Ranadok …doesn't have much better to do

Android Update: New ROM Edition

I finally bit the bullet and installed a custom ROM on my HTC Magic a couple of weeks back. I didn't do it so much because I was tired of the stock ROM or what it offered, but I was getting frustrated with the constant crashing of random programs and general sluggishness of the phone. So, after several days of fighting with various methods (it isn't that hard, but I went down the wrong path a couple of times and over-researched everything else), my phone is running a brand new ROM. Specifically, Amon_RA's 1.2.1 ION-based release.

I've been quite impressed with it. It's faster, less sluggish, and altogether more snappy (yes, those three things mean pretty much the same thing, but it's a big difference, so I don't mind repeating myself). There isn't much by way of new features (mainly just the voice search, which is hit or miss) and there are a few things that the Rogers ROM did better (better dialer, better camera, actually showed when connected to HSDPA, and a few other things too minor to remember), but overall I am quite pleased with it. I did have to upload all the old ringtones that the new ROM didn't have (Twitter updates without 'plonk' aren't the same), though. I am going to go back though my post of the problems that I have with Android and update it, because most of the speed and stability ones have been cleared up. I do want to try more ROMs eventually, especially Cyanogenmod (if it survives) and one of the HTC Sense-based ones, but for now, I'll take my speedy stable phone and be happy with it. Plus I have wifi tether now (though I take my laptop with me less and less now that I have a proper smart phone)!

Though it somehow made the calendar application worse. The calendar: the persistent black mark on an otherwise pleasant Android experience.

The Android Bads

I've already covered the things I like about Android, so it's time to move on to the things I don't like. There are a few disclaimers first:  I freely admit that many of them are quite nitpicky and tiny. Still, they bear mentioning as there is always room for improvement. As well, a number of things may be completely incorrect (for example, if I am completely unaware of a setting somewhere to change vibrate modes). If you stumble across this list and find something that I have terribly horribly wrong, please let me know, I would love to cross things off of this list. Also, some things may be listed under software or hardware when they may better belong under the other category. Just deal with that. Finally, some complaints may be directed more at the application developers, not the Android developers or the hardware manufacturers. They got some praise, they can take some criticism. So, here we go (beware, the words 'frustrating', 'annoying' and others like them are thrown around a lot...)

Edit (Sept 24): I installed a new ROM, which fixed a number of problems. Items are noted where changed.

Edit (Oct 26): Some minor updates

Edit (Sept 5, 2010): Revisited after a year of updates

Edit (Nov 29th, 2011): Another year gone

The Android Goods

So, I've been using my Android phone (Rogers HTC Magic) for a couple of months now, so I think I have a good sense of what there is to like and dislike about the handset and the platform in general.  Most of these are in comparison to my old Palm handsets (IIIxe, IIIc, M505, Zire 72 in that order), as that's what I was using for the longest time. I was going to put the likes and dislikes both in one post, but it turned out quite long, so I'll split it into two. That isn't to say that this won't be long, though. It is. So, here are the 20-some-odd things I like about my Android phone in no particular order, divided into hardware and software:

Edit Oct 26: Added a few new items and features from updates

Edit September 5, 2010: a few new items