Good question. Tell you the truth, I'm not an "App Junkie," so I would recommend searching either to see what is available to you. My review only covered what I actually tried--I'm not like the rest of./ that spouts rehashes of other people's myths (the point of my post:-) ). I actually only use a handful of apps, all pretty much mainstream ones. It appears that both stores have all the same or equivalent apps. It seems that the only thing Android is missing are very specific games, like say Street Fighter 4 or Plants v. Zombies, for example.
What I will say though is App quality on all phones, both Android and Apple, isn't the greatest. Vendors are pushing out these apps very quickly in order to capitalize on the new craze, and as a result, the programs are buggy, unstable, and lacking in features. My opinion, it will take a good year for the vendors to refine the apps to get high quality, stable apps on both platforms.
Thank you. That is good to know. I just found this out from other "vocal" fanboy responses. I'll check this out. I think this feature is pretty darn amazing. I love being able to enter all that data into GMail and it just pops up on my phone. And it's nice to have all my contacts automatically in GMail as a backup. And the calendering abilities in GMail are pretty good, and to be able to get on the phone is just incredible.
I'm not going to argue about tethering. The IPhone can't do it, unless you Jailbreak it. And I spoke already about Jailbreaking.
As for nav apps, I just looked. TomTom is $70!!! Holy crap. Nominal fee my butt. Which brings me back to my original premise about Google providing *free* nav.
For 3, are you reading what you are writing? You have to wait a few days for them to *mail* you your phone to get a simply battery? It keep getting worse! You mean I can't get it done that day at the store? And to your refurb point, no, I don't trust a refurb *anything* to be better than new, or a device I take care of and keep in good condition. Just like those "certified pre-owned" cars right off lease, have you seen what people do to leases? (Hint: put regular in a car that requires super for the *life* of the car. Wow).
I agree. WebOS is a pretty nice darn platform. I just have issue with Apple zealouts and more importantly all the tech media basically labeling it the Jesus-phone all the time, when superior alternatives exist. It's just who I am--I hate to see people duped so blatantly.
1) Blame whomever you want. All the other phones can tether on AT&T. The IPhone can't. Case closed.
2) Care to back it up and mention which apps are these? And with Android I don't have to pay at all. Fail.
3) Are you serious? I spent all that money for a new phone--why would I want a used and abused one to replace it simply for a new battery? Geez, I assumed they just replaced the battery--I didn't know this. This is even worse.
4) If this is true and actually works (the hard-boot), which I doubt (software can always crash--even firmware), I'll give you that one.
It's all there. Android is over 40,000 apps now. Anything of value you can find, go actually look instead of being an armchair quarterback. And no, I don't see the value in 20,000 duplicate fart and flashlight apps that populate the ITunes store.
You're exactly right. So as I posted elsewhere today to shed some insight on this ridiculous Apple circle-jerking, let's end the Apple myth. I see all these planted and biased reviews, and I can't take it. They're just garbage and they're feeding the Apple image, which frankly isn't true. I recently used both phones for a month--an IPhone and an Adnroid one (not 2 days like most reviewers). Let me precede that both are pretty darn good. But the IPhone isn't better. Here are my findings as to what is better about each over the other:
IPhone
1. Appearance of "smoothness." Notice I said "appearance." They're both just as quick, it's just that the IPhone has better visual animations in the interim to distract you to make you think that's its immediate. It's really not as quick as you think between actions.
2. Touch screen works the way you think. This feature isn't better, only different. Once you get used to either phone, it doesn't matter. With the IPhone, when you press something, adjusts to where you really think you're pointing, whereas in Android, it's where your finger actually rests and makes contact with the capacitive screen.
Android
1. Probably the most amazing and useful feature ever in a phone--auto synchronization between Gmail, Google calendar, contacts, and photos. Yes blah blah Mobile Me. Well Google is free--Apple is $100/yr. And please, the functionality and features of Gmail and Google calendar absolutely crap on the lame excuse of the Apple offerings. Don't even try to argue this one.
2. Free turn-by-turn GPS. Killer feature here. Saves you like $15/mo for navigation. That's big. And I could never justify 15/mo when I could navigate myself with Mapquest. Well now that I use it, it's amazing, and I still can't justify the 15/mo for it, but I can justify getting an Android phone over Apple for it.
3. Free tethering. This feature is huge. You're paying for a data plan either way, but at least with Android you don't need to shell out another 60 per month for a wireless cell service just because Apple says "Because I say so."
4. Higher resolution. Makes text to much more readable and the difference in image quality is like night and day between the two.
5. The ability to use it as a mass storage device, with a removable Micro SD card. Droid has 16gb worth to store.
6. User-replaceable battery. No $60 rip-off price and driving to an Apple store to get a new battery installed. And tell me this, one day your IPhone will freeze. Not if, but when (all software does). Do you want to be out a few days just to gain use of your phone when it won't restart via software? When with Android, all you have to do is pull the battery out? This one is a scary demerit for Apple.
7. I can install what I want. I'm not told I can't use tethering. Killer features then the IPhone doesn't have: tethering and VoIP (and I mean on a cell network, NOT over wifi--wifi is useless if you're out of your house, and NO I'm not going to travel to Starbucks to use VoIP, no matter how plentiful they are).
8. Finally, the last game changer and killer feature Android has over the competition: voice to text translation, in all fields (especially text messages). I've never seen a voice-to-text program since the early 90s that actually worked well. I can't believe it, but Google's does. I barely even use the keyboard when sending texts anymore.
And to address all the "b-b-but !", no, Jailbreaking is NOT a solution. It just isn't. The average person doesn't know how to do it, the average person technically inclined who actually has a job can't be bothered, and I'm not voiding my warranty or preventing myself from getting updates for it.
As you can see, the baseline of each phone is pretty equal. But the only features that the IPhone excels at are weak. Androids superior features are pretty much game changers. I only hope that at least some people read this to know how the products REALLY compare.
Let's end the Apple myth. I see all these planted and biased reviews, and I can't take it. They're just garbage and they're feeding the Apple image, which frankly isn't true. I recently used an IPhone, AND an Android phone. Both phones for a month (not 2 days like most reviewers). Let me precede that both are pretty darn good. But the IPhone isn't better. Here are my findings as to what is better about each over the other:
IPhone
1. Appearance of "smoothness." Notice I said "appearance." They're both just as quick, it's just that the IPhone has better visual animations in the interim to distract you to make you think that's its immediate. It's really not as quick as you think between actions.
2. Touch screen works the way you think. This feature isn't better, only different. Once you get used to either phone, it doesn't matter. With the IPhone, when you press something, adjusts to where you really think you're pointing, whereas in Android, it's where your finger actually rests and makes contact with the capacitive screen.
Android
1. Probably the most amazing and useful feature ever in a phone--auto synchronization between Gmail, Google calendar, contacts, and photos. Yes blah blah Mobile Me. Well Google is free--Apple is $100/yr. And please, the functionality and features of Gmail and Google calendar absolutely crap on the lame excuse of the Apple offerings. Don't even try to argue this one.
2. Free turn-by-turn GPS. Killer feature here. Saves you like $15/mo for navigation. That's big. And I could never justify 15/mo when I could navigate myself with Mapquest. Well now that I use it, it's amazing, and I still can't justify the 15/mo for it, but I can justify getting an Android phone over Apple for it.
3. Free tethering. This feature is huge. You're paying for a data plan either way, but at least with Android you don't need to shell out another 60 per month for a wireless cell service just because Apple says "Because I say so."
4. Higher resolution. Makes text to much more readable and the difference in image quality is like night and day between the two.
5. The ability to use it as a mass storage device, with a removable Micro SD card. Droid has 16gb worth to store.
6. User-replaceable battery. No $60 rip-off price and driving to an Apple store to get a new battery installed. And tell me this, one day your IPhone will freeze. Not if, but when (all software does). Do you want to be out a few days just to gain use of your phone when it won't restart via software? When with Android, all you have to do is pull the battery out? This one is a scary demerit for Apple.
7. I can install what I want. I'm not told I can't use tethering. Killer features then the IPhone doesn't have: tethering and VoIP (and I mean on a cell network, NOT over wifi--wifi is useless if you're out of your house, and NO I'm not going to travel to Starbucks to use VoIP, no matter how plentiful they are).
8. Finally, the last game changer and killer feature Android has over the competition: voice to text translation, in all fields (especially text messages). I've never seen a voice-to-text program since the early 90s that actually worked well. I can't believe it, but Google's does. I barely even use the keyboard when sending texts anymore.
And to address all the "b-b-but !", no, Jailbreaking is NOT a solution. It just isn't. The average person doesn't know how to do it, the average person technically inclined who actually has a job can't be bothered, and I'm not voiding my warranty or preventing myself from getting updates for it.
As you can see, the baseline of each phone is pretty equal. But the only features that the IPhone excels at are weak. Androids superior features are pretty much game changers. I only hope that at least some people read this to know how the products REALLY compare.
You are 100% correct. So let's end the Apple myth. I see all these planted and biased reviews, and I can't take it. They're just garbage and they're feeding the Apple image, which frankly isn't true. I recently used both phones for a month (not 2 days like most reviewers). Let me precede that both are pretty darn good. But the IPhone isn't better. All the good stuff, and that which is moving ideas forward is on Android. Here are my findings as to what is better about each over the other:
IPhone
1. Appearance of "smoothness." Notice I said "appearance." They're both just as quick, it's just that the IPhone has better visual animations in the interim to distract you to make you think that's its immediate. It's really not as quick as you think between actions.
2. Touch screen works the way you think. This feature isn't better, only different. Once you get used to either phone, it doesn't matter. With the IPhone, when you press something, adjusts to where you really think you're pointing, whereas in Android, it's where your finger actually rests and makes contact with the capacitive screen.
Android
1. Probably the most amazing and useful feature ever in a phone--auto synchronization between Gmail, Google calendar, contacts, and photos. Yes blah blah Mobile Me. Well Google is free--Apple is $100/yr. And please, the functionality and features of Gmail and Google calendar absolutely crap on the lame excuse of the Apple offerings. Don't even try to argue this one.
2. Free turn-by-turn GPS. Killer feature here. Saves you like $15/mo for navigation. That's big. And I could never justify 15/mo when I could navigate myself with Mapquest. Well now that I use it, it's amazing, and I still can't justify the 15/mo for it, but I can justify getting an Android phone over Apple for it.
3. Free tethering. This feature is huge. You're paying for a data plan either way, but at least with Android you don't need to shell out another 60 per month for a wireless cell service just because Apple says "Because I say so."
4. Higher resolution. Makes text to much more readable and the difference in image quality is like night and day between the two.
5. The ability to use it as a mass storage device, with a removable Micro SD card. Droid has 16gb worth to store.
6. User-replaceable battery. No $60 rip-off price and driving to an Apple store to get a new battery installed. And tell me this, one day your IPhone will freeze. Not if, but when (all software does). Do you want to be out a few days just to gain use of your phone when it won't restart via software? When with Android, all you have to do is pull the battery out? This one is a scary demerit for Apple.
7. I can install what I want. I'm not told I can't use tethering. Killer features then the IPhone doesn't have: tethering and VoIP (and I mean on a cell network, NOT over wifi--wifi is useless if you're out of your house, and NO I'm not going to travel to Starbucks to use VoIP, no matter how plentiful they are).
8. Finally, the last game changer and killer feature Android has over the competition: voice to text translation, in all fields (especially text messages). I've never seen a voice-to-text program since the early 90s that actually worked well. I can't believe it, but Google's does. I barely even use the keyboard when sending texts anymore.
And to address all the "b-b-but !", no, Jailbreaking is NOT a solution. It just isn't. The average person doesn't know how to do it, the average person technically inclined who actually has a job can't be bothered, and I'm not voiding my warranty or preventing myself from getting updates for it.
As you can see, the baseline of each phone is pretty equal. But the only features that the IPhone excels at are weak. Androids superior features are pretty much game changers. I only hope that at least some people read this to know how the products REALLY compare.
Notice this article is popping up around the launch of the IPad, and on tech sites of all places? This is just a plant story to say that we all don't need multitasking because we humans can't do it. Sorry Apple, multi-tasking is a basic feature for about 30 years. And no fanboys, don't attempt to rationalize not having it.
Look at that article recently about justifying the A4 wasn't ready for multitasking. When u've been able to multitask since the first IPhone in 2007 by jailbraking it, it can do it.
I can't believe no one even mentioned this:/. all praised the iPad and Apple's scheme to make the publishers more money. Well here are the results of your joyous praise!
Now instead of Amazon keeping e-books at $9.99 and the industry in check--we now have a locked down, DRM-laden, inferior versions to the paperback, for...
$14.99! And that's only the beginning of the price increase!
Are you paid to say this? You sound like an advertisement.
"With X-Box supporting all the latest DX technology, PS3 offering unparalleled processing power, and Wii providing an innovative user interface, the time has never been better for game developers"
And c'mon, while all the above are pretty good, it still can't match the potential of the PC:
Latest DX: PC is on DX11 PS3 processing power: Seriously? Core i7/ATI 5870. Nuff said. Wii: The gimmick gets old. Back to what actually works: buttons on a controller. But I'm sure of PC's millions of peripherals they have an alternative.
I re-read your OP. Now I see what you are saying. I apologize. I'm just tired of/. being filled with so many loser fanboys quoting the same old FUD and any slighting of their Jesus phone/Apple Jesus product/etc. meets with millions crying out with "But-but-but Apple :
doesn't need multitasking!" doesn't need MMS!" doesn't need to make calls, because who buys a phone to call anymore!"
That's great and all, but at the end of the day, it's what's provided to the end-user that matters. An Android phone is better. The second you do anything with your IPhone, and you're in an IM or in a web browsing session, or *actually* using an app that doesn't *just* make fart noises, you'll curse your beloved IPhone when you have to suspend the program to do something else, then re-login, navigate back, and go through all hoops just to get back to where you left off--for EVERY LITTLE THING. Multi-tasking is king, and your toy of an IPhone doesn't cut the mustard.
And no, you *don't* know that the IPhone OS 4.0 will have multi-tasking.
Maybe you do work for apple, you certainly speak like a fanboy: "their pushes are legendary." i got a chuckle out of that. while i'll give u DRM-free for itunes music, because I have seen an article or two showing them asking for it before tracks were DRM-free (though I'd venture the real reason is so that they could stay competitive with Amazon already offering DRM-free and hence superior music at the time), the other ones don't exist. And they're certainly not "legendary!"
Thank you for enlightening slashdot readers. Slashdot'ers, disregard the article, this guy who wrote the article submitted--he's an Apple shill. Look at all the articles he writes--they all bash every mobile phone, yet Apple's headlines are all positive.
I think we have the innate feeling to not part with more resources that we have to because deep down we know we know we'll get screwed somehow.
Gotta call you out though:
Google: $530 + (80 x 24) = $2,450 vs. Apple (3GS please, no skewing results with the 3G): $199 + (120 x 24) = $3,079
By going the Google route, it's $629 over 2 years for unlimited talk/text/web plans. And that's just for 2 years. That's saving $1,258 over 4, and $2,516 over 8 years. So no, paying over contract isn't better. And you get the benefit of leaving anytime without an ETF.
And Android doesn't suck. Go read a review. For people who actually don't believe the kool-aid and desire a superior phone, Nexus One is it. And what does the IPad have to do with a phone? It has no microphone, and even if it did, have you ever attempted to call somebody with Skype on a cellular data plan? Hint: good luck. The 2 aren't even in the same league.
Apple douches--"We don't hate Apple, we hate its customers."
Normally I agree with you. Theory, in reality (LOL), never occurs. However, this is one instance where theory trumps reality. I painfully experienced it with RE5 recently. It requires you to be online just to access (read/write) your saved game (via Windows LIVE). Well, I was playing single player, so it shouldn't need an online connection. Well I was out an internet connection multiple times this week, and what do you know, can't even play simple *single* player in a game that should not need an online component.
I realize you were talking about Steam, but I'm referring to online activation in the general sense.
I disagree. A couple months ago I busted out Final Fantasy IX for the Playstation 1. When I first bought it, I just didn't have the time. Now I do, and got around to it. Fired it up, had a blast. It's an incredible game. But it was released 10 years ago. So I'm not allowed to play it?
Your argument is sound. However, there is a problem nowadays, but my earlier post sums it up perfectly, so I'll place it here:
"I just want to spell it out though, because I don't think fellow/.'ers realize the gravity of this. What happens to PC games using LIVE? When they hit the switch, games like RE5 and Gears of War, that utilize LIVE for saving/accessing games and patches, won't even be able to save or access your old saved game! And what happens with the 360? People still play Oblivion. What happens if you need a patch from XBL (which is absolutely necessary)? You're screwed. So basically the precedent has been set. Once a new XBox is out, it's 5 years until all the games you bought for your 360 and/or PC are *worthless*.
I can't believe no one realized this when they read the article. I saw it and thought this is the biggest (and SCARIEST) thing to happen to the video game industry since Pong!"
Good post. It's nice you posted a solution. I just want to spell it out though, because I don't think fellow/.'ers realize the gravity of this. What happens to PC games using LIVE? When they hit the switch, games like RE5 and Gears of War, that utilize LIVE for saving/accessing games and patches, won't even be able to save or access your old saved game! And what happens with the 360? People still play Oblivion. What happens if you need a patch from XBL (which is absolutely necessary)? You're screwed. So basically the precedent has been set. Once a new XBox is out, it's 5 years until all the games you bought for your 360 and/or PC are *worthless*.
I can't believe no one realized this when they read the article. I saw it and thought this is the biggest (and SCARIEST) thing to happen to the video game industry since Pong!
Why should we have to deal with a crack to play a game we paid for? Why install software, which is most likely a trojan as well, to play something we paid for?
Slashdot Mirror
Good question. Tell you the truth, I'm not an "App Junkie," so I would recommend searching either to see what is available to you. My review only covered what I actually tried--I'm not like the rest of ./ that spouts rehashes of other people's myths (the point of my post :-) ). I actually only use a handful of apps, all pretty much mainstream ones. It appears that both stores have all the same or equivalent apps. It seems that the only thing Android is missing are very specific games, like say Street Fighter 4 or Plants v. Zombies, for example.
What I will say though is App quality on all phones, both Android and Apple, isn't the greatest. Vendors are pushing out these apps very quickly in order to capitalize on the new craze, and as a result, the programs are buggy, unstable, and lacking in features. My opinion, it will take a good year for the vendors to refine the apps to get high quality, stable apps on both platforms.
Thank you. That is good to know. I just found this out from other "vocal" fanboy responses. I'll check this out. I think this feature is pretty darn amazing. I love being able to enter all that data into GMail and it just pops up on my phone. And it's nice to have all my contacts automatically in GMail as a backup. And the calendering abilities in GMail are pretty good, and to be able to get on the phone is just incredible.
I'm not going to argue about tethering. The IPhone can't do it, unless you Jailbreak it. And I spoke already about Jailbreaking.
As for nav apps, I just looked. TomTom is $70!!! Holy crap. Nominal fee my butt. Which brings me back to my original premise about Google providing *free* nav.
For 3, are you reading what you are writing? You have to wait a few days for them to *mail* you your phone to get a simply battery? It keep getting worse! You mean I can't get it done that day at the store? And to your refurb point, no, I don't trust a refurb *anything* to be better than new, or a device I take care of and keep in good condition. Just like those "certified pre-owned" cars right off lease, have you seen what people do to leases? (Hint: put regular in a car that requires super for the *life* of the car. Wow).
1. As another poster pointed out, you are right on this one. I was unaware this existed as a Google App.
3. Tethering--you're wrong. No tethering available. If tethering is available now, sources please.
VoIP: Wrong. Checked as of 4/20. *Still* no support for VoIP over 3G, only wifi.
Please don't spout lies.
I agree. WebOS is a pretty nice darn platform. I just have issue with Apple zealouts and more importantly all the tech media basically labeling it the Jesus-phone all the time, when superior alternatives exist. It's just who I am--I hate to see people duped so blatantly.
"I don't hate Apple products, I hate its users."
Wasn't aware they integrated it. Doesn't negate the rest of my points.
1) Blame whomever you want. All the other phones can tether on AT&T. The IPhone can't. Case closed.
2) Care to back it up and mention which apps are these? And with Android I don't have to pay at all. Fail.
3) Are you serious? I spent all that money for a new phone--why would I want a used and abused one to replace it simply for a new battery? Geez, I assumed they just replaced the battery--I didn't know this. This is even worse.
4) If this is true and actually works (the hard-boot), which I doubt (software can always crash--even firmware), I'll give you that one.
It's all there. Android is over 40,000 apps now. Anything of value you can find, go actually look instead of being an armchair quarterback. And no, I don't see the value in 20,000 duplicate fart and flashlight apps that populate the ITunes store.
You're exactly right. So as I posted elsewhere today to shed some insight on this ridiculous Apple circle-jerking, let's end the Apple myth. I see all these planted and biased reviews, and I can't take it. They're just garbage and they're feeding the Apple image, which frankly isn't true. I recently used both phones for a month--an IPhone and an Adnroid one (not 2 days like most reviewers). Let me precede that both are pretty darn good. But the IPhone isn't better. Here are my findings as to what is better about each over the other:
IPhone
1. Appearance of "smoothness." Notice I said "appearance." They're both just as quick, it's just that the IPhone has better visual animations in the interim to distract you to make you think that's its immediate. It's really not as quick as you think between actions.
2. Touch screen works the way you think. This feature isn't better, only different. Once you get used to either phone, it doesn't matter. With the IPhone, when you press something, adjusts to where you really think you're pointing, whereas in Android, it's where your finger actually rests and makes contact with the capacitive screen.
Android
1. Probably the most amazing and useful feature ever in a phone--auto synchronization between Gmail, Google calendar, contacts, and photos. Yes blah blah Mobile Me. Well Google is free--Apple is $100/yr. And please, the functionality and features of Gmail and Google calendar absolutely crap on the lame excuse of the Apple offerings. Don't even try to argue this one.
2. Free turn-by-turn GPS. Killer feature here. Saves you like $15/mo for navigation. That's big. And I could never justify 15/mo when I could navigate myself with Mapquest. Well now that I use it, it's amazing, and I still can't justify the 15/mo for it, but I can justify getting an Android phone over Apple for it.
3. Free tethering. This feature is huge. You're paying for a data plan either way, but at least with Android you don't need to shell out another 60 per month for a wireless cell service just because Apple says "Because I say so."
4. Higher resolution. Makes text to much more readable and the difference in image quality is like night and day between the two.
5. The ability to use it as a mass storage device, with a removable Micro SD card. Droid has 16gb worth to store.
6. User-replaceable battery. No $60 rip-off price and driving to an Apple store to get a new battery installed. And tell me this, one day your IPhone will freeze. Not if, but when (all software does). Do you want to be out a few days just to gain use of your phone when it won't restart via software? When with Android, all you have to do is pull the battery out? This one is a scary demerit for Apple.
7. I can install what I want. I'm not told I can't use tethering. Killer features then the IPhone doesn't have: tethering and VoIP (and I mean on a cell network, NOT over wifi--wifi is useless if you're out of your house, and NO I'm not going to travel to Starbucks to use VoIP, no matter how plentiful they are).
8. Finally, the last game changer and killer feature Android has over the competition: voice to text translation, in all fields (especially text messages). I've never seen a voice-to-text program since the early 90s that actually worked well. I can't believe it, but Google's does. I barely even use the keyboard when sending texts anymore.
And to address all the "b-b-but !", no, Jailbreaking is NOT a solution. It just isn't. The average person doesn't know how to do it, the average person technically inclined who actually has a job can't be bothered, and I'm not voiding my warranty or preventing myself from getting updates for it.
As you can see, the baseline of each phone is pretty equal. But the only features that the IPhone excels at are weak. Androids superior features are pretty much game changers. I only hope that at least some people read this to know how the products REALLY compare.
Go ahead now, mod me down into oblivion.
Let's end the Apple myth. I see all these planted and biased reviews, and I can't take it. They're just garbage and they're feeding the Apple image, which frankly isn't true. I recently used an IPhone, AND an Android phone. Both phones for a month (not 2 days like most reviewers). Let me precede that both are pretty darn good. But the IPhone isn't better. Here are my findings as to what is better about each over the other:
IPhone
1. Appearance of "smoothness." Notice I said "appearance." They're both just as quick, it's just that the IPhone has better visual animations in the interim to distract you to make you think that's its immediate. It's really not as quick as you think between actions.
2. Touch screen works the way you think. This feature isn't better, only different. Once you get used to either phone, it doesn't matter. With the IPhone, when you press something, adjusts to where you really think you're pointing, whereas in Android, it's where your finger actually rests and makes contact with the capacitive screen.
Android
1. Probably the most amazing and useful feature ever in a phone--auto synchronization between Gmail, Google calendar, contacts, and photos. Yes blah blah Mobile Me. Well Google is free--Apple is $100/yr. And please, the functionality and features of Gmail and Google calendar absolutely crap on the lame excuse of the Apple offerings. Don't even try to argue this one.
2. Free turn-by-turn GPS. Killer feature here. Saves you like $15/mo for navigation. That's big. And I could never justify 15/mo when I could navigate myself with Mapquest. Well now that I use it, it's amazing, and I still can't justify the 15/mo for it, but I can justify getting an Android phone over Apple for it.
3. Free tethering. This feature is huge. You're paying for a data plan either way, but at least with Android you don't need to shell out another 60 per month for a wireless cell service just because Apple says "Because I say so."
4. Higher resolution. Makes text to much more readable and the difference in image quality is like night and day between the two.
5. The ability to use it as a mass storage device, with a removable Micro SD card. Droid has 16gb worth to store.
6. User-replaceable battery. No $60 rip-off price and driving to an Apple store to get a new battery installed. And tell me this, one day your IPhone will freeze. Not if, but when (all software does). Do you want to be out a few days just to gain use of your phone when it won't restart via software? When with Android, all you have to do is pull the battery out? This one is a scary demerit for Apple.
7. I can install what I want. I'm not told I can't use tethering. Killer features then the IPhone doesn't have: tethering and VoIP (and I mean on a cell network, NOT over wifi--wifi is useless if you're out of your house, and NO I'm not going to travel to Starbucks to use VoIP, no matter how plentiful they are).
8. Finally, the last game changer and killer feature Android has over the competition: voice to text translation, in all fields (especially text messages). I've never seen a voice-to-text program since the early 90s that actually worked well. I can't believe it, but Google's does. I barely even use the keyboard when sending texts anymore.
And to address all the "b-b-but !", no, Jailbreaking is NOT a solution. It just isn't. The average person doesn't know how to do it, the average person technically inclined who actually has a job can't be bothered, and I'm not voiding my warranty or preventing myself from getting updates for it.
As you can see, the baseline of each phone is pretty equal. But the only features that the IPhone excels at are weak. Androids superior features are pretty much game changers. I only hope that at least some people read this to know how the products REALLY compare.
Go ahead now, mod me down into oblivion.
You are 100% correct. So let's end the Apple myth. I see all these planted and biased reviews, and I can't take it. They're just garbage and they're feeding the Apple image, which frankly isn't true. I recently used both phones for a month (not 2 days like most reviewers). Let me precede that both are pretty darn good. But the IPhone isn't better. All the good stuff, and that which is moving ideas forward is on Android. Here are my findings as to what is better about each over the other:
IPhone
1. Appearance of "smoothness." Notice I said "appearance." They're both just as quick, it's just that the IPhone has better visual animations in the interim to distract you to make you think that's its immediate. It's really not as quick as you think between actions.
2. Touch screen works the way you think. This feature isn't better, only different. Once you get used to either phone, it doesn't matter. With the IPhone, when you press something, adjusts to where you really think you're pointing, whereas in Android, it's where your finger actually rests and makes contact with the capacitive screen.
Android
1. Probably the most amazing and useful feature ever in a phone--auto synchronization between Gmail, Google calendar, contacts, and photos. Yes blah blah Mobile Me. Well Google is free--Apple is $100/yr. And please, the functionality and features of Gmail and Google calendar absolutely crap on the lame excuse of the Apple offerings. Don't even try to argue this one.
2. Free turn-by-turn GPS. Killer feature here. Saves you like $15/mo for navigation. That's big. And I could never justify 15/mo when I could navigate myself with Mapquest. Well now that I use it, it's amazing, and I still can't justify the 15/mo for it, but I can justify getting an Android phone over Apple for it.
3. Free tethering. This feature is huge. You're paying for a data plan either way, but at least with Android you don't need to shell out another 60 per month for a wireless cell service just because Apple says "Because I say so."
4. Higher resolution. Makes text to much more readable and the difference in image quality is like night and day between the two.
5. The ability to use it as a mass storage device, with a removable Micro SD card. Droid has 16gb worth to store.
6. User-replaceable battery. No $60 rip-off price and driving to an Apple store to get a new battery installed. And tell me this, one day your IPhone will freeze. Not if, but when (all software does). Do you want to be out a few days just to gain use of your phone when it won't restart via software? When with Android, all you have to do is pull the battery out? This one is a scary demerit for Apple.
7. I can install what I want. I'm not told I can't use tethering. Killer features then the IPhone doesn't have: tethering and VoIP (and I mean on a cell network, NOT over wifi--wifi is useless if you're out of your house, and NO I'm not going to travel to Starbucks to use VoIP, no matter how plentiful they are).
8. Finally, the last game changer and killer feature Android has over the competition: voice to text translation, in all fields (especially text messages). I've never seen a voice-to-text program since the early 90s that actually worked well. I can't believe it, but Google's does. I barely even use the keyboard when sending texts anymore.
And to address all the "b-b-but !", no, Jailbreaking is NOT a solution. It just isn't. The average person doesn't know how to do it, the average person technically inclined who actually has a job can't be bothered, and I'm not voiding my warranty or preventing myself from getting updates for it.
As you can see, the baseline of each phone is pretty equal. But the only features that the IPhone excels at are weak. Androids superior features are pretty much game changers. I only hope that at least some people read this to know how the products REALLY compare.
Go ahead now, mod me down into oblivion.
Notice this article is popping up around the launch of the IPad, and on tech sites of all places? This is just a plant story to say that we all don't need multitasking because we humans can't do it. Sorry Apple, multi-tasking is a basic feature for about 30 years. And no fanboys, don't attempt to rationalize not having it.
Look at that article recently about justifying the A4 wasn't ready for multitasking. When u've been able to multitask since the first IPhone in 2007 by jailbraking it, it can do it.
When will you people learn?
I can't believe no one even mentioned this: /. all praised the iPad and Apple's scheme to make the publishers more money. Well here are the results of your joyous praise!
Now instead of Amazon keeping e-books at $9.99 and the industry in check--we now have a locked down, DRM-laden, inferior versions to the paperback, for...
$14.99! And that's only the beginning of the price increase!
Thanks Apple fanboys!
Are you paid to say this? You sound like an advertisement.
"With X-Box supporting all the latest DX technology, PS3 offering unparalleled processing power, and Wii providing an innovative user interface, the time has never been better for game developers"
And c'mon, while all the above are pretty good, it still can't match the potential of the PC:
Latest DX: PC is on DX11
PS3 processing power: Seriously? Core i7/ATI 5870. Nuff said.
Wii: The gimmick gets old. Back to what actually works: buttons on a controller. But I'm sure of PC's millions of peripherals they have an alternative.
I re-read your OP. Now I see what you are saying. I apologize. I'm just tired of /. being filled with so many loser fanboys quoting the same old FUD and any slighting of their Jesus phone/Apple Jesus product/etc. meets with millions crying out with "But-but-but Apple :
doesn't need multitasking!"
doesn't need MMS!"
doesn't need to make calls, because who buys a phone to call anymore!"
So I stopped filtering my gut reaction comments.
That's great and all, but at the end of the day, it's what's provided to the end-user that matters. An Android phone is better. The second you do anything with your IPhone, and you're in an IM or in a web browsing session, or *actually* using an app that doesn't *just* make fart noises, you'll curse your beloved IPhone when you have to suspend the program to do something else, then re-login, navigate back, and go through all hoops just to get back to where you left off--for EVERY LITTLE THING. Multi-tasking is king, and your toy of an IPhone doesn't cut the mustard.
And no, you *don't* know that the IPhone OS 4.0 will have multi-tasking.
You lose! Try again.
Maybe you do work for apple, you certainly speak like a fanboy: "their pushes are legendary." i got a chuckle out of that. while i'll give u DRM-free for itunes music, because I have seen an article or two showing them asking for it before tracks were DRM-free (though I'd venture the real reason is so that they could stay competitive with Amazon already offering DRM-free and hence superior music at the time), the other ones don't exist. And they're certainly not "legendary!"
And you know all this how? Are you an executive or manager of apple products, privy to detailed private company information? Cite sources please.
Thank you for enlightening slashdot readers. Slashdot'ers, disregard the article, this guy who wrote the article submitted--he's an Apple shill. Look at all the articles he writes--they all bash every mobile phone, yet Apple's headlines are all positive.
I think we have the innate feeling to not part with more resources that we have to because deep down we know we know we'll get screwed somehow.
Gotta call you out though:
Google: $530 + (80 x 24) = $2,450
vs.
Apple (3GS please, no skewing results with the 3G): $199 + (120 x 24) = $3,079
By going the Google route, it's $629 over 2 years for unlimited talk/text/web plans. And that's just for 2 years. That's saving $1,258 over 4, and $2,516 over 8 years. So no, paying over contract isn't better. And you get the benefit of leaving anytime without an ETF.
And Android doesn't suck. Go read a review. For people who actually don't believe the kool-aid and desire a superior phone, Nexus One is it. And what does the IPad have to do with a phone? It has no microphone, and even if it did, have you ever attempted to call somebody with Skype on a cellular data plan? Hint: good luck. The 2 aren't even in the same league.
Apple douches--"We don't hate Apple, we hate its customers."
Normally I agree with you. Theory, in reality (LOL), never occurs. However, this is one instance where theory trumps reality. I painfully experienced it with RE5 recently. It requires you to be online just to access (read/write) your saved game (via Windows LIVE). Well, I was playing single player, so it shouldn't need an online connection. Well I was out an internet connection multiple times this week, and what do you know, can't even play simple *single* player in a game that should not need an online component.
I realize you were talking about Steam, but I'm referring to online activation in the general sense.
I disagree. A couple months ago I busted out Final Fantasy IX for the Playstation 1. When I first bought it, I just didn't have the time. Now I do, and got around to it. Fired it up, had a blast. It's an incredible game. But it was released 10 years ago. So I'm not allowed to play it?
Your argument is sound. However, there is a problem nowadays, but my earlier post sums it up perfectly, so I'll place it here:
"I just want to spell it out though, because I don't think fellow /.'ers realize the gravity of this. What happens to PC games using LIVE? When they hit the switch, games like RE5 and Gears of War, that utilize LIVE for saving/accessing games and patches, won't even be able to save or access your old saved game! And what happens with the 360? People still play Oblivion. What happens if you need a patch from XBL (which is absolutely necessary)? You're screwed. So basically the precedent has been set. Once a new XBox is out, it's 5 years until all the games you bought for your 360 and/or PC are *worthless*.
I can't believe no one realized this when they read the article. I saw it and thought this is the biggest (and SCARIEST) thing to happen to the video game industry since Pong!"
Good post. It's nice you posted a solution. I just want to spell it out though, because I don't think fellow /.'ers realize the gravity of this. What happens to PC games using LIVE? When they hit the switch, games like RE5 and Gears of War, that utilize LIVE for saving/accessing games and patches, won't even be able to save or access your old saved game! And what happens with the 360? People still play Oblivion. What happens if you need a patch from XBL (which is absolutely necessary)? You're screwed. So basically the precedent has been set. Once a new XBox is out, it's 5 years until all the games you bought for your 360 and/or PC are *worthless*.
I can't believe no one realized this when they read the article. I saw it and thought this is the biggest (and SCARIEST) thing to happen to the video game industry since Pong!
Why should we have to deal with a crack to play a game we paid for? Why install software, which is most likely a trojan as well, to play something we paid for?