I was really excited about my new Android device Samsung Galaxy S but slowly finding out that it would have been better of sticking to, at least for the time being, with my old Nokia 5800. There are quite a few reasons for it and most of it are to do with Google’s limiting services to the western part of the world.
Take the Android Market for example, Google markets that it has thousand and thousands of Apps in the Android market. But in India, where I am from, I only have a handful of ‘useful’ Apps. I didn’t realize until a day before that countries other than USA and few European states didn’t have access to paid Apps in the Android Market. ‘Paid Apps’, that’s where quality resides, and the rest, barring a few respectable Apps, are just junk. See this Techcrunch posting for further reading.
I just can’t seem to understand why Google is limiting access even to the basic Android market. Google Checkout is a failure, just introduce regular third party forms of payment like Visa, Master card or even Paypal and move on. Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt said once, ‘part of being Open is to be inclusive and not exclusive’. And I guess that applies to everything, not just ‘Flash’.
Navigation: I covered this earlier in Google Maps Navigation in India. Again, limited to the western world. Even if it arrives, I learnt that Maps Navigation has to load over the air unlike Ovi Maps Navigation which is completely offline, which is simply far superior to Google Maps navigation.
Update: See MapMyIndia Sygic Mobile Maps Navigation.
No PC Suite software: Nokia’s Ovi suite was the best Sync software I’ve ever seen. Android doesn’t provide a PC Suite software itself but leaves it to the individual manufacturers. Samsung has Kies, which is nothing more than just a piece of crapware. It doesn’t Sync anything, and most of its features are only one way, there’s no ‘back to phone’ option.
I know all these will be solved in future, hence I said ‘for the time being’ at the beginning. But when that ‘future’ arrives is anybody’s guess.
Raghav can you tellme the size of the maps folder in your SDcard and how many cities does your map version cover…….
My external SD card only has content related to MapmyIndia Maps. Total size of this content is 407.92 MB. With in that, Maps folder is of 265.54 MB.
Regarding cities, I didn’t count but I have maps of all the states in India synced.
This app was purchased around Oct 2010.
Raghav in your previous post you had mentioned that you are using Sygic app version 8.23 and Map version 7.80 which is not possible because the latest version of mapmyindia maps is v6.02 and Sygic app version is 8.22.Google your Sygic app and Map version and it returns no official website because it does not exist.Maybe you are using an old version of the maps which must be given a wrong name.Why dont you go to the about maps option in the main menu and post a screenshot of the same.
Maps that I’m talking about is Mobile Maps, which are different from what Mapmyindia provides along with its own GPS products.
Check bit.ly/ePlTjd , I’ve just taken the snap for you (edited out the device code).
Look at the quality and content of android market when compared to OVI store and prateek just because they dont have the app which you want doesn’t mean that OVI store is superior to android market in any way.In OVI store i find unnecessary and useless apps.And anyway symbian is now a dead platform now.And who told you that you don’t get any local apps for android if you just go and type india you will get many local apps there is even a Horoscope chart calculating app in the market if that is not indian then i dont know what is.
If You Really want navigation then download the mapmyindia maps v6.0 which shows all major roads outside hyderabad(yes i live there).in a previous post you have stated that the map my india maps are not very accurate actually you must be running the old version 4.1 which is outdated now and has been replaced with v6.0(mapmyindia releases an upgrade every 6 months)and it is mapmyindia which provides maps for OVI maps(check mapmyindia official website).And when it comes to rooting i use an samsung galaxy 3 rooted and has not caused any problems till now not even minor ones after rooting infact i am now able to conserve battery life and remove the useless pre installed apps.companies void their warranty if you root because you might do things like overclock the cpu or wireless tether which can cause damage to your phone.Also you can unroot your phone leaving a trace that it has been rooted.
All Hail Android
Sorry, had to remove last few lines of yours, which are not allowed here.
I have Mapmyindia sygic app for my galaxy s. Sygic app version 8.23 and Map version 7.80.
I’m from Hyderabad and I had serious difficulties as soon as I left the city premises via the Medchal NH.
just root ur phone using one of the many available 1-click root method (Google Search)
then install market enabler ‘http://amip.tools-for.net/wiki/android/marketaccess’
As to sync.. Everything is synced to google servers so you really don’t need anything else (I HATE Ovi sync, it duplicated my contacts and there was no way i could undo that), there are many other available apps.. try realplayer or songbird for music..
Symbian has yet to get a modern browser (Opera Mini doesn’t count)
I agree that Ovi Navigation beats Google Navigation hands down.. Though both don’t work..
It’s not even 1 month that I got my Galaxy S, and you asking me to break the warranty. I have a good alternative Idea, all you need to enable the full Android market is to have a US/ UK based Sim card. An AT&T Sim is on it’s way for me and I’ll just use it without the need of rooting.
Regarding Syncing, it’s just not about Syncing emails and contacts, Ovi suite Syncs Messages, Images, Songs, Videos etc. I need that. Kies just backs them up to PC and it’s not equal to ‘Syncing’. I strongly feel Google should develop a PC Suite on it’s own unified to all Android devices.
Ovi Navigation doesn’t work? I used to use it EVERYTIME I go out, even if I knew the route just to see if there are any shorter routes by selecting ‘Unpaved roads’. It just work out of the box.
Its a techy phone, not a common man phone, i have used in Both US and India, forget @ apps what ever is free is still sufficient, i believe the usage in India is still limited…
It’s mainly the navigation that I’m badly missing.
let me tell you android market in India sucks or for that matter in most country’s outside US. Forget Navigation and Apps developed by outsiders, looking at the content in Ovi Store online, I can find a lot of indian developed apps, but on my android device (btw, i have a galaxy s too), there is next to none local apps.
My favourite Tata Sky mobile app for recording programs too isn’t available for Android yet.