Ars Technica takes a good look at Android Go, and concludes:
The best thing about Android Go is that it doesn’t force anything on users. If you’re like me and find Google Maps Go to be nearly useless, you are totally free to download the full version of Google Maps. Because of this, Android Go is never an “inferior” version of Android. In the current builds, at least, it’s purely a lighter, less resource-intensive version of Android. If you can’t stand the functionality reduction, you can easily fix it by downloading the full versions of apps.
However scattershot the overall package seems, Android Go does succeed in lowering the bar for what it takes to run Android. It’s certainly more useful than something like Firefox OS or Tizen. Hardware this is cheap still doesn’t result in a user experience I can call “good” though. If you can afford something better, spend the extra money.
Clearly Amazon and other Chinese manufacturers have known all along that android in its current form is not the best option. That’s why they ship 4.1 or 5.1 with their devices. Nothing against google, but android is no longer playing catch up. Now its all about material design language and to be honest is not that great. The reason for that change is even more bizarre, since basically any app can simply ignore. Not even select, copy, and paste is consistent.
I think that’s quite a stretch to say Chinese manufacturers are choosing the best software and therefore that’s why they’re on 4.1. More likely they are dealing with outdated drivers and don’t have resources to update to a modern version of Android.
The Chinese typically use an older version of AOSP and always add their own apps. It is essentially a fork of Android.
Its not a stale stock, Samsung is still shipping a Galaxy tab 8 2013 with old android, old hardware, but the price is practically the same.
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Galaxy-7-Inch-White-SM-T210/dp/B00D02…
Thats brand new! We have a problem, as a consumer.
Thanks to android, the iPad is a better tablet.
But then again, the ir blaster on this thing rocks!!
Edited 2018-04-22 23:34 UTC
It is New old Stock sold by someone. It is not being shipped by Samsung.
The current model is only $120 so why anyone would buy the 2013 version for $199 is a mystery.
I think you are looking at stale stock from manufacturers that was manufactured a few yers ago and hasnt recieved adequate software updates.
If you look at the latest models, they will be quite up to date, even from the cheapest manufacturers.
The Tab A ships (or can be updated) with 7.1.
…For fine engineering and civilian commitments on Privacy. Leave bottom prices to emergent economies. Will remain on my aging FireOS.
The best thing about Android Go is that it doesn’t force anything on users. If you’re like me and find Google Maps Go to be nearly useless, you are totally free to download the full version of Google Maps. Because of this, Android Go is never an “inferior” version of Android. In the current builds, at least, it’s purely a lighter, less resource-intensive version of Android. If you can’t stand the functionality reduction, you can easily fix it by downloading the full versions of apps.
However scattershot the overall package seems, Android Go does succeed in lowering the bar for what it takes to run Android. It’s certainly more useful than something like Firefox OS or Tizen. Hardware this is cheap still doesn’t result in a user experience I can call “good” though. If you can afford something better, spend the extra money.
Why Thom? If something does the job you want, why spend the money on “features” you’ll *NEVER* actually use for anything like Apple or Android Pay on a phone or tablet?
People buy the cheap hardware you are complaining about because it sill offer features that the hardware *YOU* seem to approve of no longer does like Headphone Jacks,Expandable SD Card Slots and Removable Batteries.
Isn’t it ironic that it’s the expensive hardware you seem to shill for that’s removing these features for no real reason while still charging absurd prices for increasingly crippled hardware while it’s the cheaper hardware *YOU* don’t seem to like that’s still offering these features when it should be the reverse?
Edited 2018-04-23 12:52 UTC
You realise the part which you quoted (though by bolding it for some reason) aren’t Thom’s words, but from the Ars Technica article?
They pretty much are his words since he and I suspect you
share pretty much the same attitude expressed.
Well then you’re simply even more wrong, I like inexpensive phones… (though perhaps not as low-end as devices targeted by Android Go, especially in amount of RAM / it’s important for comfort in how I use ~computing devices) …you really should consider it: http://www.osnews.com/thread?655717