Touchscreen responsiveness v iPod Touch...Whats the deal?

[SuperCoolClos]

So I have my Droid, and I have an iPod Touch. While comparing the two I notice the iPod's transitioning of windows is SO much smoother than Android.
Even while moving objects and flicking my finger left and right, it seems as if they're stuck to your finger in the iPod while there's just an ever so slight lag with Droid.

Why is this? Does it have to do anything with the compiler or a hardware issue? Could there be a fix?

 

[hookbill]

SuperCoolClos, I think you're being a bit picky.

If you want to compare it to something, compare it to another smart phone, not an iPod. You're really talking apples and oranges here.

 

[SuperCoolClos]

SuperCoolClos, I think you're being a bit picky.

If you want to compare it to something, compare it to another smart phone, not an iPod. You're really talking apples and oranges here.

Well the reason I mentioned iPod is because that is what I have. But replace iPod with iPhone then, as the same applies.

 

[jcardona1]

ipod, iphone. same thing. this has been my issue with the phone since day 1. apple's interface is butter smooth and works beautifully. the droid's touch screen response, scrolling, zooming, etc, well i'm sorry to say it sucks compared to apple's. ive never seen another device come close to apples touch screen

 

[Laramie]

SuperCoolClos, I think you're being a bit picky.

If you want to compare it to something, compare it to another smart phone, not an iPod. You're really talking apples and oranges here.

Well the reason I mentioned iPod is because that is what I have. But replace iPod with iPhone then, as the same applies.

Agreed. Even though the OS's are different, you can't deny that Apple's hardware is second to none. I had an original gen Iphone and my wife has a new Ipod Touch.

There is nothing on on the market that does touch as well as the Ipod/Iphone. If the Iphone had swype, and Android like Google integration, it would be the best device, no doubt.

 

[Romple]

The iPhone's screen setup, as in the hardware + software calibration, is extremely well done. Sadly the Droid doesn't get the best marks for it. But in 99% of daily cases it's really a non issue.

I never sit here complaining about my Droid's responsiveness and lament over not having the performance of an iPhone. Forum dwellers will always blow things way out of proportion, and that's fine. I do the same thing.

I don't personally think the Droid "sucks" compared to the iPhone in this one regard. Definitely a difference. I don't personally see it in the cataclysmic proportions some people might though.

Don't forget to that part of the reason the iPhone is so responsive is that they basically don't allow anything to go on that's not on the screen. Compared to how open Android is with background services.

In b4 "OS 4 ftw" but even then, the average Android phone will still probably have more going on at any given moment that the average iPhone. So it's not like there's 0 tradeoff for its buttery smoothness. In fact that was one of the reasons Apple went with such a closed system in the first place.

 

[JonKyu]

Unfortunately I'd have to agree with everyone. iPhone OS is definitely more polished than Android ATM, I hope to god they hire some good designers/coders to "polish" android up for an even greater user experience.

 

[iPirate]

iPod doesn't have multitasking or phone related services running the background and isn't the same resolution as the Droid.

 

[jcardona1]

The iPhone's screen setup, as in the hardware + software calibration, is extremely well done. Sadly the Droid doesn't get the best marks for it. But in 99% of daily cases it's really a non issue.

I never sit here complaining about my Droid's responsiveness and lament over not having the performance of an iPhone. Forum dwellers will always blow things way out of proportion, and that's fine. I do the same thing.

I don't personally think the Droid "sucks" compared to the iPhone in this one regard. Definitely a difference. I don't personally see it in the cataclysmic proportions some people might though.

Don't forget to that part of the reason the iPhone is so responsive is that they basically don't allow anything to go on that's not on the screen. Compared to how open Android is with background services.

In b4 "OS 4 ftw" but even then, the average Android phone will still probably have more going on at any given moment that the average iPhone. So it's not like there's 0 tradeoff for its buttery smoothness. In fact that was one of the reasons Apple went with such a closed system in the first place.

i dont think you can blame the touch screen responsiveness on the multiple processes running. maybe it can be blamed on the droid being "laggy" at times, but this isnt what were talking about.

apple products just "feel" different while scrolling and zooming. the screens "move with you" and respond to the slightest touch. the droid is very crude in this department.

hope that made some sense

 

[jcardona1]

iPod doesn't have multitasking or phone related services running the background and isn't the same resolution as the Droid.

and that matters how?

 

[iPirate]

Unfortunately I'd have to agree with everyone. iPhone OS is definitely more polished than Android ATM, I hope to god they hire some good designers/coders to "polish" android up for an even greater user experience.

Someone should make an app that makes your phone run in "iPhone mode" then you will see the suck that is the iphone and the slight choppiness you might be seeing will not seem like a big deal. :icon_ banana:

 

[jsh1120]

The iPhone's screen setup, as in the hardware + software calibration, is extremely well done. Sadly the Droid doesn't get the best marks for it. But in 99% of daily cases it's really a non issue.

I never sit here complaining about my Droid's responsiveness and lament over not having the performance of an iPhone. Forum dwellers will always blow things way out of proportion, and that's fine. I do the same thing.

I don't personally think the Droid "sucks" compared to the iPhone in this one regard. Definitely a difference. I don't personally see it in the cataclysmic proportions some people might though.

Don't forget to that part of the reason the iPhone is so responsive is that they basically don't allow anything to go on that's not on the screen. Compared to how open Android is with background services.

In b4 "OS 4 ftw" but even then, the average Android phone will still probably have more going on at any given moment that the average iPhone. So it's not like there's 0 tradeoff for its buttery smoothness. In fact that was one of the reasons Apple went with such a closed system in the first place.

Basically correct, though obviously written from the viewpoint of a Droid fan. Apple places a very high priority on the smooth operation of their devices. They're even willing to sacrifice performance (and certainly unlimited multitasking) to achieve that smoothness.

And from a UI perspective there is good reason for a manufacturer to make that choice. Users tend to complain much more about inconsistency than slow performance. A user will be content with a pause in executing a command compared to instantaneous response, for example, if the pause is consistent. The complaints begin when a response sometimes lags and other times is instantaneous. That signals to a naive user that "something is wrong."

I strongly suspect that has much to do with the limits on third party app multitasking that Apple has imposed in their upcoming fourth generation iPhone. By restricting the multitasking available they can be sure there are sufficient cpu cycles available to retain the buttery smoothness of their UI.

 

[iPirate]

iPod doesn't have multitasking or phone related services running the background and isn't the same resolution as the Droid.

and that matters how?

are you serious?

multitasking requires switching between tasks, given "equal" run time for each task, if you have 20 tasks and each gets a second (an example), then each task will wait 19 seconds before running again.

phone services are running the background taking up ram and CPU cycles, iphone has them but not an ipod

displaying an image that is 854x480 takes more processing power than displaying 480x320.

 

[jcardona1]

ah gotta love fanboyz (on both sides of the fence, either apple or android). even when there is a major and obvious flaw in thier product of choice they rationalize and make excuses for why their phone is "zomg the pwn master of all phon3z"

bottom line, the iphone excels in the user interface department, and the droid fails. thats all there is to it. dont make excuses. don't rationalize. it's just a phone. you will be okay and your life will go on. i love my droid but i will not blindly praise everything about it. there are several shortcomings with this phone that i hope will be worked out in the next version. if not, i may be going with something else

 

[iPirate]

ah gotta love fanboyz (on both sides of the fence, either apple or android). even when there is a major and obvious flaw in thier product of choice they rationalize and make excuses for why their phone is "zomg the pwn master of all phon3z"

bottom line, the iphone excels in the user interface department, and the droid fails. thats all there is to it. dont make excuses. don't rationalize. it's just a phone. you will be okay and your life will go one. i love my droid but i will not blindly praise everything about it. there are several shortcomings with this phone that i hope will be worked out in the next version. if not, i may be going with something else