From Symbian to Android: Managing Expectations

There have been two very good posts on Mobility Blog in the last two weeks about the switch experience from Symbian as a mobile platform to Android. Here are some other few things to keep in mind when switching…

Contrary to popular belief, we at PlirisMobile are not all evil anti-Popular-Name-Brand techies. We are also everyday people who get to use devices in everyday situations for basic stuff.

I have always been a fan of a certain Finnish product. One of my personal rules is to always own at least one Nokia phone. Presently, I have an N900 and an E72 in my drawer at home and a faulty N8 in my bag. (N8 got damaged and Nokia Nigeria told me since it was bought in the UK I should forget about it. I was very angry, but I digress).

This is not a Symbian-is-Better-than-Android or vice versa post. It is just about preparing your mind before the switch. Symbian (God rest her soul), supported C++ programming. It was because of its high Java support that gaming was the ultimate experience here.

Most times, end users go through culture shock when they switch from other platforms to Android devices in general. Today we will be talking about Android adopters coming from Symbian.

• You will need more internet data: Unlike on Symbian OS where you could survive on the networks’ 10MB donation for recharging your account, you need to consider getting a data plan. For standard WhatsApp, browsing, tweeting and emailing at least a 200MB plan will be ideal for a month.
• You will need a Google Account: A Google Account is the official way to get things done on an Android phone, you can do without it but you will be like a deaf man at a very entertaining movie.
• Camera is different: The way both OSes handle pictures is different. There is a lot of debate on whose system is better and more realistic; the truth though is that pictures from a 5 MP Nokia camera look completely different from a 5 MP pic on any Android phone. (this is also a function of lenses)
• Always-on Clock: this is a minor thing but a big deal to a lot of people. On Symbian by default your standby screen is always showing a clock. On Android, you need to press the Power button for the Lock Screen to show up to take a peek at the time.
• Battery Usage: This is another touchy subject as Android users are very defensive about the consumption to utilization ratio. They will tell you a Symbian phone is not doing much so the battery should last longer. However it is important to point out that if you are migrating to Android, phones normally come with a 1500mAH battery but you can get a replacement with higher rating. A 3500mAH Power Capsule or a replacement battery are good for getting about two extra days of power
• Maps Versus Satnav things: Unfortunately you need to wave goodbye to this. Google Maps is better than Nokia/Bing Maps but turn-by-turn navigation is not Available on Google Maps anywhere except the US. You can buy Sygic which works, but Nokia Maps is free
• You will need to adjust your web browsing habits: you will enjoy the Android Web Browser. It provides a faster, multi-tabbed and more stable browsing experience. Symbian’s default browser can download only one file at a time. However there is now support for multi-window browsing through the Symbian web browser.

That’s my 50 kobo’s worth. Hopefully these tips will help make your transition from Symbian to Android a less shocking experience. I will be delighted to answer any questions that you may have on this subject.

Credits: This article was contributed by PlirisMobile.

Author: Guest Contributor

This article is a guest contribution sent in for publishing. It is not the work of our in-house staff or editorial team.