Bloomberg: "Microsoft, which has tightly controlled the number of ARM-based devices it is supporting at first to ensure quality, opted not to work with HTC after initial discussions with the company, said two people familiar with the matter. The world's largest software maker decided HTC didn't have the sales volume needed and had less tablet experience than some of the other vendors it could choose to work with for the first round of devices, the people said." HTC was the first company to build a Microsoft-powered smartphone. Now, they're not allowed to build Windows 8 tablets.
To view parent comment, click here.
To read all comments associated with this story, please click here.
Member since:2007-09-06
Look into Wug's Root Toolkit.
http://www.galaxynexusforum.com/forum/galaxy-nexus-hacking-mods-lte...
You may not want to unlock/root the device for your wife but look at the backup function. It will backup apps *and* app data. Backups can be taken even from an encrypted device. Backup files will be encrypted. Restoring the backup to the device after a reset or firmware update is painless.
(ha.. nice.. v1.4 is out.. gotta got update my own install)
I've found the built-in Android backup function handy. It covers OS settings, Google apps and related data. I've found it covers most third party apps but I've had a few restored naked leaving me to repopulate them.
I've also tried the various backup apps (all want to backup to an SD which is no good with the Nexus lacking a removable SD slot). They also tend to only backup the apps not the app data so they rank somewhere around useless for me.
Wug's does it right though. Apps and app data from encrypted or unencrypted device with backup file encrypted and stored on your computer not the Android devices own storage.
If your wife experiences software issues fixed in a later version of Android, you can also upgrade the device from Google's official firmware rather than waiting for your carrier to maybe eventually push ICS 4.0.4 or whatever is current by then. (A big fat WTF to my carrier for still not having pushed the 4.0.4 out for stock devices.. what the hell Rogers?)
Member since:2006-09-18
I've never had a crash on my HTC Incredible. If I had to guess some of you are "power users" installing a bunch of (interesting) apps that tend to mess with your phone environment.
You may have less crashes in more tightly controlled environments (iPhone) or envirnments with less (interesting) apps (Windows mobile).
I'm not saying this is certainly the case, but it's a guess as to why Android has been less than stable for some.
Member since:2011-05-19
You may have less crashes in more tightly controlled environments (iPhone) or envirnments with less (interesting) apps (Windows mobile).
On the contrary, Windows Mobile was very easy to kill. I had an HTC Windows Mobile phone that would freeze up multiple times a day. Even doing a hard reset wouldn't solve it. Finally, I read up on the XDA forums and did a hard reset -- but also skipped the carrier customizations. That left it in a state in which it was running only stock Microsoft code + drivers, the thing would stay up for a month.
That was when I concluded Windows Mobile had no future. Having OEMs preload craplets on Windows PCs is bad enough -- but doing the same thing on a phone, and preventing me from receiving calls? I simply don't have time to baby my phone like I do my computer.
And that was only the carrier preloads! I didn't install anything else on that phone!
Or perhaps you meant Windows Phone. That falls into the iOS category of "tightly controlled."
Edited 2012-06-07 19:18 UTC
Member since:2006-09-01
I haven't had a crash on the Samsung Captivate either. It was just my wife and her Captivate.
At least the iPhone I have for work can be easily backed up to iTunes or iCloud, so if I have to wipe it it's not as much of a chore to get my data and apps back.
To be quite honest, if a single, non-malicious app can render an OS completely useless, in this case Spotify, then the OS has problems. I can understand the app being crap, but that's no excuse for taking down every other app on the phone.
Member since:2008-04-08
Androids are easy to fix, ESPECIALLY the Nexus models! You really can't blame anyone for the crashes when you were running MIUI...custom ROMs are prone to crashing...if you want stability, use a stock ROM!
Avoid "free" apps as well. Even the good ones drain battery life to feed you ads to "pay" for the app! Spend the $2-$5 for the app...it's not going to kill your wallet and your phone will thank you! Also, "free" apps are the major source of malware. ONLY buy from trusted developers and PAY ATTENTION to the permissions you grant your apps!
If you keep your phone free of "crapps", you shouldn't have any problems with your wife's Nexus.
Member since:2006-09-01
The problems started while she was running the stock ROM.
How is Android easy to fix? I'd really like to know. I'd like to be able to fix it without resorting to wiping the phone every time.
Yeah, apps are probably the problem. The last episode of crashes started when she downloaded Spotify.
Member since:2005-11-29
So, the Xbox One disaster continues. Microsoft's policy for dealing with the used games market has reportedly leaked - and it's a clear and direct attack to destroy the used games market. Prices for used games will be set at the retail value of a new game, and retailers have to hook into Microsoft's computer systems and comply with Microsoft's terms and conditions.At an event earlier today, Microsoft unveiled the next Xbox - the third model, but confusingly named Xbox One. The big focus was TV, integrated Kinect, and all the other stuff we all expected to be forced down our throats. I think it took them 25 minutes to actually come to what should be the core of the story: gaming. Nothing groundbreaking in the gaming department, except for how Microsoft intends to handle the used games market and borrowing games from friends: pay up, buddy!The day has finally come! Jolla has finally announced the launch device for its Sailfish operating system - and by god this is a looker. It's decidedly different from other phones out there, but it has good specifications and carries a relatively reasonably price tag - EUR 399, and it's up for pre-order today, shipping in the fourth quarter of this year.
Why does Google get so much credit in the technology industry? Why, despite the company's many obvious failings, do many geeks and enthusiasts still hold a somewhat positive view on the all-knowing technology giant? A specific talk at Google I/O this week provides the answer.
OSNews is a sponsor of this year's O'Reilly OSCON in Portland, Oregon, USA. A lucky OSNews reader will win a free three-day pass, including two tutorials days. To win the pass, post a comment on this story saying something about Open Source Software or OSCON. We'll pick a winner at random next week. If you don't have an OSNews account, you may email us your entry. Part of the conference is the 9th annual Open Source Awards, and today the 16th is the deadline for nominations. If you'd like to nominate an outstanding open source contributor, do it here. Read on for more information about OSCON. Update: The 20% discount code for OSNews readers is "OSN."
"Windows is indeed slower than other operating systems in many scenarios, and the gap is worsening." That's one way to start an insider explanation of why Windows' performance isn't up to snuff. Written by someone who actually contributes code to the Windows NT kernel, the comment on Hacker News, later deleted but reposted with permission on Marc Bevand's blog, paints a very dreary picture of the state of Windows development. The root issue? Think of how Linux is developed, and you'll know the answer.
This is one of those news items that's fun to write, fun to read, fun to comment on, and where no one will be able to say anything unkind. It's all just one big ball of awesome fluffiness. TuneTracker, the BeOS radio automation software, has just released something very special: TuneTracker System 5, the first version designed entirely and specifically for Haiku. In fact, it actually includes Haiku in the software package. Better yet, TuneTracker also unveiled several system-in-a-box products - which have Haiku and TuneTracker pre-installed.
Exactly twenty years ago, a document was published that played a huge role in establishing the web as we know it today. Twenty years later, and this simple and straightforward document is proof of an irrefutable fact: while closed technologies can change markets, open technologies can change the world.Oh multitasking. That staple of computing that got thrown out the window with many modern smartphones. We got some rudimentary thing in its place - but even as multitasking on phone and tablets improves, its user-visible side remains cumbersome. Windows 8 has a neat implementation, and now it's time Android follows in it footsteps.They're here! Whether that excites you or not remains to be seen, but the Galaxy S4, which will most likely become the best selling Android smartphone of the year by a huge margin, has been reviewed by all the major sites, and there's lots of interesting conclusions in there - although I think most of you will get the gist.
Member since:
2006-09-01
My wife has the same amazing ability to kill Android phones, which is unfortunate since she relies heavily on her phone to do her job.
We both had Samsung Captivates with the stock ROM, and after a couple months stuff started crashing. I switch us to the Miui.us ROM, and after a couple of months the force closes started again. We switch phones, and same results. Although the last time was because of the Spotify app.
After the last episode, I bought her a Galaxy Nexus hoping it's a software problem caused by Samsung. The next step for her is an iPhone 5, whenever that is released, if the Nexus starts crashing.
The most aggravating thing is how hard Android phones are to fix. My wife had problems with her Blackberries, but they were at least easy to backup and reinstall.