Top 10 Features We’d Like To See In Android 3.0

161 Comments

UPDATE:

Hello HaD readers,
Sorry for the delay in updating this. I was on probation while the editors worked with Jason to figure out some things.

Clearly, for my recent debut article, I didn’t research Android OS well enough. After reading each of your comments, I realize that the article fell short of HaD’s and its readers standards for high-quality writing and reporting. Every point I made in the article were problems I noticed in my experience with Android, but I should have done more research on others’ experiences and the capabilities of each version of the OS. To each reader, I am sorry and will do better by you in future posts.

Poor Google. Despite its numerous capabilities with smartphones spread across a variety of carriers, Android still struggles to garner the prestige and positive perceptions of iOS 4. Sales continue to rise, but at the end of the day, the average person is still left lusting for an iPhone. Well, here are 10 features  that should be added to Android 3.0 that could change the tide.
1. A no-brainer task manager.
Google says Android doesn’t need a task manager, that it closes programs efficiently without any user-intervention, substandard apps often suck memory dry. Because of this, Android users are forced to download complicated task-managers, each with its own odd UI, and weigh which one works the best. Google, please fess up to the problem and put something in there a computer novice could use.  Something with big buttons would be nice.
2. Stable Multitasking
Speaking of crashes, multitasking on Android is a mess.  A little optimization here wouldn’t hurt. Better yet, while this may run counter-productive to us power-users, why not release a lite version of Android 3.0 that doesn’t support multitasking? Not every user needs it and lower-end phones would appreciate it
3. Swype
Google, your Android keyboard sucks. That’s why the fine folks at Swype Inc developed their product. Sure, some of the newer Android phones like the Droid X are releasing with it built in, but it would be a boon for the OS to come packaged with this software.
4. IR- sender support
On the hardware side of things, an IR-sender support is a “duh.” Imagine a next generation of remotes running on Android. Better yet, how would you like to control your lights and home-entertainment center with your phone without the sometimes-complicated mess of configuring through a network?
5. Universal pinch-to-zoom
Some apps have it. Some apps don’t. C’mon, this should be standard by now.
6. Folders
Google, you copied iOS’s homescreen UI, why not do it again? Many of users have outgrown their limited pages and would like a way to add some organization to their mobile lives.
7. SD-Card support for app-storage
If users are going to download a ton of apps from the Android Market, they need somewhere to put them. Users with rooted phones can already do this, but expandable storage should be standard in app-filled world with insatiable memory lust.
8. Built-in syncing
If the Android is going to succeed as a user-friendly platform, it needs to make it easy for people to add their music, photos, and video to their phones. It’s simple Google. Develop some web-based software and launch it as a beta. You do it for everything else…
9. Standardized UI for all apps
I’m all for artistic interpretation, but the reason so many functional apps get low scores is because they work differently than the rest of the OS. Once again, do what Apple did and come up with better UI guidelines.
10. Better market
Why can’t I queue downloads from the web? That would be awesome. How about a better way to navigate the store from my laptop? Despite the thousands of apps the Android Market hosts, it is stuck with the same problems as Apple’s iOS4. More importantly than any of the above, Google needs to innovate here. Change the way mobile markets work Google and you could win this war.

Photo courtesy [quinn.anya]

161 thoughts on “Top 10 Features We’d Like To See In Android 3.0”

  2. “7. SD-Card support for app-storage
    If users are going to download a ton of apps from the Android Market, they need somewhere to put them. Users with rooted phones can already do this, but expandable storage should be standard in app-filled world with insatiable memory lust.”

    Screw SD Cards. I want them to support USB drives. Just open a panel on the back and let me put in 128GB of goodness.

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  4. @biozz

    This isn’t really the thread to talk about arduinos, but I just want to say that I guess you completely missed the point of my post.

    There is no point to a “professional” using an “arduino” when they already have the expertise to wire up a superior product, almost from memory. You seem to think that the “arduino” is some sort of separate product?? It’s not. It’s just an MCU on a board with generic circuitry already designed for you. There is no hardware creativity there whatsoever. You learn nothing from plugging a “shield” into an “arduino”. What you can learn is software, and that is fine.

    Now, I am a professional, and I work in an advanced product development lab. I am currently building a capacitive touch center console for a 2012 demo vehicle, from scratch. Your spelling errors and wild accusations lead me to believe that *you* are in fact the troll/n00b ;)

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  7. I hate rotten apples you can sure tell they have never used an android phone and the folder thing unless you jailbreak atleast the older version of iphone you could not even use a folder

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  8. @remne, I wish I had enough time to read the rest of these posts before I pick on you, but yours was so close to the top. I too have been reading Hack a Day for years and fully believe this topic serves a relative purpose here. If you don’t believe me, here, we can add the Blog credit. http://www.amarino-toolkit.net/

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