Trying Android for a week

jdballard

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Been a Windows mobile user for several years now - started with an HTC Trophy. I needed to get an Android since I'm tech support for a parent who has never used a smartphone and lives across the country. They're using Republic Wireless with a Moto G 3rd gen and not having an Android makes it really difficult for me to understand what they're seeing if I can't replicate their actions, so I picked up an LG K7 from T-Mobile. It'll still be difficult since every manufacturer of Android has their own Android flavor but I'm hoping it'll be good enough for me to help when needed. I also figured I should use an Android in case the day comes I can't get a decent Windows mobile phone. While that may never happen, if it does, having used Android recently will help me make the decision between that and iOS. And it's possible I may find that I love Android so much I say to heck with Windows mobile.

Since I have it, I I'm going to try and use it for a week. We'll see if I can stand it that long, because I already hate the UI after < 24 hours. It feels hard to read things because everything seems cluttered. Text seems wacky. The font in the Facebook app is just awful - the bold is hideous. I can already tell you from a UI perspective that WP is much, much nicer.

The amount of notifications I receive is insane. I don't need a notification every time an app finishes installing or a wifi calling notification when connected to wifi that I can't dismiss (haven't looked in settings yet).

I'm curious to see what I think app wise. FYI, for me, I have no app gap that is a dealbreaker as my bank has an app for Windows mobile (although I never really use it) and I don't use SnapChat. (I understand others do have a real app gap.) I do miss an updated version of Waze on Windows, the bible app I use (YouVersion) is functional but clunky on Windows (already noticed that Android has red letters where the Windows version doesn't).

Anyway, I thought I'd post about my experiment. I'll be curious to see how this all shakes out and my thoughts at the end of the week - if I make it that far. Time permitting I'll post my full thoughts when I'm done, but these are my initial impressions.
 

xandros9

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Here's what I recommend:

1. Change out the launcher - I like Action Launcher 3 but there's plenty more popular ones.

2. Don't know for sure, but I do know that on my CyanogenMod powered phone I switched out the font for Segoe UI.

3. I've killed notifications from apps I only somewhat care about, there's settings for that.
 

Laura Knotek

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Actually, if you're going to be doing tech support, you'd probably be best off using the Google Now Launcher. Moto devices have stock Android. LG has its own custom skin/launcher. It sounds like your parent would just be using the stock Google Now launcher on his/her Moto G. So if you want to replicate their experience closely, then the Google Now launcher would be the way to go.
 

Guytronic

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We'll see if I can stand it that long, because I already hate the UI after < 24 hours. It feels hard to read things because everything seems cluttered. Text seems wacky. The font in the Facebook app is just awful - the bold is hideous.

I was a bit confused initially after returning to Android.
Once the adjustment period wanes the Android user can easily trim the UI and notifications and keep it all under control.
There's a curve most definitely however I'm sure an intelligent well read user such as yourself will quickly find the pegs that fit for your situation.

Good luck and keep us advised with your cons or pros.
 

jdballard

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Thanks for the tip. I wasn't sure if LG used their own or not. Being a MS user, I installed the Arrow Launcher just to try it. I just installed the Google Now Launcher. I will use that for "tech support" so I'm using the same thing.

Activating the phone took almost two hours on the phone! I take for granted how much I know when it comes to using touch screen devices. I wish Republic supported the iPhone - probably would have been a much easier process. Fortunately, when my wife and I visited in January we helped her set up her gmail.com address. And I walked her through creating a contact on the phone as well as the web which wasn't too bad.

Thanks for all the advice. So far it's not dreadful and I definitely need to tweak things. We'll see over the next week if my opinion changes.
 

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