Apple tech geek needs to expand Android horizons
December 19, 2014 2:05 PM Subscribe
My loyalties are firmly in the Apple camp. I've owned many iPhones, iPads and various Macs. However, I know nothing about Android devices... and it's about time I learn. I'm a self proclaimed tech geek for pity's sake, but yet I am woefully ignorant about all things Android. I want to change this!
It's almost Boxing Day in Canada (it's about as crazy as Black Friday in the states), and it should be a good time for me to pick up something to play with. Given the price point I'm hoping for it'll probably mean I'm getting a tablet, but an unlocked phone would work as well.
My criteria are:
* price - I'd rather not spend more than $200, less is better than more
* version - I'd like something that'll have (or could be upgraded to) Lollipop, and bonus if i can upgrade it as newer versions come out
* not a complete piece of crap, hardware wise. It's ok if it's older hardware, but I'm not interested in a cheap knockoff brands or anything that will make me want me to throw it out the window.
* works with the google play store? (ie not anything Amazon-branded?)
Things I don't care about:
* screen size or resolution
* memory, drive space, etc
Any idea on what I should be looking at in order to get a non-crappy first Android experience?
This question was inspired by the fact my local (canadian) best buy currently has an 'Asus MeMO Pad 7"' on sale for $100, but the specs say its upgradable to Android 4.4 (KitKat). I can't quite figure out if that also means I can also upgrade to Lollipop. (I'm ok with rooting the device or futzing a bit if necessary, as long as there's instructions online somewhere.) I came this close to purchasing the Asus on impulse, but then figured I should actually do some research first. Hence, I came here!
I know there are some good Google and Samsung tablets out there, as well as other big names, but it's a little overwhelming when trying to chose something. I'd prefer to buy online (as long as they'll ship to canada) but B&M works too (I noticed several options at Costco, for example...).
Suggestions?
It's almost Boxing Day in Canada (it's about as crazy as Black Friday in the states), and it should be a good time for me to pick up something to play with. Given the price point I'm hoping for it'll probably mean I'm getting a tablet, but an unlocked phone would work as well.
My criteria are:
* price - I'd rather not spend more than $200, less is better than more
* version - I'd like something that'll have (or could be upgraded to) Lollipop, and bonus if i can upgrade it as newer versions come out
* not a complete piece of crap, hardware wise. It's ok if it's older hardware, but I'm not interested in a cheap knockoff brands or anything that will make me want me to throw it out the window.
* works with the google play store? (ie not anything Amazon-branded?)
Things I don't care about:
* screen size or resolution
* memory, drive space, etc
Any idea on what I should be looking at in order to get a non-crappy first Android experience?
This question was inspired by the fact my local (canadian) best buy currently has an 'Asus MeMO Pad 7"' on sale for $100, but the specs say its upgradable to Android 4.4 (KitKat). I can't quite figure out if that also means I can also upgrade to Lollipop. (I'm ok with rooting the device or futzing a bit if necessary, as long as there's instructions online somewhere.) I came this close to purchasing the Asus on impulse, but then figured I should actually do some research first. Hence, I came here!
I know there are some good Google and Samsung tablets out there, as well as other big names, but it's a little overwhelming when trying to chose something. I'd prefer to buy online (as long as they'll ship to canada) but B&M works too (I noticed several options at Costco, for example...).
Suggestions?
The MeMOPad is a solid little device for the money. If you find that you want to go the phone route for whatever reason, the Moto G is probably the best value proposition (I had one last year and it was a pretty good device for how cheap it was, and like you, I came from-and returned to-iPhone land).
posted by General Malaise at 2:25 PM on December 19, 2014
posted by General Malaise at 2:25 PM on December 19, 2014
I second the refurb Nexus 7 unless you want to spend more than $200 on something bigger and faster.
posted by bobdow at 2:25 PM on December 19, 2014
posted by bobdow at 2:25 PM on December 19, 2014
You need something that will run Android 5 (Lollipop). KitKat, while a fine OS, is dated now.
posted by Nevin at 2:27 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Nevin at 2:27 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
First Android lesson: there is a huge variety of Android devices, and the vast majority completely suck. Only the mid/high-end devices from top tier manufacturers are really usable for many purposes. I've had at least 3 or 4 Android thingies that were broken right out of the box -- too little space to actually load any apps, weird crashy pre-installed bloatware, hardware that randomly resets. Get a Nexus!
posted by miyabo at 2:51 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by miyabo at 2:51 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
I agree with others that a refurbished Nexus 7 is a good choice.
If you want the phone experience, either a refurbished Nexus 5 (if it's in your price range) or a Moto G are a good choice.
All have Lollipop or shortly will.
posted by trivia genius at 4:32 PM on December 19, 2014
If you want the phone experience, either a refurbished Nexus 5 (if it's in your price range) or a Moto G are a good choice.
All have Lollipop or shortly will.
posted by trivia genius at 4:32 PM on December 19, 2014
Your choices here are essentially a 2013 nexus 7, or one of last years flagship phones that have already been guaranteed an upgrade to lollipop(LG G2, HTC one M7, etc. Search around). Some of these actually have official lollipop available if you're willing to get a bit hacky. Basically anything that was sold as "google play edition" can be upgraded.
I wouldn't buy anything samsung makes if you want the latest experience. They're slow and inconsistent on updates, and lock down their hardware in various ways to prevent or punish you from upgrading on your own. They also wallpaper everything in their fairly intense android skin.
The 1st gen nexus 7 kind of sucks because they used really cheap flash storage that gets super slow over time.
The cheapest route the best android experience is probably a 2013 nexus 7, at this point. My only other suggestion would be something like a used nvidia shield tablet or a tegra note 7, as those offer basically stock android and get quick updates(the shield is already on lollipop, the tegra note will be very soon).
I'd encourage you to get a device that either has an official GPE rom you can flash available, or if you aren't in to that much nerdery, something that ships with stock android. In this arena you basically have the nexus devices, what nvidia sells, and what motorola sells... or a GPE edition device. Most of which, on the phone side, still command a price premium.
On preview, There is a google play edition of the LG G pad 8.3, if you can find one. It should be around $200 or under. It already has lollipop as well. It's a nice device, and very powerful/fast/responsive... but i question what it really adds over a 2013 nexus 7. It's kind of a give and take. I'd buy whichever one i could find for cheaper... which will probably be the nexus 7.
posted by emptythought at 5:44 PM on December 19, 2014
I wouldn't buy anything samsung makes if you want the latest experience. They're slow and inconsistent on updates, and lock down their hardware in various ways to prevent or punish you from upgrading on your own. They also wallpaper everything in their fairly intense android skin.
The 1st gen nexus 7 kind of sucks because they used really cheap flash storage that gets super slow over time.
The cheapest route the best android experience is probably a 2013 nexus 7, at this point. My only other suggestion would be something like a used nvidia shield tablet or a tegra note 7, as those offer basically stock android and get quick updates(the shield is already on lollipop, the tegra note will be very soon).
I'd encourage you to get a device that either has an official GPE rom you can flash available, or if you aren't in to that much nerdery, something that ships with stock android. In this arena you basically have the nexus devices, what nvidia sells, and what motorola sells... or a GPE edition device. Most of which, on the phone side, still command a price premium.
On preview, There is a google play edition of the LG G pad 8.3, if you can find one. It should be around $200 or under. It already has lollipop as well. It's a nice device, and very powerful/fast/responsive... but i question what it really adds over a 2013 nexus 7. It's kind of a give and take. I'd buy whichever one i could find for cheaper... which will probably be the nexus 7.
posted by emptythought at 5:44 PM on December 19, 2014
Of course the best thing about Android after Apple is you finally get more than one button!
posted by Long Way To Go at 10:15 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by Long Way To Go at 10:15 PM on December 19, 2014 [1 favorite]
I also recommend a Nexus 7. However, I wouldn't get a first-gen; I have one that is running Lollipop and it's very, very slow. Spring for a newer model.
posted by neushoorn at 1:27 AM on December 20, 2014
posted by neushoorn at 1:27 AM on December 20, 2014
You can get a cheap unlocked Moto G phone for $150 or so. It would be a good intro to Android phones, and if you are doing this to learn, learning about the phones is probably more valuable.
posted by smackfu at 4:53 AM on December 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by smackfu at 4:53 AM on December 20, 2014 [2 favorites]
I'll N'th a Nexus 7 2013 model if you want to play with a tablet. The wifi version already has lollipop. Refurb deals for the n7 2013 pop up regularly.
In Canada, with patience and checking kijiji regularly, I picked up a used Moto G for $80! Heck, my IMEI isn't even listed as stolen for that price. I *just missed* two other Moto G's for $75-90 during the time I was looking. I got it just for the reasonable GPS and bluetooth 4.0 (run tracking with a recent heart rate monitor); I use a tablet instead of a phone for my daily use. But the Moto G itself is reasonably speedy, and the screen is quite nice. It seems impossibly nice for a phone that only retails for ~$200 new.
If you're on Telus or Bell, I've used SIM cards setup with a tablet plan in a phone. Be aware that if you do make use of voice on a tablet plan it's something insane like $1/minute of air time, but it's a cheap way to play around with an android phone. I'm unsure if Roger's checks the IMEI to see if it's a tablet/phone and that the plan is "appropriate."
posted by nobeagle at 9:12 AM on December 20, 2014
In Canada, with patience and checking kijiji regularly, I picked up a used Moto G for $80! Heck, my IMEI isn't even listed as stolen for that price. I *just missed* two other Moto G's for $75-90 during the time I was looking. I got it just for the reasonable GPS and bluetooth 4.0 (run tracking with a recent heart rate monitor); I use a tablet instead of a phone for my daily use. But the Moto G itself is reasonably speedy, and the screen is quite nice. It seems impossibly nice for a phone that only retails for ~$200 new.
If you're on Telus or Bell, I've used SIM cards setup with a tablet plan in a phone. Be aware that if you do make use of voice on a tablet plan it's something insane like $1/minute of air time, but it's a cheap way to play around with an android phone. I'm unsure if Roger's checks the IMEI to see if it's a tablet/phone and that the plan is "appropriate."
posted by nobeagle at 9:12 AM on December 20, 2014
smackfu: "get a cheap unlocked Moto G"
This is the phone I'm recommending to a relative who's only now upgrading from flipphone to smartphone. It's cheap, good screen, Google has stated they will port Lollipop to it, and it's so compatible with the Google Play store you can actually buy the phone via Google Play.
posted by pwnguin at 9:17 AM on December 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
This is the phone I'm recommending to a relative who's only now upgrading from flipphone to smartphone. It's cheap, good screen, Google has stated they will port Lollipop to it, and it's so compatible with the Google Play store you can actually buy the phone via Google Play.
posted by pwnguin at 9:17 AM on December 20, 2014 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Candleman at 2:21 PM on December 19, 2014 [2 favorites]