Goodbye Apple

[Mother Grabber]

it's not the Samsung part I'm worried about.  I love Samsung products, and think they make great stuff.  I have a Samsung TV and a Samsung display plugged into my MacBook.  It's the Android part that has me hesitant.  Android is taking the same line that Windoze did, and they are having the same issues.  There are 8000 different variations out there, running on 12000 different devices with 50000 different bits inside them.  It's a freakin nightmare for developers to keep up with, so it's a mix and match of apps.

 

There's really two reasons I'm considering the switch.  The first I mentioned before, the 'upgrades' have been meh since the first iPhone came out.  There isn't a single feature on the 5s that I will use that wasn't on the original (which I totally loved, btw).  But, since there's really no critical change other speed and RAM, who gives a fug.  Still a good phone with a great OS, but I'm not going to get excited about spending $$$ for a bigger version of what I bought 6 years ago.

 

Second is that their quality control has gone down a little since Jobs died.  He was a CQ freak, an absolute tyrant about quality.  It was a nightmare for staff, but poo flat out worked like it was supposed to.  That Maps fiasco never would have happened under his watch.  It's not like heads would have rolled when it did, he wouldn't have allowed to even breathe outside air unless it was hummin like an 18yo japanese girl at a bukkake convention.  When he 'left' the company in the 90s, their poo when to...well...poo.  When he came back, the cleaned their poo up, and turned it into rainbow colored iGold.  That's why people are so damn loyal to Apple.  Their poo does what it's supposed to, and doesn't fug up.  But...the last couple of iOS updates have been not quite so reliable.  So if Apple is going to turn into everyone else, then I'm going to look at what everyone else has to offer.

 

Apple has never been about being first to market, nor having the absolute latest poo.  They are about making rock solid equipment that is simple, elegant and fuggin works like a champ (that new Mac Pro is an absolute georgeous piece of design genius.  I want to marry it, and have it's fugging black, polished aluminum babies).  It's no surprise that Samsung has better benchmarks.  What is surprising, is that iOS is starting to poo the bed.

[d-dave]

Mother, you should be concerned about Android in the context of carrier/manufacturer.  As an OS, it's perfectly fine, even the older iterations.  As far as app compatibility, I haven't seen too many problem so long as your phone is no older than three years.  I've got an older android device kicking around with Gingerbread (2.3), and while slow as snot (it was a real cheapie), it still functions all the major apps via wifi.  My Droid Razr (2011), still perks along with some hiccups (due to toddler abuse) while running 4.1.2.  I've had no app problems between the two.

 

The area of fragmentation arises from manufacturers and carriers being very selective with their updates due to the hardware compatibility and/or laziness.  I wish everyone was on 4.3 because it's the best (project butter and better TRIM coding).  There in lies the problem with Android, who you buy your phone from.  Right now, it seems like T Mobile does the best job of rolling updates through.  Verizon is the slowest (boo!), and AT&T between them.  I haven't heard much about Spring updating especially quickly.  If you want the best android experience, buy a nexus device.  Otherwise you're never going to run the newest/bestest android.

 

As far as security, everything has failing, and everyone can get hacked.  I don't know much about internet security except "don't be stupid."  I've managed to keep my passwords and credit cards secure, except when Chase screwed me over 10 years ago.

 

I say all this as an avid Droider, who thinks about going to the apple every now and then.  

[Zod]

I'm making the switch to the Note III this week when it comes out on Verizon, now that I'm eligible for my upgrade.

 

 

 

Is the cover removable at all?  Just curious.

 

Yeah, you have access to the battery and microsd slot

 

I am throwing a 64 gig card in this week.

[Scrumtrilescent]

Between the tablets, we use microSD cards like video cassettes on long drives for the kids.  I think on my tablet I have here in my office, I have 32 gigs devoted to Pokemon, Scooby Doo, and Lalaloopsy.  So much for it being used mostly for work.  But the ability to switch them up on the fly is so worth it.

 

 

 

[Mother Grabber]

I saw this today, about android sekkurity. but, as with windoze, the user has some control over this by not being stupid:

http://www.electronista.com/articles/13/10/08/claims.real.world.security.testing.by.users.makes.it.better/

[d-dave]

I think it's unrealistic to expect absolute security in this day and age.  (Outrage anyone?)  The fact is, if someone wants you, your information, or your device, there's going to be a way for them to do it.  Don't matter your OS, mobile, desktop, whatever.  Most of the burden of security resides in the user.  Most of us know how to keep our information safe, many of us know what a phishing scam looks like, and many of us know basic app safety.

 

The problem is education.  The students I teach are technology dependent  and asking them about security, they have no real idea about some of the basics.  It's not just an OS issue (android vs. apple for example).  While most have pin codes, they don't know about the lost iphone / android device manager aspects.  Many have public social media profiles.  Most have never heard of geo-tagging photos, or know much about the GPS function on their devices.  Talk about scary.

 

What makes me feel really old, is that their mobile device is their primary computer.  Thanks to productivity apps, many of them don't use desktops anymore.  At school they will when they have to write something long, but by in large, they use their mobile devices.

 

Sure iOS might have fewer weak points due to the closed nature of the OS, but when the user is incredibly ill-informed no amount of back end security is going to help them.  

[Guest]

^^ my daughter uses her iPhone to google school stuff, not her laptop as much.

[Guest Spider Monkey]

I think it's unrealistic to expect absolute security in this day and age. (Outrage anyone?) The fact is, if someone wants you, your information, or your device, there's going to be a way for them to do it. Don't matter your OS, mobile, desktop, whatever. Most of the burden of security resides in the user. Most of us know how to keep our information safe, many of us know what a phishing scam looks like, and many of us know basic app safety.

The problem is education. The students I teach are technology dependent and asking them about security, they have no real idea about some of the basics. It's not just an OS issue (android vs. apple for example). While most have pin codes, they don't know about the lost iphone / android device manager aspects. Many have public social media profiles. Most have never heard of geo-tagging photos, or know much about the GPS function on their devices. Talk about scary.

What makes me feel really old, is that their mobile device is their primary computer. Thanks to productivity apps, many of them don't use desktops anymore. At school they will when they have to write something long, but by in large, they use their mobile devices.

Sure iOS might have fewer weak points due to the closed nature of the OS, but when the user is incredibly ill-informed no amount of back end security is going to help them.

You are wrong. Apple is perfection. TCF will be along shortly to tell you why.

[Hotsauce]

I feel like such a fool...I purchased an iphone 5 just weeks ago...

Their are some really cool, better phones out there

[C47]

I feel like such a fool...I purchased an iphone 5 just weeks ago...

Their are some really cool, better phones out there

Don't most carriers have a 30 day return policy still? Or did they drop it to 15? I know Verizon was still 30 when I got my Nexus, because my wife ended up taking her phone back and got an iPhone 4S....

[Hotsauce]

Don't most carriers have a 30 day return policy still? Or did they drop it to 15? I know Verizon was still 30 when I got my Nexus, because my wife ended up taking her phone back and got an iPhone 4S....

I think apples is like 14 days....

I paid like $120 for the 5

[Mother Grabber]

read this today about the 64 bit A7.  Most interesting line is about how the 64bit architecture will provide for desktop like experiences.  The Note III has the 32 bit Snapdragon chip.  My initial impression of the the 64bit chip was along the lines of, 'who cares, there's no 64 content,' and I still feel that way.  However, the 32bit Note III may be in danger of having a short life span.

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2013/10/08/qualcomm-backs-off-marketing-gimmick-comments-about-the-a7s-64-bit-benefits/

[PanthersClinic]

Apple products don't get bogged down like Android and Windows phone. The IOS platform is locked down and this means less flexibility but it keeps it from having various background apps and services ruin your phone's performance.

 

Also Apple tablets do extremely well and they practically own the Mp3 player market the same way Nintendo owns the handheld gaming market.

 

Samsung make great products but they still have work to do .

[Kevin Greene]

Between the tablets, we use microSD cards like video cassettes on long drives for the kids.  I think on my tablet I have here in my office, I have 32 gigs devoted to Pokemon, Scooby Doo, and Lalaloopsy.  So much for it being used mostly for work.  But the ability to switch them up on the fly is so worth it.

 

 

It's a beautiful thing.

Convert a DVD movie to an MP4 on the PC and pop it on a Micro SD Card, then swap it where you will between Asus Tablet, Phone etc.