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Would you like SE to offer its users vanilla Android? |
aka Dus
Joined: Feb 23, 2006
Posts: 217
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Everyone knows a perceived weakness among clued in smartphone consumers is the fragmentation of the Android OS across different manufacturers.
As dedicated SE users, we all know how frustrating it is to know that there is a new Android release but we can't officially update our handsets because we must wait for SE to bring the release, for all the reasons we understand in relation to SE customisation as well as preserving our warranty cover etc.
And the market in general seems to think that SE doesn't offer sufficient differentiation from its competitors to make it a leading smartphone player - as SE's market share proves.
I have wanted SE to offer consumers the option of vanilla Android for a long time now - by all means, if they think that Timescape etc is something worth keeping, offer it as a default launcher, a boot option, whatever. But if SE wish to offer consumers up to the minute Android capability, to differentiate the SE user experience, to limit the amount of time their consumers spend wrestling with buggy, slow, battery draining rubbish (yes, I am looking at you Android 2.3.3) and killing their brand loyalty, or even to reduce their cost base by having less customisation development time on Timescape etc, then surely they should consider allowing all SE Android users the option of running their Arc, Ray, Neo, X8, etc etc etc on vanilla Android.
I would be 100% in favour of that option - I would take it right now. What do you think?
[ This Message was edited by: aka Dus on 2011-10-01 13:53 ] |
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S4k1s
Joined: Mar 09, 2005
Posts: > 500
From: Sweden
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 is probably the fastest company right now on Android updates, so no I think it's good as it is. |
goldenface
Joined: Dec 17, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Liverpool City Centre
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I have no issues personally but it's always nice to have the choice and of course updates will come out quicker.
I quite like music player and other tweaks such as the contact list etc.
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aka Dus
Joined: Feb 23, 2006
Posts: 217
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On 2011-10-01 14:59:04, S4k1s wrote:
is probably the fastest company right now on Android updates, so no I think it's good as it is.
I hear that but it's still a substantial period to wait after the official release.
On 2011-10-01 15:01:48, goldenface wrote:
That's what I see - choose vanilla or SE 'launcher'. It would be very interesting to see the usage statistics in that scenario.
[ This Message was edited by: aka Dus on 2011-10-01 14:17 ] |
Dups!
Joined: Sep 24, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: GMT +2
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I like what they did by dropping Mediascape and sticking with Timescape. I actually think their UI is now more polished and it will get better from here onwards. So, no, I wouldn't like them to offer vanilla Android.
Your suggestion to give the users the option of whether they want to boot up with Timescape or not is something that has been discussed before and it is not a bad idea at all.
It's not what you do or even how you do it but in what state of mind you do it: Dups! 2009 |
aka Dus
Joined: Feb 23, 2006
Posts: 217
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None of us can know too much but how portable would Timescape be as an app I wonder? Could SEMC offer Timescape, or integrated phonebook or Facebook Inside etc be offered as apps? Could the whole SE UX not be wrapped up in to a launcher for users who like it to use it.
The main point remains for me, it is intensely frustrating to have to wait months for new Android release functionality and bugs like we see in SE's 2.3.3's release are unacceptable (and unneccessary if we can run vanilla android).
Gimme the pure stuff man!
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mediar
Joined: May 05, 2008
Posts: > 500
From: Varna, Bulgaria
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On 2011-10-01 20:41:42, aka Dus wrote:
bugs like we see in SE's 2.3.3's release are unacceptable (and unneccessary if we can run vanilla android).
Was the 2.3.3 update really that buggy? The onliest serious bug I know was the reduced battery life.
The best mobile phone brand died with Sony Ericsson's death. Shame on you Sony for killing it! And, of course, for ruining the Xperia brand... Mediar's Site |
aka Dus
Joined: Feb 23, 2006
Posts: 217
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Aw mate, my Arc is an embarrassment. I would be afraid to let one of my Apple fan boy mates to play with it cos it is so laggy. Lots of force closes too. And the battery life is indeed catastrophic - I really don't mean to exaggerate but I am getting a half day with moderate usage (I think it's fair to regard FM radio/Spotify (local, not streaming) playing, gmailing and internet usage on the way to work as moderate). The idea of using a Bluetooth Headset with it on top of all that almost makes me laugh.
(As far as I remember, the previous release was very well performing, up until the week or two before I updated.) |
etaab
Joined: Jan 23, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: UK - South Yorkshire
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Wouldnt it just be sensible for the people like us here on sites like this to have the option, even if its not obvious to the joe average user ?
For example, when ICS is released, could SE not simply add a little section to their website to download and install ICS for you, but not put it on new phones through the retail channels. Then, everyone is happy. Joe average gets the Android with all of SE's bells and whistles, SE's phones are differentiated from their rivals Android handsets because they have Timescape etc preinstalled, then the phone pros are kept happy also with their up to date more customisable software.
Oh and then make SE's software downloadable from the same site ?
edit: dont HTC allow their users to launch standard Android now ?
[ This Message was edited by: etaab on 2011-10-01 21:42 ] Check me out on Instagram ! search for etaab ! |
jplacson
Joined: Apr 21, 2002
Posts: > 500
From: Philippines
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@etaab, I totally agree with you. The average consumer doesn't even update apps or firmware when the notification pops up....
AFAIK, is working with outside devs to offer an easy (albeit unofficial =ie: warranty void) rooting and mod path for those that want to use vanilla Android. The purpose of this it to offer the option for more advanced users, while still maintaining legal liability. In all honesty, I agree. I like that they're trying to make it easier for more advanced users to modify their hardware, without assuming the liabilities of the users actions. Kinda like waiving your right. This will allow much faster SW dev, while lowering costs of without having to figure out ways to lock their platform down the way Apple does.
**On that note, I think 4-corner UI found on the Xperia Mini and Mini Pro are quite unique, and I wish they would offer these as alternate launchers for their bigger brothers**
[ This Message was edited by: jplacson on 2011-10-02 01:49 ] |
aka Dus
Joined: Feb 23, 2006
Posts: 217
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A quad core Arc S running vanilla ICS would be a division above iphone 4s. Sony hw design, powerful processing and most crucially bang up to date and perfectly performing Android is a proposition that would move SE beyond its frankly unsustainable 1.x% market share.
A Nexus Prime with this proposition would be a must-buy for me.
I agree with both last posters. Give the option of vanilla ICS and then examine the user data, see what consumers want.
If the Sonyness of the SE proposition is so important - and in SE it really, really is - then a SE launcher or even a bundle of apps would give consumers that ux. Its clear that consumers are not that interested in the Sony UX - market share tells its own story, even taking into account distribution/supply limitations that SE have reportedly experienced. |
etaab
Joined: Jan 23, 2004
Posts: > 500
From: UK - South Yorkshire
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I dont think we'll be seeing quad core cpu phones until next year though, so that rules out the Nexus Prime.
And to be honest, i dont think the majority of SE customers would care about specs. Apple's way of getting peoples cash was to package their flagship in a sexy stylish vision of what a mobile phone should be. I dont think a single Android phone has ever been as successful as getting into the minds of joe average phone buyers.
Check me out on Instagram ! search for etaab ! |
Tsepz_GP
Joined: Dec 27, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: Johannesburg, South Africa
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Nexus Prime is a dual-core, its what Samsung along with Google are announcing with the release of ICS next week.
SE are working with 3rd party devs to bring clean Android to the "geeks" ,plus Cyanogen Team are now working on the entire SE XPERIA Droid line up, so getting vanilla Android wont be too difficult, although personaly im very happy with the SE UXP.
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razec
Joined: Aug 20, 2006
Posts: > 500
From: Pearl of the Orient Seas
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Vanilla android would be fine if the UI will look so much better than the UX, I still think the default android UI looks dated. iOS has so much beauty in it in comparison. and since SE has been known to push updates faster than the competition (save for Google Nexus series of course) and also the fact that SE opts for a unified user experience across all platforms i'd say no.
[ This Message was edited by: razec on 2011-10-07 04:40 ] ~19 years at Esato |
aka Dus
Joined: Feb 23, 2006
Posts: 217
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On 2011-10-07 05:37:37, razec wrote:
and also the fact that SE opts for a unified user experience across all platforms i'd say no.
[ This Message was edited by: razec on 2011-10-07 04:40 ]
What do you mean by that mate?
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Posted: 2011-10-01 14:51
