alliance are hoping that this season's true meaning would not be lost in all the mirth and the gifts. May the true meaning of Christmas burn in our hearts, and may we be grateful for the life we live, the breaths we take, each and every day.

Love, as they say, is the universal language. Most of us no longer believe in the original reason for the season; however, all of us hope to experience and enjoy love.

It is for love that He was born. It is because He Loves (us) that He died and rose again.

Whether you believe in Christmas' original reason for the season or not, there IS one thing we hope for you: that you'd be surrounded with love, joy, and peace, in this season, and all through 2012 and beyond.

Blessings from the Android Alliance Android (and Jesus) Freaks. :)

***
Photo Credits: Wallpaper4God
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Rooting Your Android: Pros, Cons, Caveat Emptor



Rooting and modding one's Android has been a hot topic for Android users. One main reason is that most of circa 2010 Androids have Internal Storage sizes ranging from 110MB to 170MB only. What is worse is that over time and a plethora of installs/uninstalls, the Android as a mobile phone OS does get cramped and sluggish. One solution would be to take it to the manufacturer and have them clean and reset the device, or, to root the device by oneself. The former option is definitely safer, and the latter will have to have BUYER BEWARE marquees and lights blinking all around it.

As promised, we'll discuss the pros and cons of rooting your Android.

Why Rooting Is Recommended: 

Lifehacker is all agog and rabid about rooting one's Android. They recommend it so that, as a user, you will have full control of your device. It is also recommended so that you can toss out the bloatware you don't need. For example, some users may not use the Email app at all, as their Gmail may suffice. Or, they may prefer to install Yahoo's proprietary email app. So, they may want to toss out the Email app that comes with their Androids to free up more space.

Another reason for rooting one's Android would be data management, as mentioned. Being your own phone's superuser will give you access to the fragmentary files that are left when you uninstall apps and allow you to delete them. Thus, it's easier to maintain your Android when you are a Root user.

There are other benefits of rooting one's Android, and these links should help you decide:



Cons Of Rooting Your Android:




You will void your warranty. In the event that you didn't execute one step in the guide you used properly and you actually brick your phone and then decide to take it to the phone's manufacturer, they may not honor your warranty for it. Even in some cases where the user used the company-provided stock ROM, bricking one's phone through a self-executed upgrade process may render your warranty useless. So if you haven't had experience modding your own computer and finding your way out of a software or hardware gridlock, then you might as well avoid attempting rooting or even upgrading your own phone.

When Should You Root Your Android:

When you've demonstrated the capacity to find your way out of a code-related quandary. If you know how to work your way around a computer-related problem, regardless of whether it's software or hardware, then you know you could safely attempt rooting your Android.

When You Should Just Leave It To The Experts:

  • When you have had trouble finding Facebook's privacy options and tweaking those.
  • When you only own a Facebook, Twitter, and an email account.
  • When you have considerable fear with modding your Android.
We know that this may sound condescending, but please understand that we're all about mobile computing safety here. When you're considering rooting your Android, it is no small feat to attempt. If you're just going to end up cursing your Android's manufacturer if things go wrong, then don't even get yourself in the situation. When you know that you know that you will not be able to work it out, just stay far, far away from the possibility of voiding your warranty or strangling a customer service representative should they not honor your phone's warranty.

Indeed, the benefits may outweigh the disadvantages of rooting your Android, but only when you know what you're doing. When you know that you wouldn't know how to get around a snag when you root your Android, then maybe you could consider having your Android rooted by these guys:

And when you know how to get around the whole process, enjoy the tinkering and tweaking!

***

Photo Credits: Droid Cell Phone
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A Thorough Review Of The Cherry Mobile Nova



As I mentioned earlier, I was going to give the long-overdue in-depth review of the Cherry Mobile Nova. I had written my first impressions about it on my personal Tech blog, but that was that: first impressions. Four months into using my Cherry Mobile Nova, and here is my verdict:

The Experience:

Unboxing my Cherry Mobile Nova was painless -- I carried it out of its box right after it was paid for in Shangri-la EDSA Mall. I asked the ladies in the store to already install its screen protector. Cherry Mobile was considerate enough to bundle the phone with a screen protector and a 2GB Micro-SD card. Asking for the screen protector to be installed on it was probably the best decision I've made for my Cherry Mobile Nova. Back in the early days of China Phones, around 2009, I had had a resistive touchscreen phone and it "died" a month or two before it hit a year with me. While it still turned on, its touchscreen no longer responded. I guess the lack of a screen protector hastened its demise. To think that it had a really good camera, for a China Phone.

My Cherry Mobile Nova, on the other hand, has been protected with the screen protector from Day 1. So I expect that this will "live" beyond a year with me.

The Cherry Mobile Nova came with Eclair, Android 2.1.6. Even though the box said it came with Froyo, well, it didn't. But that didn't bother me much -- until I maxed out the paltry internal storage (around 150 to 170MB) and wanted to move my apps to SD, a feature found only on Froyo and up.

So I vacillated between keeping it on Eclair or upgrading to Froyo. I finally took the plunge when I found The Technoclast's article on upgrading it. They made it sound so painless, that I thought that I should give it a shot. If I brick it, I'm using Cherry Mobile's ROM anyway. I could probably bring it in for repair, should things go awry.

It didn't. After around 20 minutes of cooling my heels and biting my nails and getting jeers that I'll brick my phone (I bricked my SmartBro USB dongle earlier that week), I proved my detractor wrong: I successfully upgraded my Cherry Mobile Nova to Froyo. Wasn't that wonderful.

After that, I happily re-installed my apps and restored the data from the backups I created. And I fired away at the App to SD function. Oh was I happy to have moved everything to SD and have more space remaining in my Internal Storage.

On hindsight, I wished I installed an App Backup to SD app. Android Assistant now has that function (Backup Apps to SD/Restore Apps from SD). That way, I wouldn't have needed to manually reinstall everything. What I did was that I typed all the names of the apps I had then installed them one by one from that list. Such tedious work! Should you want to attempt an upgrade, do use an app backup/restore application, to save you the hours. Unless you enjoy being OC like that.

Fast forward to today: I don't know what happened with my Internal Storage, but I believe that all the install/uninstall of apps that I've done has seriously compromised my Internal Storage. I tried re-installing the Software Upgrade from the Cherry Mobile website, but nothing happened. No change. That's why I'm seriously considering rooting this phone so that I'll have access to the ROM files and delete the file fragments left by uninstalling apps.

However, even though I'm a daring kid who doesn't mind the risk of bricking her phone, I'd have to say that I'd rather take a calculated risk. So, I'm waiting until I can get another Android unit (with 3G and portable WiFi hotspot functions) before I root and mod this.

See, after a while, I discovered that I still hate typing on a touchscreen. I completely abandoned the use of my Cherry Mobile Nova as a texting phone. I also completely abandoned all of its call functions except on occasion that all my other phones had their microphones conk out.

I barely even use my Gmail on this. When in the past I had been so fond of the Sun Cellular SMS2Email service, and wanted a Blackberry badly so that I can get email on the fly, today, my email is just a peripheral concern; 80 to 90% of my work communications and project management are on a secret Facebook group, and somehow, viewing that on an Android just doesn't cut it anymore.

So, the Cherry Mobile Nova is now just my WiFi router, blog, news and Bible reader, YouTube viewer, mp3 player, task manager, budget tracker and calendar manager.

Credit it to the fact that this baby isn't rooted, I can't even install an eBook reader anymore, because of the lack of space. I need to root this Cherry Mobile Nova, and soon. But for now, I'm happy using it as it is.


The Good to Great Stuff:

WiFi Hotspot functions -- As I said, this is the primary use of my Cherry Mobile Nova now. I decided to do it this way because of one major thing: ADSL in my area is pretty dismal in speed, uptime, and general service. I am absolutely reluctant to subscribe to a monthly plan simply because I know I will only get frustrated when the Internet conks out, plus, with the very transitory nature of my life so far, I have been wont to leaving a place long before I hit finish the lock-in period. And since 3G is very portable, it's the most convenient form of Internet connection for me so far. So, I host my 3G on my Cherry Mobile Nova, and I connect from the work laptop to the Internets through the Cherry Mobile Nova. While some speed and bandwidth freaks may say "WEAK!" well, I don't torrent. And I'm not exactly a YouTube hog. The only thing that makes me tear my hair is Facebook and its buggy, heavy code. But Facebook is always going to be buggy and heavy, no matter what your connection or equipment is, so I can deal with the occasional snags.

Plus, I've downloaded software on this connection, and so far, so good. No complaints here. Happy camper.

3G Connectivity -- My decision to host my WiFi on the Cherry Mobile Nova came when I realized I wanted to be able to Facebook wherever I went. That time, I still had my 3G Router with me. Now, I loaned it to a friend, because I realized that it's better to host my internets on the Cherry Mobile Nova. Prior to that decision, I'd move my Globe Tattoo SIM from the dongle attached to the 3G Router and onto the Nova whenever I go out. Then I realized how insanely inconvenient that is, especially when my Nova gained WiFi hotspot functionality when I upgraded. So I decided to just use the Nova as my sole WiFi router. Killed two birds with one stone: hosted my WiFi, and provided my means of going online wherever I was.

So I happily Facebooked whenever I got stuck on some grocery queue. I Facebooked whenever I had an interesting thought when I walked. I Facebooked as I climbed stairs, rode the tricycle, and even as I crossed the street. YES, it got THAT crazy. It was so crazy I was staring at the nose of a bus one time as I Facebooked. I'm still here, so it means I didn't get run over.

The Facebook mania was brought to a halt when I saw that the Facebook app had ballooned to 11MB. I thought it was going to take over my whole Internal Storage, so I promptly uninstalled the app from the phone. After that, I realized I was too online. So I took to leaving the Android at home whenever I went out. There were times when I regretted leaving it, like whenever I discover that I was going to be confronted with a queue and I have nothing to occupy myself with as I stood in line.

But, realizing that I was too online made me decide to make an effort to be less connected. So there are periods where I'd actually turn off my 3G connection just for some peace and quiet and Plants vs. Zombies.

Reader and Media Player -- The biggest surprise that the Cherry Mobile Nova brought me was its sound quality. When I tried its stock earphones, I was impressed! It looked and felt cheap and plasticky, to be honest. But the sound quality was almost as good as the sound you'd get from a pair of iPod earbuds. That was the most awesome part for me. I'd expect that the earphones produced crappy diffused and un-optimized/un-equalized sound, but no. It was perfect enough for me.

As a reader, the YouVersion Bible App redefined the Bible reading experience on my end. I loved how I could highlight verses and in different colors. I loved how I could bookmark my next readings. It was a great change in how I read my Bible.

As a blog reader, and YouTube video viewer, the Cherry Mobile Nova added ease to my life. Sitting down for so long tires a human body, and when one would like to read or watch a video, it would be great to do it just before they drop off to sleep, right? Having the Cherry Mobile Nova made it possible for me to do just that. I read the bubblegum news on Yahoo just before I sleep. I do have bookmarks to BBC, CNN and even ABS-CBN News and Inquirer, but, you know, it's just easier to read news from Yahoo. Having this Android gave me the convenience of that.

Viber and Trillian -- I'd have to say that Viber and Trillian gave me more reasons to enjoy my Cherry Mobile Nova. Viber is a great messaging/chat app, and if you're fond of sending MMS pictures, it's a better, cheaper way to do it. Viber sends pictures instantly, so there's no wait for retrieving it from the server.

I've never been a fan of MMS, and up to today, I still haven't perfected the art of setting it up. But I'd have to say that I love sharing the things I see in my world, even the most mundane. Viber lets you share photos in seconds. Not much of upload time, not much of a lag.

Plus, with Viber, I get to text friends abroad who are on Androids and iPhones with no charge at all.

Trillian lets me connect to multiple accounts at once: Google Talk, Yahoo Messenger, and even Facebook Chat. It is multi-platform, meaning it has apps for Windows, Mac, the iOS devices, the Android, among other platforms. I use it both on the Windows XP work laptop I use, and my Android. So whenever I need to run out for groceries and I get stuck on a queue, I can still connect with friends who are online and whittle away at the waiting time by chatting the minutes away.

Data Transfer and Storage -- At times, I need to take pictures for work, and not just filch a photo from somewhere. So whenever I use my Cherry Mobile Nova for taking pictures, I once used the imgur app to upload photos directly to my work or personal accounts. But since I have an Internal Storage space problem, as I mentioned, I had since deleted the app. What I do now is that I regularly remove my Micro-SD and archive my photos to the work computer by date.

On the other hand, I've needed to transfer text messages, notes and other data online. What I did was that I copied the data to an empty Google Docs document and saved it. Or I copied it to a fresh email and sent it to one of my other Gmail accounts.

I could have just used an SMS backup app, but as I said, I'm not keen on installing more apps on this anymore.

The strength of the Android is in its selection of apps available on the Android Market. Undeniably, the Blackberry still has a better calendar in my opinion, and still has unbeatable email delivery capabilities. But if there's one thing that the Cherry Mobile Nova has made me realize, it's that I don't really need email as much as I thought I would. Also, I learned that I don't need to be online 24/7.

The Cherry Mobile Nova gave me a good taste of what it feels like to have and use an Android. Thanks to getting my feet wet on this baby, I learned that while I still want to try an iPhone and see what it's going to be like using it, and I still want a "proper" Blackberry (mine has limited capabilities), even if I'm not The Scribbler of AndroidAlliance.Ph, I know that Androids will be my staple phones until better technology replaces it. I love the customizability of the Android, the fact that everything is functional on its dashboard, and I love that there's a wide selection of Android phones on the market. Being on the Android has allowed me to see the possibilities of open-source tech. Plus, jailbreaking an iPhone or even just an iPod Touch isn't exactly as good as rooting an Android. Rooting an Android may void your warranty, but it isn't illegal. Jailbreaking your iOS machine is going to void its warranty and is actually illegal. Plus, rooting gives you the capacity to install different "flavors" of the Android OS. So if you're an easily-bored kid like me, you may find yourself changing OS flavors every month. Or every other week. I'll bet that once I get started rooting this Cherry Mobile Nova and get the hang of it, I may well be trying different versions every month, as I see fit. Or maybe I'd be too lazy and just be happy that I can manage my data and internal storage space better. We'll see. I'm looking forward to that day.


Summary:

Great: The Cherry Mobile Nova gives you the full Android treatment, without needing to spend more. It is among Cherry Mobile's best models, and it is very sturdy. Its build and profile are sleek, making it perfect as a lady's phone. It has the same specs as the Cherry Mobile Orbit, without the bulk, but also without the secondary SIM. (Cherry Mobile Orbit is dual-SIM)

The Cherry Mobile Nova is also pretty sturdy. To date, I believe it's slipped from my hands or the table thrice, and it's still standing. No difference with call or signal quality noted. Proof of the solidness of its construction.

The Cherry Mobile Nova shares the same kind of battery as the Cherry Mobile Trident. Thus, if you also have a Cherry Mobile Trident (like I do), you can share and swap batteries between the phones. You may also be able to find a similar type of battery from the Nokia product line.

Dismal: This isn't Cherry Mobile's problem, but the Android/Gmail app's problem: Sync and email delivery isn't in real-time, and keeping your Sync function on simply drains batteries much faster. If the Android's chief complaint is its dismal power management, turning your Sync on all the time may worsen this flaw. For those who expect their smartphones to deliver snappy email and have a very long battery life, don't expect that of an Android, of ANY Android, for now.

The Cherry Mobile Nova's Internal Space may leave much to be desired for the space hogs. So if you're looking to fill your phone with apps, look elsewhere. Try a Gingerbread phone, root and mod your Cherry Mobile Nova to Gingerbread, or get a phone with bigger specs. The Cherry Mobile Magnum HD would be a great start for a higher-spec Android, as it has 2GB of Internal Storage. Not to mention it looks beautiful, and is priced beautifully, as well. Other Androids at 12k actually have less Internal Storage than the Cherry Mobile Magnum.

Also, if you're looking for a great camera on your phone, don't look for it in a Cherry Mobile phone. Maybe it's the fact that these are whitebox models, but the images from Cherry Mobile Androids we've seen so far are similar to images taken from China Phone models. If image quality is crucial for you, you may want to look elsewhere.


Conclusion:

The Cherry Mobile Nova is a standard Android phone. Meaning, it has the same specs as an LG, Samsung, Sony Ericsson Phone of its price range and from the time it was released. Circa 2010 Androids will have the same specs as the Cherry Mobile Nova, so if you're on Eclair or Froyo, on a phone model released around 2010, you'll have the same problems I faced: rapidly diminishing space.

But if you're on a similar-spec'd phone but on Android 2.3/Gingerbread, you may have a better experience managing your disk space. Gingerbread moves your apps to SD the moment you install them, thereby conserving Internal Storage.

On the whole, if you're looking to have your first Android, I would recommend getting this phone. I eventually realized it actually has a clearer, better screen than the Samsung Galaxy Y.

I was looking to upgrade with the Cherry Mobile Orbit or the Cherry Mobile Stellar (as both are dual-SIM models), but then I discovered that the dual-SIM Androids don't have 3G/HSDPA on their 2nd SIMs, defeating the purpose I was considering these models for: hosting 2 different 3G broadband providers. Since this is how dual-SIM Androids are, for the moment, and if your purpose is to host or access 3G from two different providers on one phone, you may not be able to do that for now. As far as I know, there isn't any dual-SIM Android that has 3G on both its SIMs in the market just yet. Let me know if I missed something.

The Cherry Mobile Nova's construction may very well be among the best in the Cherry Mobile Android line: I noticed that they still priced it higher than the other phones whose prices they bumped down for the Christmas season. The Cherry Mobile Nova is Php 400 more expensive than the Cherry Mobile Orbit! There must be a reason behind that, and as far as I've experienced, it's pretty much justified.

Would I recommend the Cherry Mobile Nova to a first-time Android user? YES, wholeheartedly. If you're looking at a Torque phone and a Cherry Mobile Nova, choose the Cherry Mobile Nova. This one is on a Qualcomm chipset, while Torque is on MediaTek.

Would I recommend a Cherry Mobile Nova over an LG Optimus Me? Yes, if you're going to root your Android. If you're going to be a casual user, then go ahead and choose the LG Optimus Me. The LG is going to have a better screen and a better camera. So if that's what you value, then go for LG.

Would I recommend a Cherry Mobile Nova over a Samsung Galaxy Y? Yes, if you want a crisper screen and a sleeker profile. Plus, if you want to be able to buy extra batteries at a lower cost for your Android, yes, definitely choose the Cherry Mobile Nova over the Samsung Galay Y. Take note: just make sure you don't mind shelling out around a thousand pesos more. Cherry Mobile Nova is at Php 6,899, while the Samsung Galaxy Y is at Php 5,990. You'll have to spend at least Php 700 for the Samsung battery, however. One was spotted in the wild at Php 900. You may be able to get a Cherry Mobile/Nokia replacement battery at less than Php 500 for this particular model.

The bottom line is that the Cherry Mobile Nova is great for first-time Android users who are thinking about trying to root and mod their phones. It is great for those who value durability and reliability. It is great for those who want to see if Cherry Mobile phones are up to scratch.

As someone told me today:

"Cherry Mobile really shouldn't have put out their cheaper/disposable models. If they came out in the market with their top-of-the-line Androids, maybe they'd have earned more love from satisfied users instead of the hate they're getting from those who got bum phones."

He's got a point, no?


With that, I'm letting you know that tomorrow we'll be posting about the pros and cons, and the risks of rooting and modding your Android. Enjoy the last two nights before Christmas Eve!
12 Days of Christmas
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