Google L Fell Flat

[cereal killer]

Google unveiled the newest version of Android called L at Google I/O, and I have to say I was left feeling a little...uninspired. They borrowed heavily from Windows Phone and iOS7 but the over-all feel is--well....flat. Their new design language, aka Material Design, should have been named Uninspired Design. I wanted to see a UI that 'popped' with color and stunning textures. Instead I was left looking at a UI rife with subtle textures/shadows, muted colors and an abundance of white. Doesn't get any more boring than that. Give me some rich colors, deep blacks and send me on my way.

I'm not totally disappointed with the new OS though. Google L does have its redeeming qualities with the addition of some really nice animations, performance boosts (ART), and battery saving enhancements/modes. Google definitely did their homework with those enhancements, and they should keep Android users very happy with the experience .

I believe the biggest and most important news out of I/O is the Android One line-up. Sub $100 smartphones targeted at emerging markets is going to be a boon for Google and its services. They just fired off a cannon with the Android One line-up and put everyone on notice. "Yo we gonna own this spot right here. Ya hear?"

In closing, maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Google's new OS, but "L" does absolutely nothing for this Android enthusiast. It's flat and uninspiring. Perhaps this is what the majority of consumers want and Google, like Apple, is delivering that experience. I had flashbacks to Apple's WWDC. Wait! Did I just say that? Drop me a line and let me know your honest opinions and thoughts on Google's new OS. Is Google L a fresh and exciting new look, or is "L" really just Lacking?

 

[pc747]

Actually the L was designed to try and unify the platforms so personally it is what I expected. Like ICS (when it unified Honeycomb and GB) L's purpose is to unify android so that it works/perform/and look seamless whether it be for android, ios, windows, android wear, android auto, google tv, chromecast, and eventually chromeOS. SO cosmetically it looks "flat" but under the hood it is awesome and personally I prefer they get the under the hood part right first I can handle the cosmetic part with skins and launchers until they make changes later. It is the opposite of what samsung has been doing lately adding stuff on top of stuff to look great but the performance sets the s5 back a few builds.

 

[TatDroid]

It seems to me that the big news with Android "L" is all "under the hood". If the new Android RunTime (ART) truly does double the speed at which apps will run (which is what is being claimed) that will be big news. And, it will do it with all current apps, as they are. Developers don't need to change a thing. That's a big deal.

ART, plus the addition of 64 bit technology in Android "L" are two things that you can't see, but I think they could both be big steps forward.

 

[xsirxx]

So is it Lollipop?

 

[RideZeLitenin]

Even if the UI does prove to fall short of expectations, the ability to appy different skins via roms and the like should take care of anyone feeling too uninspired by the stock design.

Excited to experience the performance change on my note 3 when I can get a hold of it someday.... and how third parties will appy their own layer such as touchwiz to the mix.

 

[tgyberg]

I'm cool with it. I run stock android on my Note 2 and Nexus 7 so the little tweaks are just a bonus in my eyes! Oh, and bring on the extra speed! :icon_ rocker:

 

[tgyberg]

So is it Lollipop?

Looks like just L... so are they going to drop a giant L on the front lawn at Google? Meh, need sweets!!

 

[dgstorm]

Thanks for this well written and thoughtful editorial CK! I pretty much concur with everything you said on several levels, but I also agree with everyone else too. Maybe once we get it in our hands it will be more "inspiring" by virtue of how well it does what it does.

 

[kodiak799]

Between more ram in phones and ART, this is probably much less of an issue now but I've been hoping Android would let us prioritize apps in memory (I've tried a few programs - they don't work) and schedule apps to open/close in the background for updates (basically a task scheduler).

I'm not sure what people are really expecting from Android. At this point, the OS is quite outstanding and it's really more about hardware and specific apps and their capabilities (such as voice commands).

I wish Google would buy a few of the great apps out there to incorporate into stock android (that keeps incentives high for developers). Something like integrating Tasker or Locale. And why can't I get a universal widget for messages (gmail, corp email, texts, calls, etc..) - there's a few 3rd party apps for that, but Google keeps breaking them by locking down api's for security.

I searched FOREVER to find a good reader app with an equally good widget. NewsStand (or whatever Currents is now called) is a terrific app, and would be amazing if it just had a frickin' widget. One of Android's biggest selling points are widgets - so why does Google consistently half-arse widgets for its apps and core Android functionality?

 

[johnomaz]

I personally don't like the flat squareness of the interface. It feels to generic. They put so much effort in making it an attractive interface just to flatten it in both shape and color. I've become of the new Sense UI on my M8 and with Google would go with more of that kind of an interface. But remember, there are custom launchers that don't need root to make the phone look better. What I care about most is whats under the Android hood and they put some really nice stuff in there.

 

[Dusty]

I actually like the flat/modestly layered design. I've always been a fan of minimalist design and simple use of shapes. What I dislike is the "lens flare" and "kitchen sink" approach of makers like Samsung. I also like that this is a solid attempt to get rid of the "ghetto" app look, and you know what I'm talking about... It's when you open an app and it looks like it's operating in MS-DOS mode.

 

[MissionImprobable]

Honestly clean, simple, and unified is what 90% of what users want: businesses considering what devices to employ company-wide, average owners who want a phone that works day to day without issues, and so forth. Definitely not seeing anything wrong with this approach. Those of us who like custom will continue to do what we want with our phones. The funny thing is that this style of look became somewhat popular on xda/mycolorscreen, etc, for quite a while, with modders spending hours to days making their phones look similarly to what we're seeing here and getting praise from people--including myself--saying that this is what customers should be able to get when they pick up a new device.

Old Android was pretty bland without customization. This gives it some new life in a middle ground between artistic and efficient, giving users something functional out of the box without overwhelming them while looking appealing. A major step in the right direction from where I sit.

 

[Jeffrey]

I agree. I prefer a clean and simple UI. I think they are going in the right direction to meet the needs of the general population.

 

[dezymond]

Yeah "L" looks the same as just about every other OS now, but as PC said it's to streamline everything and make it seamless. You can only go against the grain for so long after all. I actually like the look of it, despite the fact that it is almost identical to their competition, but I think it's a good change. Besides I'm all about the "under the hood" features because it's those that lead to an enjoyable user experience.

I'm excited for "L" and can't wait til I get my hands on a new L device.

 

[bigdad63]

I'm still shocked that there isn't some sort of basic native themer baked in to ui's. And at the very minimum, a dark, slate, holo and alternative colorful ui