Developers, developers, developers, developers

[Tsutarja]

Being the tech mod, I will say that I don't have a smartphone either Dx but to be honest, I don't really need one, since I really don't communicate with others outside of the internet.. I have Google voice which is plenty for SMS transmission and if I want to speak with someone I have either my house phone or Google voice calling on the computer. I do have a cell phone though for emergency purposes when I'm out in public to contact my parents with.

 

[Nolafus]

^ Yup, that's pretty much my reasoning right there.

 

[Alexander Nicholi]

Well, I used to have a dumb old pay-per-minute Verizon flip phone, then last Christmas I got a brand new Samsung Galaxy Reverb. The thing that sucks the most is that it only has 2 gigabytes of internal space, and I like to keep music on there, so... yeah. I need a micro SD card. XD

I might be getting a Samsung Galaxy S 4 for this Christmas though, as my current phone has a giant crack in it from when my dad crushed it with his boot. It's starting not to hold a charge, and not to mention it's absolutely hideous to look at. 4G much?

P.S. Screw Apple. I don't have time to jailbreak a phone that should be doing what I want anyway. Also, screw Steve Jobs and whoever replaced him. Read oPtion$ (a book, I know) and you'll see how much of a fraud el Jobso is.

 

[Legendary Silke]

If you don't like Apple, chances are you just don't like their approach to mobile devices.

Everyone has a different opinion on how open and customizable a mobile device is. You could say that Android devices are at the "wide open" end, while Apple devices are "locked down", with Microsoft somehow managing to get in the middle (how nice do you want it to be? Oh, and, two sideloaded apps and no more).

How did that phone get under the boot in the first place?

Speaking of the Galaxy S 4, are you going for the normal S 4, or are you going to:

• Trade in the AMOLED panel for an LCD panel in exchange for ruggedness
• Trade in hardware specs for a stabilized optical zoom lens
• Trade in hardware specs for one more SIM
• Trade in hardware specs for a smaller size

I think the normal S 4 should be good for everyone else :)

 

[Elaitenstile]

If you don't like Apple, chances are you just don't like their approach to mobile devices.

Everyone has a different opinion on how open and customizable a mobile device is. You could say that Android devices are at the "wide open" end, while Apple devices are "locked down", with Microsoft somehow managing to get in the middle (how nice do you want it to be? Oh, and, two sideloaded apps and no more).

I should agree with you. I'd really like to have all I can stuff as my own into the electronic device and turn it completely different from the original. I try to create my own style of organising things. Heck, it's mine, it's my world. That's what I feel Apple's been lacking. I feel Apple (phones, especially) is trying to give everything to us easy but in their own way so it spoils the spirit of it. I'm just glad they haven't made much modifications to the calling and SMS services. Oh the horror.

 

[Legendary Silke]

I should agree with you. I'd really like to have all I can stuff as my own into the electronic device and turn it completely different from the original. I try to create my own style of organising things. Heck, it's mine, it's my world. That's what I feel Apple's been lacking. I feel Apple (phones, especially) is trying to give everything to us easy but in their own way so it spoils the spirit of it.

I know, right? Sometimes it can feel very strange to have your hand held in every step.

I guess I don't miss the customizability of Android after over a year of using a Windows Phone since I don't really see the point of having a mobile device being susceptible to pretty much everything.

I'm just glad they haven't made much modifications to the calling and SMS services. Oh the horror.

Haha! Apple can never do that since if they did that nobody else would be able to do anything to owners of iPhones. Standards for wireless communications and interfaces exist for a good reason.

--

In other news, I've bought a set of Sennheiser HD 439s (a closed over-the-ear headphones costing about USD104 converted) tonight.

That had to be the comfiest over-ears I've ever used, and nothing sounds muddy compared to the in-ear Philips I was using.

 

[Tsutarja]

I've noticed with Apple that when two iPhone users text one another, it's not through SMS but rather Apple's iMessage platform.. but I would at least hope that if one wanted to use SMS in lieu of iMessage to another iPhone user, I would at least hope Apple has a method to disable that without having to disable iMessage as a whole, since iPod Touch users can also use iMessage.

 

[blue]

I've recently got the iPhone 5, it was a choice between that or the Samsung Galaxy S2 but since I've got an iPad and Apple account I thought it would just be easier to have them all under one account. I've really adjusted to using it though even though I've only had it for about a month now, however I did manage to rack up a very expensive bill on my first month. ;;

 

[Elaitenstile]

I've recently got the iPhone 5, it was a choice between that or the Samsung Galaxy S2 but since I've got an iPad and Apple account I thought it would just be easier to have them all under one account. I've really adjusted to using it though even though I've only had it for about a month now, however I did manage to rack up a very expensive bill on my first month. ;;

Ouch. How do you feel about it?

I don't really see the difference between my family's Smartphone and iPad. Only perhaps a larger screen and no calling and messaging services. Perhaps someone can elaborate?

 

[Alexander Nicholi]

My uncle has a bunch of Apple devices he gets as gifts from his friend Tim in San Fransisco. He just gives them to him second hand, since Tim always has the latest and greatest Apple crap. He just got a Mountain Lion in the mail like a week ago.

As far as what I see from them, they're very pretty, and useful to a regular user like him, but otherwise useless for someone who likes to get intimate with the device (such as myself). I'll admit I've gotten fed up with my Android enough to try to root it a couple times (albeit unsuccessfully), so I know I probably couldn't handle the craziness of an Apple device ever.

 

[Dter ic]

If you don't like Apple, chances are you just don't like their approach to mobile devices.

Everyone has a different opinion on how open and customizable a mobile device is. You could say that Android devices are at the "wide open" end, while Apple devices are "locked down", with Microsoft somehow managing to get in the middle (how nice do you want it to be? Oh, and, two sideloaded apps and no more).

That is usually the case for Android phones but I find that Samsung in particular is trying really hard to 'lock down' the devices they make with each new revision. I mean, in the S2 they introduced the modification counter so that the device knows how much it's been modified with and then displays the yellow triangle on boot. Then they start locking the boot loaders for the newer devices so it's less easier to root the device if you want to.

 

[Tsutarja]

I'd say Samsung is probably the most locked-down manufacturer with Android devices.. one time when I tried out a Samsung Galaxy tablet at Staples, I barely recognized the interface to it like that of normal Android, and it was running Jellybean as well.

 

[Legendary Silke]

That is usually the case for Android phones but I find that Samsung in particular is trying really hard to 'lock down' the devices they make with each new revision. I mean, in the S2 they introduced the modification counter so that the device knows how much it's been modified with and then displays the yellow triangle on boot. Then they start locking the boot loaders for the newer devices so it's less easier to root the device if you want to.

I'd say Samsung is probably the most locked-down manufacturer with Android devices.. one time when I tried out a Samsung Galaxy tablet at Staples, I barely recognized the interface to it like that of normal Android, and it was running Jellybean as well.

You might have not noticed it yet, but Samsung is actively trying to hide all the "Google"-ness of their devices. Pretty much every single thing got the Samsung treatment, for better or worse.

I'd say for better, since I hated unskinned Android.

 

[Starry Windy]

I think Samsung probably is one of the manufacturers that makes its phones somewhat unique interface-wise, and I wonder if HTC can rival it since I noticed the signature clock display of HTC's Android phones when I see it on the phone magazines, at least on older ones iirc.

EDIT: Like this one, for example:

Spoiler:

 

[Tsutarja]

Even though the example Windy posted above is an older version of Android, I will say I like the idea of HTC's clock widget.. my parents' both had the HTC Droid Eris phones as their first smartphones back in 2009 and the clock looked exactly like that.

As for the Google feel, I'm perfectly fine with that, especially since I have a Nexus 7 tablet, which technically is officially from Google, but manufactured by Asus.

 

[Meganium]

I haven't had any problems with Samsung, even with my current phone which is an Infuse. Sucks that they never really provided an upgrade since it's stuck on Froyo. My next phone will be a Galaxy S3 or 4, or maybe an iPhone. My friend from San Diego is pushing me to get the iPhone tbh. lol

 

[Cordelia]

You traitor if you get an iPhone. And lol @ Froyo omg xD

 

[Starry Windy]

My current Android phone is on Froyo too, but sometimes I wish I can buy the better ones like Ice Cream Sandwich-based one, because I see some software on Google Play that requires the latest Android version.

 

[Meganium]

I'm surprised the majority of the apps I use can support Froyo. One reason why I adore Android. <3

You traitor if you get an iPhone. And lol @ Froyo omg xD

I'm tryiiiing to stay away but he texts me like every day telling me that "LOL LOOK WHAT I CAN DO WITH MY IPHONE ISN'T IT COOLIO O WAT?"

 

[Legendary Silke]

*is stranded on Windows Phone 7.x*

More reasons to upgrade (if only to make my web browsing experience better), but it still works.