Why YOU had a bad Android experience.

Please note: This was written on 8/3/2012 (American date format) or 3/8/12 (Other format)

I see heaps of people all over these forums, and other ones, saying that Android is crap, that it is too slow, that your phone always freezes, and LOADS of other stuff. This post is going to be about why these people think that, and what they could have done to fix that, so that they could have had a better Android experience.

This is a graph, type thing, showing the version of Android, what versions to avoid, and what versions to aim for.

BLACK = NO, NO, NO.
RED = Well, its OK.
ORANGE = Yeah, this is a good version.
GREEN = This is the version that you should try to get.

The BAD Android

Android 1.0 = Untitled. This is a VERY old version of Android that you should try to stay away from. The current version of Android 1.0 is Android 1.0.

Android 1.1 = Untitled. This is a VERY old version of Android that you should try to stay away from. The current version of Android 1.1 is Android 1.1.

Android 1.5 = Cupcake. This is a VERY old version of Android that you should try to stay away from. The current version of Android 1.5 is Android 1.5.

Android 1.6 = Donut. This is a VERY old version of Android that you should try to stay away from. The current version of Android 1.6 is Android 1.6.

Android 2.0 = Eclair. This is a VERY old version of Android that you should try to stay away from. The current version of Android 2.0 is 2.0.1.

Android 2.1 = Eclair (yeah, they were named the same...) This is a VERY old version of Android that you should try to stay away from. The current version of Android 2.1 is Android 2.1.

The OK Android

Android 2.2 = Froyo. This is a older version of Android that you should try to stay away from. Most of lower end phones are shipped with this version of Android. The current version of Android 2.2 is Android 2.2.3.

The GOOD Android

Android 2.3 = Gingerbread. This was the first GOOD, version of Android that was released, this version of Android was released on the Nexus S. This version of Android is featured on most low/mid end phones. The current version of Android 2.3 is Android 2.3.7.

Android 3.0 = Honeycomb. This is the version of Android that was one of the least sucsessful from Google, it was a tablet only OS, so if you had an Android PHONE, you could not get Android 3.o. The current version of Android 3.o is Android 3.2.6.

The LATEST (BEST) Android

Android 4.0 = ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich). This is the most uncommon version of the Android system, not many Android phones officially run, Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. This is a version of Android that can be tablet OR phone optimized.

Android 4.1 = Jelly Bean. This is the most uncommon version of the Android system, not many Android phones officially run, Android 4.1 Jelly Bean. This is a version of Android that can be tablet OR phone optimized.

Now I am going to list, why people have had a bad Android experience.

1. OS Version. Having a low end Android phone means that you are going to be getting a lower quality OS. So, if you buy a $200 phone, then you will get a older version of Android than your friend that just bought an $400 phone.
2. Hardware. The most recent versions of Android (3.0/3.1/3.2/4.0/4.1) are dual and quad core optimized. But you can run Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean runs fine on the Nexus S, the problem for most (usually all) phones are that the software is not optimized for the hardware. So the OS runs slower.
3. Manufacturer. Some manufacturers, like Motorola, will be spitting out new Android phones every 2nd week. This is a problem for consumers, because Motorola can only have a certain amount of people working on the one phone, so the modified version of the OS, is not coded as well as it could/should be, so you therefore get a worse Android experience.
4. Style. If you get an Android phone that has 2 touch-screens, or ones that have game controllers connected to them. These phones may not get the latest OS update, because the manufacturers have to, write new code that will support the added on hardware.
5. UI. If you get a phone that has a custom UI overlay (Motoblur, Motorola Application Platform, Touchwiz, Timescape, HTC Sense etc) you will get a slower feel to the phone, this means that the phone will do more stuttering on the homescreen, and that will make the phone look and feel worse, that it should.

Here are some ways that you can fix these problems

1. Try a Custom ROM, they will upgrade the Android version, and even more likely, make the phone faster.
2. Well, there isn't much that you can do about hardware, sorry.
3. Well, there isn't much that you can do about manufacturers, sorry.
4. Well, there isn't much that you can do about style, sorry.
5. Try an AOSP, custom ROM, they are designed to give the the stock version of Android, they way that Google intended to have it. No how the manufacturer wants it.

Another thing -
Don't get the phone on weather it will be getting the latest Android update, get it because you like what it has now, if it has Ice Cream Sandwich, don't get that phone because it will be getting Jelly Bean, because, it might not. Make sure you like the UI that it has now, not what it is going to have.

Seems like you really love android, for you wrote this long post. Whatever maybe the thing, many people will agree to this point, that Android's not as smooth as iOS. No matter what the cost is. I've tried many expensive as well as cheap android phones, but I didn't like the feel of 'em. I prefer iOS.

Yeah, I do like Android. Most (all that I have seen) tech reviewers are saying that Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, is as smooth, or smoother than iOS 5/6.

Jelly Bean is at least on par with iOS as far as smoothness goes. Probably even smoother.

Jelly Bean is amazingly smooth. But, I do see iOS 6 being smoother on the next gen iPhone. Just because iOS is a "lighter" OS. I'm getting a Nexus 7 later today and man, that thing is buttery.

Android Market. Not only is the Android Market, Google Play, and all those other "App-Store" things confusing, but you MUST use a credit card. That's a pretty inconvenient way to finance an account, especially when others such as Apple and Zune have their own special cards that you can buy and redeem. This is the reason I'm not switching...at least for now. I won't be putting my credit card number out on anything google. I just won't.

I wouldn't recommend anyone getting a phone not running 4.x

Why? Do you really think one of the largest companies is going to steal your money?

-_- it's not that I don't trust them. I just don't feel comfortable having my credit card number all across the internet. I wouldn't even use my credit card with Apple because I would probably drain my account with Apps I want to buy (not really, but I fear the idea), and it's SOOOOO much simpler and restraining on myself to just buy an iTunes card.

If Android had that, I'd buy an Android today.

my dad is the same. he avoids EVERYTHING google....

ummm, you can get gift cards? at least thats what it says here: http://support.google.com/googleplay/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=105916

I guess you would have to buy a pre paid debit card