# Confused on use of Android app..use or not?



## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Hi all! New here and have been driving for 4 months. I quickly came to realize this is not a get rich, part time job..lol. I usually drive 20 hours a week, and almost never past 10pm. I'm in Sacramento, mature guy (early 60's), lots of driving experience from many years in sales with a big territory. Sadly, it's all but impossible to find a sales rep job (inside or field) when you get my age (even with a solid sales career with awards), so I'm giving Uber a shot at helping to fill in my $$ needs. I like the gig and riders, but man, sometimes I'm really taking a hit on the many $6-$8 fares of which I net even less. Enough of the intro.

I'm using the Uber iphone and since I'm a penny pincher, am I better off installing the app on my Moto G android phone? I'm running on Cricket (Att MVNO) and get very good coverage, but concerned about the Uber app crashing. If the app is not ready for android, I have access to a iphone 5c (Sprint) and can run it on Ting or EcoWireless. Is this wise? It does not make sense for me to pay Uber $40. for their phone if I can run it on my phone and save the extra $40. 
Comments appreciated.


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## Cip4me (Aug 29, 2014)

Android app works great for me, no hick ups, no freezes, no problem. It updated twice since I started using it, don't even know what's changed, or improved. Definitely saving me $$, since I already have an unlimited data plan on my phone.


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

It works fairly well for me too. I'm in a market that doesn't charge for the phone but I can't stand the size of that tiny thing. You do have to be careful though about data, it does use an awful lot. I spent an extra $10/ month to upgrade my data plan just to be safe, but it's well worth it for me to run in on my twice as big note3


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## Sean O'Gorman (Apr 17, 2014)

I'd probably use a phone on Cricket vs. on Ting. GSM=you don't lose data when taking a call, which I discovered last night can be a pain. I'm on Virgin Mobile, which like Ting, is also a Sprint MVNO.


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Wow, thanks for the quick and informative reply's! Much appreciated. So I have Crickets 2 GB plan and do you think that's enough data? I never stream music, youtube, etc., just check email 1-2 x a day and make a few calls. Usually logged onto Uber about 20 hours a week. Will my 2GB be enough? Thanks again!

Forgot to ask: where do I download app? Is it pretty straighforward? Any tips appreciated on installing.


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Wow, thanks for the quick and informative reply's! Much appreciated. So I have Crickets 2 GB plan and do you think that's enough data? I never stream music, youtube, etc., just check email 1-2 x a day and make a few calls. Usually logged onto Uber about 20 hours a week. Will my 2GB be enough? Thanks again!


Probably. Do they have a way to check or monitor your usage. What happens if you go over your limit?


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## Sean O'Gorman (Apr 17, 2014)

With Android 4.0 and up, you can monitor your data usage. Uber uses like 4 MB per hour on my phone.


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

I just looked at my usage from yesterday. I had the app on for about 6 hours, and mostly used it for just Uber (I might have done some other stuff on it, but not a lot) and I used about 160 mb so based on that, I'd say you'd be safe with 2 gigs/month


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Wow, thanks for the quick and informative reply's! Much appreciated. So I have Crickets 2 GB plan and do you think that's enough data? I never stream music, youtube, etc., just check email 1-2 x a day and make a few calls. Usually logged onto Uber about 20 hours a week. Will my 2GB be enough? Thanks again!
> 
> Forgot to ask: where do I download app? Is it pretty straighforward? Any tips appreciated on installing.


I think you will be OK driving 20 hours a month. That being said, I would check on what you would get charged for an overage. For me on VZ it would be $10/gb for overage, so I would have to go way over to approach the $43/month that you would pay to Uber.


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## djnsmith7 (Aug 10, 2014)

I just returned my iPhone this week & have been using the Android app on my Note 3 w/ VZN & so far, overall, it works pretty well. Has a couple bugs in the SF area (incoming request doesn't always chime & a specific area in SF crashes the app), but overall, works for me & I would suggest trying it.


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## DC_Uber_Lyft_Driver (Sep 2, 2014)

I also have the MOTO G, my provider is Republic Wireless and the app works good. So I went from paying $40 a month with Uber to $25 per month with Republic. It's a no-brainer.


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Good news and thanks much for the info. Can someone point out the download process please. Steps to take? Where do I go to download?


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## Dierwolf (Oct 31, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Good news and thanks much for the info. Can someone point out the download process please. Steps to take? Where do I go to download?


Jim be very careful using the Android version it has a few bad flaws and when I say bad I mean baaadd. Been using the app for the last 3 weeks or so and it still has a ways to go, the first thing you will find is the app wants to be THE primary application on the screen, if you start the app and then start email, texting or phone call etc. in about 2-3 minutes it will try to go offline so every 2-3 minutes you have to switch back to it to make it happy, the other big problem and this happened all night tonight, it would lock up when I would try to end a trip and nothing would make it stop other than restarting the phone, so the whole night was accept trip, start trip, end trip, lock up, restart phone, end trip, go back on line. So if you are going to use it make damn sure you have a back up plan.


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## Mike Ehrmantraut (Oct 26, 2014)

Using the app on my Note 3, haven't really had any issues. The 2-3 minute timer is kind of annoying, but is easily dealt with within a few seconds. No issues with starting/ending trips at all.


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Dierwolf said:


> Jim be very careful using the Android version it has a few bad flaws and when I say bad I mean baaadd. Been using the app for the last 3 weeks or so and it still has a ways to go, the first thing you will find is the app wants to be THE primary application on the screen, if you start the app and then start email, texting or phone call etc. in about 2-3 minutes it will try to go offline so every 2-3 minutes you have to switch back to it to make it happy, the other big problem and this happened all night tonight, it would lock up when I would try to end a trip and nothing would make it stop other than restarting the phone, so the whole night was accept trip, start trip, end trip, lock up, restart phone, end trip, go back on line. So if you are going to use it make damn sure you have a back up plan.


Wow, it sounds like the app is not ready for prime time...thanks for the heads up. I have a older iphone 4 of which may be a option. Does anyone know if the 4 works well with the Uber driver app? Thanks again!


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## Cip4me (Aug 29, 2014)

I think iPhone 4s is the minimum requirement. Android app is still in Beta, but I already pay $0 a month,and had no problems with it.


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## Former Yellow Driver (Sep 5, 2014)

djnsmith7 said:


> .. have been using the Android app on my Note 3 w/ VZN & so far, overall, it works pretty well. Has a couple bugs in the SF area (incoming request doesn't always chime & a specific area in SF crashes the app), but overall, works for me & I would suggest trying it.


Have had problems with my Note 4. As mentioned sometimes incoming fares don't chime and don't allow you to select them. Have had to remove and reload the App several times. Instead of 15 seconds to accept a fare I'm getting about 7 seconds. It seems to work MOST of the time but I'm keeping the Uber iPhone piece of crap as a backup.


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## Dierwolf (Oct 31, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Wow, it sounds like the app is not ready for prime time...thanks for the heads up. I have a older iphone 4 of which may be a option. Does anyone know if the 4 works well with the Uber driver app? Thanks again!


The iPhone 4 is what Uber sends you in the beginning.


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## Dierwolf (Oct 31, 2014)

On the other hand (and I'm using it on a Note 2) when it works its fabulous, on my Note with its big screen and being able to use google maps is very nice, they have integrated Google maps into the app so when you tap navigate it goes straight to Google maps with a little Uber icon on the right hand side about halfway down the screen, tap it and you go right back to the Uber app.


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

Dierwolf said:


> On the other hand (and I'm using it on a Note 2) when it works its fabulous, on my Note with its big screen and being able to use google maps is very nice, they have integrated Google maps into the app so when you tap navigate it goes straight to Google maps with a little Uber icon on the right hand side about halfway down the screen, tap it and you go right back to the Uber app.


I have a note3 and hands down, one you use it it that big screen you'll never want to use that tiny iphone again.


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## djnsmith7 (Aug 10, 2014)

^Totally agree.


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## Former Yellow Driver (Sep 5, 2014)

I also agree. On the Note 4....Google Maps looks great. If only Uber could work out the last few Android App "kinks".


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## bambamboogy02 (Oct 8, 2014)

The uber Partner app does not work on my LG G3, or on my HTC DNA. what gives? I can not pick up any drivers, it doesn't chime that they are available, this is counter productive for me. I can not use it for s*it


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## AmberLamps (Oct 29, 2014)

Using LG g3 android app is flawless. Had nothing but issues with the crap iphone. If you still pay for iphone your an idiot sucker.


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Dierwolf said:


> The iPhone 4 is what Uber sends you in the beginning.


Ahh, I was thinking it was a newer generation model. So it's the basic first gen 4 they sent us?


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## Gator (Sep 22, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Hi all! New here and have been driving for 4 months. I quickly came to realize this is not a get rich, part time job..lol. I usually drive 20 hours a week, and almost never past 10pm. I'm in Sacramento, mature guy (early 60's), lots of driving experience from many years in sales with a big territory. Sadly, it's all but impossible to find a sales rep job (inside or field) when you get my age (even with a solid sales career with awards), so I'm giving Uber a shot at helping to fill in my $$ needs. I like the gig and riders, but man, sometimes I'm really taking a hit on the many $6-$8 fares of which I net even less. Enough of the intro.
> 
> I'm using the Uber iphone and since I'm a penny pincher, am I better off installing the app on my Moto G android phone? I'm running on Cricket (Att MVNO) and get very good coverage, but concerned about the Uber app crashing. If the app is not ready for android, I have access to a iphone 5c (Sprint) and can run it on Ting or EcoWireless. Is this wise? It does not make sense for me to pay Uber $40. for their phone if I can run it on my phone and save the extra $40.
> Comments appreciated.


I paid Uber 100


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## Dierwolf (Oct 31, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Ahh, I was thinking it was a newer generation model. So it's the basic first gen 4 they sent us?


Yes it is.


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Gator said:


> I paid Uber 100


Don't follow you....You saying you bought the phone from Uber for $100 to escape the $10 wee/$40 month charge? Why would they do this?


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## Uber_Stephanie (Oct 6, 2014)

I had an iPhone 4s. It was a $100 deposit out of supposedly 2 paychecks, mine came out on the first one, then a $10/wk fee. My app ran flawless last night on my S3, but Halloween was a nightmare.


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

Uber_Stephanie said:


> I had an iPhone 4s. It was a $100 deposit out of supposedly 2 paychecks, mine came out on the first one, then a $10/wk fee. My app ran flawless last night on my S3, but Halloween was a nightmare.


Ahh, gotcha. Thank you Stephanie. 
Friday night and Saturday, the speaker on the 4 was almost useless with crackle and partial words. I rebooted twice, still bad. Anyone know of a fix? It has the lastest download as a fyi. This phone worked much better a month ago.


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## forkedover (Oct 26, 2014)

The android version ensures you do nothing else but sit staring at your otherwise unsable phone waiting for the god of trip requests to bless you, just once, its the uber module labeled "endgame".

I use it as backup to the ip3wn and its on a metropcs 60 per month unlimited plan on the spectacular nexus 5 (I watch a lot of animated porn at work while I pray to uber)


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

forkedover said:


> (I watch a lot of animated porn at work while I pray to uber)


Gee... thanks, now I have get that image out of head lol


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## forkedover (Oct 26, 2014)

Why would you want that image out of your head, are you porniphobic?


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## UberMHT (Sep 13, 2014)

DC_Uber_Lyft_Driver said:


> I also have the MOTO G, my provider is Republic Wireless and the app works good. So I went from paying $40 a month with Uber to $25 per month with Republic. It's a no-brainer.


I have Republic Wireless too (Moto x) can you tell me how much you drive on average and what your approx. data usage per month has been? Thx. /Tom


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## jimx200 (Oct 31, 2014)

The big problem is that Republic runs on the Sprint network...really poor coverage (native, no roaming). Been there, done that and never again.


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## Bmateo (Sep 5, 2014)

forkedover said:


> The android version ensures you do nothing else but sit staring at your otherwise unsable phone waiting for the god of trip requests to bless you, just once, its the uber module labeled "endgame".


I assume this makes it impossible to drive for Uber and Lyft at the same time (with only one phone, that is...)?


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

Dierwolf said:


> Jim be very careful using the Android version it has a few bad flaws and when I say bad I mean baaadd. Been using the app for the last 3 weeks or so and it still has a ways to go, the first thing you will find is the app wants to be THE primary application on the screen, if you start the app and then start email, texting or phone call etc. in about 2-3 minutes it will try to go offline so every 2-3 minutes you have to switch back to it to make it happy, the other big problem and this happened all night tonight, it would lock up when I would try to end a trip and nothing would make it stop other than restarting the phone, so the whole night was accept trip, start trip, end trip, lock up, restart phone, end trip, go back on line. So if you are going to use it make damn sure you have a back up plan.


I would agree that the switching back is a pain. If someone has a workaround to that it would be great.

You mention having a big problem with the app locking up. Since the night in question was Halloween, I don't think that the Android app itself was the problem, I think that Uber was very busy and our "tech partner" could not handle the load on their end.


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## forkedover (Oct 26, 2014)

Bmateo said:


> I assume this makes it impossible to drive for Uber and Lyft at the same time (with only one phone, that is...)?


You can, just stay on the uber app and let lyft run in the background.


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## Oc_DriverX (Apr 29, 2014)

The one tricky part of running Uber and Lyft at the same time is when the Lyft app pings, and as you go to accept, the Uber app pings and comes to the front. In that case you might end up accepting the Uber ride without meaning to. The odds of this happening are pretty slim, but it can happen.


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## forkedover (Oct 26, 2014)

Slim enough that you can cancel one, presumably lyft without much penalty


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## UberThis (Nov 8, 2014)

jimx200 said:


> Hi all! New here and have been driving for 4 months. I quickly came to realize this is not a get rich, part time job..lol. I usually drive 20 hours a week, and almost never past 10pm. I'm in Sacramento, mature guy (early 60's), lots of driving experience from many years in sales with a big territory. Sadly, it's all but impossible to find a sales rep job (inside or field) when you get my age (even with a solid sales career with awards), so I'm giving Uber a shot at helping to fill in my $$ needs. I like the gig and riders, but man, sometimes I'm really taking a hit on the many $6-$8 fares of which I net even less. Enough of the intro.
> 
> I'm using the Uber iphone and since I'm a penny pincher, am I better off installing the app on my Moto G android phone? I'm running on Cricket (Att MVNO) and get very good coverage, but concerned about the Uber app crashing. If the app is not ready for android, I have access to a iphone 5c (Sprint) and can run it on Ting or EcoWireless. Is this wise? It does not make sense for me to pay Uber $40. for their phone if I can run it on my phone and save the extra $40.
> Comments appreciated.


Are people paying $40 per week or just rounded up $40/month?


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