I have an iOS device currently, but I've been wanting to try out Android for a while (maybe the Nexus 5, depending on how good it is). But I currently have some questions about Android:
1. Do you need an SD card for these game emulators? I was looking on the Google Play Store and say a ton of these emulators for stuff like Gameboy, DS, PSP, SNES, etc. But they all say they check your SD card for ROM's. So, do you need an SD card slot? Or can you download then for the internet? Nexus phones are known to not have SD card slots, so this kind of worries me. Also, I know ROM's have to do with rooting (and I'm not looking to root my device), but do these game ROM's need a rooted device? Also, is there any iOS emulators out there (for the occasional iOS app)?
2. I know there are tons of launchers, and there are 2 kinds of launchers (that I know of). There are the launchers that like change the look of your home screen and such, then there are App Launchers? Can I run both kinds of launchers at once?
3. The reason I'm thinking more about a Nexus phone is because they come with Stock Android (which get updates right when they come out) and Nexus phones tend to be very cheap, compared to its competitors. So, should I choose a Nexus phone because it has Stock Android? I also am looking at the Sony Xperia Z1 (which looks really nice, good quality build, has SD Card slot, and is waterproof) if the Nexus 5 isn't what I want.
4. What is the max size for a phone that is still comfortable in hand? I'm not looking for a phablet, as those are outrageously huge, but within the 4.5-5.8 inch area, what is the max size that is still comfortable in hand?
5. Are all apps compatible with all phones? I know that lots of phones have screen sizes such as 720p, 768p, 1080p, etc, but do all apps support those resolutions? And I also have heard from random places that some apps aren't allowed on certain devices. Is that true?
EDIT: 6. Say I was to get the Xperia with the Timescape UI (I believe thats what it is called). Then say I install Nova Launcher, or any Launcher. Would that launcher look the same on the Xperia as if it was on the Nexus?
EDIT: 7. Does Android support game controllers for most games/the good games?
EDIT: 8. This may not have to do with Android, but what is the Ubuntu Edge? I'm pretty sure it's running some mobile version of Ubuntu, but it has amazing specs, and is it able to run Android? Or does the OS support Android apps or what? And does it support AT&T (that's what I have)? And if it does run Android, too, is it stock Android? And what will the price of this phone be?I've been hearing stuff like you can order one now for like $600, but later on it will be like $830, and stuff I just don't get. What exactly is the pricing?
I will add more questions as they come to my mind.
1. You do not need an SD card to download ROM's. It is defaulted to saving in your "Downloads" folder on your phone storage. You can then use the Emulator to select the file directly in the downloads folder. Also, you do not need a rooted device to play on a Emulator.
2. The Home Screen launcher and the App Launcher are the same. I haven't heard the term "App Launcher" before though. A few good Launchers are: Go Launcher, Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, and Holo Launcher (one I currently use). Most of them are paid apps. A launcher is definetly recommended as you can't custom many things on the home page in the Settings.
3. Nexus phones are great quality and are amazing for the price. Stock Android is definetly good to have. Not only do you get the updates quicker, Stock Android also looks the best (imo) and has generally more features. It also depends on what you like. Different phones have different Cameras, etc. Some might look better to you, or you like having bigger screen or a removable back. The Nexus 5 doesn't look as it is going to be t that great though. I recommend the HTC One.
4. My current phone is 4.5", which I feel is perfect in my hand (I have large hands). Most recent phones are around 5", but it depends on personal preference. The S4 also holds quite comfortably in my hand (5"), but I still prefer a 4.5".
5. Pretty much all apps are supported on all phones. If it's a recent phone, then I think everything will work. The only limitations I know of are the Android Version where some apps are Gingerbread 2.2+ or something.
I currently own a Samsung Galaxy S2X rooted with AOKP 4.2.2.
I have an iOS device currently, but I've been wanting to try out Android for a while (maybe the Nexus 5, depending on how good it is). But I currently have some questions about Android:
1. Do you need an SD card for these game emulators? I was looking on the Google Play Store and say a ton of these emulators for stuff like Gameboy, DS, PSP, SNES, etc. But they all say they check your SD card for ROM's. So, do you need an SD card slot? Or can you download then for the internet? Nexus phones are known to not have SD card slots, so this kind of worries me. Also, I know ROM's have to do with rooting (and I'm not looking to root my device), but do these game ROM's need a rooted device? Also, is there any iOS emulators out there (for the occasional iOS app)?
2. I know there are tons of launchers, and there are 2 kinds of launchers (that I know of). There are the launchers that like change the look of your home screen and such, then there are App Launchers? Can I run both kinds of launchers at once?
3. The reason I'm thinking more about a Nexus phone is because they come with Stock Android (which get updates right when they come out) and Nexus phones tend to be very cheap, compared to its competitors. So, should I choose a Nexus phone because it has Stock Android? I also am looking at the Sony Xperia Z1 (which looks really nice, good quality build, has SD Card slot, and is waterproof) if the Nexus 5 isn't what I want.
4. What is the max size for a phone that is still comfortable in hand? I'm not looking for a phablet, as those are outrageously huge, but within the 4.5-5.8 inch area, what is the max size that is still comfortable in hand?
5. Are all apps compatible with all phones? I know that lots of phones have screen sizes such as 720p, 768p, 1080p, etc, but do all apps support those resolutions? And I also have heard from random places that some apps aren't allowed on certain devices. Is that true?
EDIT: 6. Say I was to get the Xperia with the Timescape UI (I believe thats what it is called). Then say I install Nova Launcher, or any Launcher. Would that launcher look the same on the Xperia as if it was on the Nexus?
EDIT: 7. Does Android support game controllers for most games/the good games?
I will add more questions as they come to my mind.
Ideally phones that are using the Android operating system will have a Micro SD card by default, minium size most of the time 2GB. Tablets and otherwise few phones, do not even have Micro SD card slots. But this is for allowing "force marketing" by binning up larger storage space device of the same kind. Ideally though, internal and external are generally treated the same. It is highly best though, to put Game images on external SD, if the device has such, if not then internal it is. Word of advice though. Emulation of game consoles is rather not good at moment, for mobile devices. The following consoles, have good emulators but for safety of the discussion I will not mention the App names. The devices are: NES, SNES, N64 (iffy), GBC/GBA, NDS requires a strong device, PS1 is in development still. So far, these can play good or maybe not at all, this is how it goes with emulation though.
Android is a themed operating system. You change how you want stuff to look by themes. You only can run one launcher at a time. The best of course normally being stock/default one. If not the next best I would suggest is Holo Launcher, either free or the paid one.
Stock Android? The thing about android, the updates are absolute chaotic crap. Google has lately been preparing to take action on this, dubbing it "Android Defragmentation". Because OEM manufactures like Samsung and HTC, are pitifully and lazy at making and pushing updates to latest Android OS for their devices. Get a device with at most Android version 4.3 or 4.2, or to say "Jelly Bean".
It varies up to you, this is something no one can answer for you. Remember though, Tablets are not Mobile Phones.
Google Play will tell if a App is compatabile with your device or not. Device screen resolution or DPI is not a variable factor here. Hardware and Android version IS the variable factor. Like you cannot run Minecraft PE on a android based device with a ARM 6 or ARM 6v CPU, because Minecraft PE was designed for a ARM 7 CPU.
Launchers are Launchers, they will scale with the device if they are compatabile with the device. Android OS is Android OS. So long as it is the same version on the devices, it will likely look the same.
There is micro USB controllers you can buy. Also there is apps out there that allow using Bluetooth devices, like the Wii-Remote, as a controller. Some of them can even allow you to remote input using your keyboard or mouse. But Fair word of advice here, android screen streaming is aweful slow, so that option is only good for remote controlling the device, not gaming on it.
Ideally phones that are using the Android operating system will have a Micro SD card by default, minium size most of the time 2GB. Tablets and otherwise few phones, do not even have Micro SD card slots. But this is for allowing "force marketing" by binning up larger storage space device of the same kind. Ideally though, internal and external are generally treated the same. It is highly best though, to put Game images on external SD, if the device has such, if not then internal it is. Word of advice though. Emulation of game consoles is rather not good at moment, for mobile devices. The following consoles, have good emulators but for safety of the discussion I will not mention the App names. The devices are: NES, SNES, N64 (iffy), GBC/GBA, NDS requires a strong device, PS1 is in development still. So far, these can play good or maybe not at all, this is how it goes with emulation though.
Android is a themed operating system. You change how you want stuff to look by themes. You only can run one launcher at a time. The best of course normally being stock/default one. If not the next best I would suggest is Holo Launcher, either free or the paid one.
Stock Android? The thing about android, the updates are absolute chaotic crap. Google has lately been preparing to take action on this, dubbing it "Android Defragmentation". Because OEM manufactures like Samsung and HTC, are pitifully and lazy at making and pushing updates to latest Android OS for their devices. Get a device with at most Android version 4.3 or 4.2, or to say "Jelly Bean".
It varies up to you, this is something no one can answer for you. Remember though, Tablets are not Mobile Phones.
Google Play will tell if a App is compatabile with your device or not. Device screen resolution or DPI is not a variable factor here. Hardware and Android version IS the variable factor. Like you cannot run Minecraft PE on a android based device with a ARM 6 or ARM 6v CPU, because Minecraft PE was designed for a ARM 7 CPU.
Launchers are Launchers, they will scale with the device if they are compatabile with the device. Android OS is Android OS. So long as it is the same version on the devices, it will likely look the same.
There is micro USB controllers you can buy. Also there is apps out there that allow using Bluetooth devices, like the Wii-Remote, as a controller. Some of them can even allow you to remote input using your keyboard or mouse. But Fair word of advice here, android screen streaming is aweful slow, so that option is only good for remote controlling the device, not gaming on it.
Do most phones now days have ARM 7? Is that like different from a Snapdragon processor?
Do most phones now days have ARM 7? Is that like different from a Snapdragon processor?
Android devices running at most Version 3.0 and higher have ARM7 CPUs or equavalient. Because those versions of Android required such ideally.
You can generally google a phone/tablet to find what CPU it has easy. Given price of phones and tablets now a days, try to aim for at least quad core. Anything else is generally older tech. ARM 7v Cortex is most common now a days by what I see.
Not nessecarily. The Moto X has a dual-core but I'd like to see anyone call it "older tech".
What sets phones apart aren't the specs anymore, but instead the various software features as well as how it feels in the hand (to a lesser extent).
Wrong, because Google is now Defragmenting Android. There wont be any new "feature bringing" Android release for a while now. You must rely on your phone OEM to do this.
And that is not what i meant about quad core. The latest gen, is aiming for quad cores. Dual cores were secondary tier. Still they are Cortex ARM7v, but they were ideally 2011ish phones, 2012 and 2013 are quads at most to say. Coretex ARM7v was designed and released in 2011~.
8. Is the Ubuntu Edge still going to come out? I know it didn't get all the money that they wanted to start making it. And does it support AT&T (that's what I have)? And is it Stock Android that it runs (along with Ubuntu OS)? And what will the price of this phone be? What exactly is the pricing?
8. Is the Ubuntu Edge still going to come out? I know it didn't get all the money that they wanted to start making it. And does it support AT&T (that's what I have)? And is it Stock Android that it runs (along with Ubuntu OS)? And what will the price of this phone be? What exactly is the pricing?
We don't know. There really isn't much information about it around. I do know it will/would of ran Ubuntu touch which is based off Ubuntu.
8. Is the Ubuntu Edge still going to come out? I know it didn't get all the money that they wanted to start making it. And does it support AT&T (that's what I have)? And is it Stock Android that it runs (along with Ubuntu OS)? And what will the price of this phone be? What exactly is the pricing?
Ubuntu Edge as far as I know did not reach its Kickstarter goal. There is enough competition in the mobile world as is.
An side offloading is limited on some phones. But that is a complex subject and requires knowledge and risk of rooting/flashing.
Android uses a Linux kernel to say. Android is programmed in JavaME, a bit of C and then Linux kernel to top it off.
How to handle a bricked device in either soft brick or hard brick.
How to properly use root super user SU commands.
I bricked my phone... But I did fix it by flashing a stock ROM (even though it is old)
But I wouldn't recommend it because clockwork is incompatible with the newest OTA update...
But it is still helpful
High risks? Only if you don't know what you're doing, which, granted, is sometimes the case, in which case, yes, don't root.
But rooting, and dealing with all the (good and band) consequences arising therefrom, at least from my experience with the Nexus 4, could not be more straightforward, and is only risky insofar as you decide to run rm -rf / as root. Even flashing custom ROMs, kernels, recoveries, radios, etc., is not all that risky, as long as you don't do anything funny.
That being said, it's not for everyone.
Carriers have started doing shady things to prevent/screw up roots and custom ROMs.
Among other things that are a huge problem, but that is just the obvious.
High risks? Only if you don't know what you're doing, which, granted, is sometimes the case, in which case, yes, don't root.
But rooting, and dealing with all the (good and band) consequences arising therefrom, at least from my experience with the Nexus 4, could not be more straightforward, and is only risky insofar as you decide to run rm -rf / as root. Even flashing custom ROMs, kernels, recoveries, radios, etc., is not all that risky, as long as you don't do anything funny.
Brilliant idea, go messing with the Radio firmware, just mess it up once, and its over. Mess with the thing, that is the true BIOS of your phone, that boots the CPU up then boots the boot-loader itself.
There is much risk involved. Once you get Clockworkmod installed as your recovery, then things get a bit more easy. But never try screwing around with the radio firmware. You only ask for severe trouble there.
Also a phone with root, even if has Superuser on it, gives a free ride for malicious apps.
So no, it is not for everyone. Rooting is best reserved for those who know the risks and everything associated with it.
Depends on the phone you choose or tablet if that is another thing.
Some easy, some you should bother because they are pain in the butt.
Samsung I have found to be most easy. HTC is absolute chaos and their latest stuff is back to S-ON again which is a slap in the face no. Google is ok and not to big a issue.
You are way over-dramatizing everything. As long as you don't wipe your bootloader (fastboot erase bootloader), you can always boot into fastboot mode in order to flash whatever stock images you need, including the radio firmware.
Reason I plan not to respond to this really. Is because no two devices are the same. And just to say, I frequent the XDA and Android Forums. YMMV.
I've just been looking into the LG G2. How about that (if the Nexus 5 isn't all that great)? I personally think the buttons on the back are fine, and I think its cool on how many option there are on the G2. The only thing about the G2 is that the Nexus 5 is rumored to be based off the G2.
1. Do you need an SD card for these game emulators? I was looking on the Google Play Store and say a ton of these emulators for stuff like Gameboy, DS, PSP, SNES, etc. But they all say they check your SD card for ROM's. So, do you need an SD card slot? Or can you download then for the internet? Nexus phones are known to not have SD card slots, so this kind of worries me. Also, I know ROM's have to do with rooting (and I'm not looking to root my device), but do these game ROM's need a rooted device? Also, is there any iOS emulators out there (for the occasional iOS app)?
2. I know there are tons of launchers, and there are 2 kinds of launchers (that I know of). There are the launchers that like change the look of your home screen and such, then there are App Launchers? Can I run both kinds of launchers at once?
3. The reason I'm thinking more about a Nexus phone is because they come with Stock Android (which get updates right when they come out) and Nexus phones tend to be very cheap, compared to its competitors. So, should I choose a Nexus phone because it has Stock Android? I also am looking at the Sony Xperia Z1 (which looks really nice, good quality build, has SD Card slot, and is waterproof) if the Nexus 5 isn't what I want.
4. What is the max size for a phone that is still comfortable in hand? I'm not looking for a phablet, as those are outrageously huge, but within the 4.5-5.8 inch area, what is the max size that is still comfortable in hand?
5. Are all apps compatible with all phones? I know that lots of phones have screen sizes such as 720p, 768p, 1080p, etc, but do all apps support those resolutions? And I also have heard from random places that some apps aren't allowed on certain devices. Is that true?
EDIT: 6. Say I was to get the Xperia with the Timescape UI (I believe thats what it is called). Then say I install Nova Launcher, or any Launcher. Would that launcher look the same on the Xperia as if it was on the Nexus?
EDIT: 7. Does Android support game controllers for most games/the good games?
EDIT: 8. This may not have to do with Android, but what is the Ubuntu Edge? I'm pretty sure it's running some mobile version of Ubuntu, but it has amazing specs, and is it able to run Android? Or does the OS support Android apps or what? And does it support AT&T (that's what I have)? And if it does run Android, too, is it stock Android? And what will the price of this phone be?I've been hearing stuff like you can order one now for like $600, but later on it will be like $830, and stuff I just don't get. What exactly is the pricing?
I will add more questions as they come to my mind.
2. The Home Screen launcher and the App Launcher are the same. I haven't heard the term "App Launcher" before though. A few good Launchers are: Go Launcher, Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher, and Holo Launcher (one I currently use). Most of them are paid apps. A launcher is definetly recommended as you can't custom many things on the home page in the Settings.
3. Nexus phones are great quality and are amazing for the price. Stock Android is definetly good to have. Not only do you get the updates quicker, Stock Android also looks the best (imo) and has generally more features. It also depends on what you like. Different phones have different Cameras, etc. Some might look better to you, or you like having bigger screen or a removable back. The Nexus 5 doesn't look as it is going to be t that great though. I recommend the HTC One.
4. My current phone is 4.5", which I feel is perfect in my hand (I have large hands). Most recent phones are around 5", but it depends on personal preference. The S4 also holds quite comfortably in my hand (5"), but I still prefer a 4.5".
5. Pretty much all apps are supported on all phones. If it's a recent phone, then I think everything will work. The only limitations I know of are the Android Version where some apps are Gingerbread 2.2+ or something.
I currently own a Samsung Galaxy S2X rooted with AOKP 4.2.2.
Android devices running at most Version 3.0 and higher have ARM7 CPUs or equavalient. Because those versions of Android required such ideally.
You can generally google a phone/tablet to find what CPU it has easy. Given price of phones and tablets now a days, try to aim for at least quad core. Anything else is generally older tech. ARM 7v Cortex is most common now a days by what I see.
Wrong, because Google is now Defragmenting Android. There wont be any new "feature bringing" Android release for a while now. You must rely on your phone OEM to do this.
And that is not what i meant about quad core. The latest gen, is aiming for quad cores. Dual cores were secondary tier. Still they are Cortex ARM7v, but they were ideally 2011ish phones, 2012 and 2013 are quads at most to say. Coretex ARM7v was designed and released in 2011~.
Qualcomm makes a few dual cores still, but not really for phones or tablets.
But more like for Routers/modems/etc (networking), TV boxes such as Cable boxes or Satallite boxes, DVD/Blu-Ray players, etc.
The S4 Snapdragon is kinda oldish.
Current is 600 and 800, most of which are All Quad Core except a few versions.
We don't know. There really isn't much information about it around. I do know it will/would of ran Ubuntu touch which is based off Ubuntu.
Ubuntu Edge as far as I know did not reach its Kickstarter goal. There is enough competition in the mobile world as is.
An side offloading is limited on some phones. But that is a complex subject and requires knowledge and risk of rooting/flashing.
Android uses a Linux kernel to say. Android is programmed in JavaME, a bit of C and then Linux kernel to top it off.
Not unless you understand the high risks from it.
How to handle a bricked device in either soft brick or hard brick.
How to properly use root super user SU commands.
I bricked my phone... But I did fix it by flashing a stock ROM (even though it is old)
But I wouldn't recommend it because clockwork is incompatible with the newest OTA update...
But it is still helpful
Among other things that are a huge problem, but that is just the obvious.
Brilliant idea, go messing with the Radio firmware, just mess it up once, and its over. Mess with the thing, that is the true BIOS of your phone, that boots the CPU up then boots the boot-loader itself.
There is much risk involved. Once you get Clockworkmod installed as your recovery, then things get a bit more easy. But never try screwing around with the radio firmware. You only ask for severe trouble there.
Also a phone with root, even if has Superuser on it, gives a free ride for malicious apps.
So no, it is not for everyone. Rooting is best reserved for those who know the risks and everything associated with it.
Depends on the phone you choose or tablet if that is another thing.
Some easy, some you should bother because they are pain in the butt.
Samsung I have found to be most easy. HTC is absolute chaos and their latest stuff is back to S-ON again which is a slap in the face no. Google is ok and not to big a issue.
Reason I plan not to respond to this really. Is because no two devices are the same. And just to say, I frequent the XDA and Android Forums. YMMV.