[debsbb]

I am currently a BB Storm user and considering switching to an Android phone. I want to do my homework first.

I heard or read somewhere that using an Android requires more clicks to get at things ... making me think the apps etc are more buried and take more clicks and time to access. Those of you that switched from BB to Android especially, did you find this to be true?

On my Storm, I can put my most used apps on the home screen. Can this be done on an Android?

Also would like to hear from BB --> Android users ref the difference(s) in the touch screen use and feel. All I know is my Storm1.

Can anyone elaborate on this Swype (Swipe?) thing? Do you like it, not like it? Why or why not? Any other comments?

[the_sandman_454]

You can have a handful of "home screens" if you wish for your apps, widgets, etc. Accessing virtually everything on an Android device is quick and painless.

Some people like to claim things require a herculean effort to manipulate. Such people are trying to find reasons to justify going back to their BB and nothing else.

Swype is an input method. You touch the first letter in the word you want, and then drag your finger across the other letters in the word in order without lifting your finger until you're done. It is a pretty slick input method.

[lssanjose]

I can't comment on swype; I only messed with it briefly at the local T-Mobile store, playing with the Vibrant, G2, Defy; other Android devices; HD7; and BlackBerrys.

But I've used Swiftkey, Smart Keyboard, Stock, Better Keyboard, ThickButtons. Of these, I prefer Smart Keyboard because it's not as bloated as SwiftKey is. Also, it's heavily customizable; SwiftKey isn't, but has a very good prediction scheme.

On the home screen front, you can have as many things on the home screen as limited by the implicit borders of the home screen itself, and your chosen docking style (I know in some launchers, they let you forgo the dock, completely). Most modern Android devices use at least five screens, allowing up to seven total.

As far as making things easier to get to, you can set up your screen with shortcuts, widgets; or anything making access to a specific part of the phone more quickly.

[GG1]

Actually I find Android to be faster,all depends on how you set up your phone. I can add up to 7 home screens that I can customize to my liking with widgets,shortcuts,direct dials,universal search etc... Making things very fast to get at. Swype is a love it or hate it type of thing but it is very fast and easy once you get the hang of it and you also have different keyboards to download from the market. In short, Android is just plain awesome and it only keeps getting better.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[debsbb]

I kind of had the feeling that I was either misunderstanding or the people that were talking about this were still getting used to their new devices and perhaps fumbling making the adjustment from old to new devices.

On the swype - it does sound like it would take some getting used to and it's really nice to know there are other options.

Thank you all for your input and I'm glad you're all happy with your move to Android.

[scott9050]

I had a Storm, then Droid and now Droid X. Anything the Storm can do the X can do 5 times better and 10 times as fast. Seriously, there is no comparison. If you are going with Verizon, they offer classes so that you can get familiar with the OS. A lot of the things BB users who go to Android complain about are functions that are there but they don't know how to operate. The capabilities of a device like the X will amaze you, especially coming from a relic like the Storm.

[boomerbsg]

I heard or read somewhere that using an Android requires more clicks to get at things ... making me think the apps etc are more buried and take more clicks and time to access. Those of you that switched from BB to Android especially, did you find this to be true?

On my Storm, I can put my most used apps on the home screen. Can this be done on an Android?

Android OS uses the same basic principle that BB's do.. a sparse home screen and a rather full apps screen.. with android you can have a TON more widgets (shorcuts) on the main screen.. theres also useful apps that allow you to make folders on the main screen that house your most used apps while keeping clutter down.

Also would like to hear from BB --> Android users ref the difference(s) in the touch screen use and feel. All I know is my Storm1.

The one irritant i have with my Droid (the OG Droid 1) is the portrait keyboard sucks.. badly.. for me.. the Droid X seemed to be nicer, and the HTC Incredible has a great portrait keyboard..
check out the Droid Pro.. BB like hard keyboard, and touch screen too.. it looks funky turned to landscape, so be forewarned..

I never liked the Storm 1 and its surepress technology..

Can anyone elaborate on this Swype (Swipe?) thing? Do you like it, not like it? Why or why not? Any other comments?

never tried it..

Android is so customizable that its well.. sickening lol..
the only thing i miss is that my mail and txt'ing on my BB's where always so nice and fast.. having to relearn and put up with some of androids kinks can be daunting at times for me.

cheers

[Rickroller]

Coming from the Storm to the Torch and then to Android..the biggest thing first hand I noticed that bothered me was the fact that with BB..when you're looking at all your apps..you can create folders and place certain apps in certain folders and "organize" it. With Android you can't..all your apps are in your "app drawer"..and they can't be "re-organized" natively. Of course..this doesn't mean you can't have your apps of your choosing on your homescreens..just that there was no way for me to "organize" my apps into folders in my app drawer. That kind of drove me nuts initially.

With the Storm..you have 1 homescreen..with the option for 4 (or 5..can't remember) app icons in one row that run along the bottom of the screen. I can't remember if you can have your whole screen filled with apps or not..but most people want to see some type of wallpaper and not just apps. When you want to access an app not on your homescreen..you have to navigate to it by scrolling to it. With Android..because you have more than one home screen..you can simply "flick" left or right to access your other home screens..which can be filled with apps or widgets for easy access. The widgets are really nice because there is no need to open anything..it's already running and easily viewable.

The customization with Android is endless. I have 5 icons on the bottom of my screen Phone > Contacts > Apps > SMS > Browser. Not only can I access all those things with a "tap"..but I can also assign a function with a "swipe" on them as well. For example I can tap SMS to access my texts..or I can swipe it and access my Whatsapp (BBM replacement). With my Browser I can tap it for the native browser..or swipe it for my Dolphin Browser. So instead of 5 icons on the bottom..I actually have 10..with each one customizable to my liking.

[Johnly]

The new blur lets one organize all their apps in the app drawer with folders. Lucky Bionic users huh?

[Xopher]

Like others have said, it is a different way to do things. Having several home screen sis a really nice feature. My main screen has the Fancy Widgets clock/weather, plus icons for email, phone, calendar, address book, web browser... Most of the things I need to get to quickly are on the home screen.

The next screen has all of my main contacts (as icons). I can click on a person, then call, sms, email... however I want to contact them.

Other home screens have other icons I want to have quick access to (TweetDeck, Poynt, Pulse, Google Voice...). The nice thing is you can configure them however you want.

The app drawer hold all the apps, and is accessible with one click (just like on the BlackBerry). I rarely go into the app drawer. Instead, I installed a free app called App Folders. Now all of my apps are sorted into folders (Games, Productivity, Social, Media...). This made it so much easier to access all my apps (and the icon for it is on my home screen, so folder access is just one click access). I used folder to sort my apps on my BB, so this just made it easier for me.

The only thing you need to be aware of is that Android's biggest benefit is also what most BB users complain about. It is extremely customizable. You can configure it however you want (add apps, switch screens, use widgets). But it means that out of the box, it is probably not configured already to what you are accustomed, so you have to tweak it to your liking. I added noLED, Quick Profiles, and Bedside to my Mesmerize so that it I could have similar functions from my BB.

As for keyboards, there are so many options available. Swype is my personal favorite - I'm very fast with it already. Smart Keyboard and SwiftKey are both good, and I keep going back and forth between the two of them in Landscape mode (I prefer Swype when vertical, since it is a shorter distance to swype). You just need to try out the different keyboards and see which one you like (most have free trials).

[Rickroller]

Smart Keyboard and SwiftKey are both good, and I keep going back and forth between the two of them in Landscape mode (I prefer Swype when vertical, since it is a shorter distance to swype). You just need to try out the different keyboards and see which one you like (most have free trials).

Dumb question..but how do you set it so that you use Swype in portrait but Smart in Landscape? I've been trying to figure this out so any suggestions would be appreciated.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

Dumb question..but how do you set it so that you use Swype in portrait but Smart in Landscape? I've been trying to figure this out so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Change Keyboard Automatically With Orientation, Using KeyboardManager [Root][Tutorial] | Android News, Reviews, Applications, Games, Phones, Devices, Tips, Mods, Videos, Podcasts - Android Police


[APP][ROOT/Keyboard] Keyboard Manager - Dual keyboard: Portrait/landscape switch - xda-developers

[Rickroller]

Thanks man..installed and so far works just like I hoped! Too bad I got to use SlideIT instead of Swype lol..but it works.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

You can't install the Swype beta?

[Rickroller]

No..avt sent me a link one time but it required an email and password. I'm sure I could get it if I really wanted it by going with a different ROM..but I'm happy with CM 6.1.1 right now and don't feel the need to change just for Swype. I've played with Swype in stores..and SlideIt seems to do the same.

[pixel8rberry]

all of the above plus a link to see swype in action

Swype | Text Input for Screens

[Tre Lawrence]

Swype is awesome.

OP: the learning curve is easy. You'll enjoy it...

[xliderider]

Swype is awesome.

OP: the learning curve is easy. You'll enjoy it...

I'm an "id10t" typist though, so I have to "see" the letters I'm typing.

Therefore, I can't use Swype because I can't see the keyboard if I never lift my finger.

[jd914]

I'm an "id10t" typist though, so I have to "see" the letters I'm typing.

Therefore, I can't use Swype because I can't see the keyboard if I never lift my finger.

I'm on the same boat as you that's why I prefer Swiftkey over Swype.

SwiftKey� - Intelligent text prediction for Android smartphones, by TouchType Ltd.

[rearview]

Swype is awesome. I don't know if I could live with touchscreen only if it weren't for Swype. I currently have an android and a berry and I'm trying to figure out which I like the most.

[xliderider]

I'm on the same boat as you that's why I prefer Swiftkey over Swype.

SwiftKey� - Intelligent text prediction for Android smartphones, by TouchType Ltd.

Yes, I too love SwiftKey.

[Johnly]

swype is for ninjas you know Just kidding all!

[Johnly]

Yes, I too love SwiftKey.

OK, I am going to run swift key for a few weeks and see

[Rickroller]

I've found Swiftkey actually slows me down..because i'm constantly watching to see which word is coming up next. Maybe it's just me..

[boomerbsg]

Coming from the Storm to the Torch and then to Android..the biggest thing first hand I noticed that bothered me was the fact that with BB..when you're looking at all your apps..you can create folders and place certain apps in certain folders and "organize" it. With Android you can't..all your apps are in your "app drawer"..and they can't be "re-organized" natively. Of course..this doesn't mean you can't have your apps of your choosing on your homescreens..just that there was no way for me to "organize" my apps into folders in my app drawer. That kind of drove me nuts initially.

while its true you cant organize them in the app drawer, you can organize them into folders and put them on your launch pad, or on the main screens as folders of your fav apps..

I use Launcher Pro, and the app linked below. i like a nice tidy main home screen.. i'm not a big widgets kinda guy i guess.

Folder Organizer - Android app on AppBrain