Smartphone doldrums
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@scottalanmiller said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
The problem I have with Android is that it's not stable.
Same here. To me, this is what matters most. No amount of features or anything gets Android up to par with iOS because of this. Until they "innovate" to the point of being on par with iPhone platform, I see iPhone as out innovating them.
But is this even possible while maintaining their openness? I'd argue that a Windows PC will never be as stable as and iPad, because there are just to many unknowns, things that users can do that they just can't on something like and iPad. So we have to give up one thing to gain another.
But I do wonder, what makes Android so much less stable than I hear iOS/iPhones are? I don't know they are more stable, heck, maybe they aren't.
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@Kelly said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
I do find it odd that @Kelly is demonizing the new Google Pixel line of phones because it doesn't (source unknown) come with pure Android on it. Kelly believes that it has an overlay just like Samsung or HTC do. I'm not sure I agree that Google Assistant is an overlay - but maybe it is. I guess I'll be surprised if you can't uninstall it if it's not part of the base OS, one of the nice things you could do with the Nexus phones.
I'm willing to wait and see before crucifying Google for the Pixel line.
But I do have a 4 month old Nexus 6P, I don't really see a need for an upgrade unless it's going to get rid of my performance issues.
Demonizing might be a bit strong...
LOL, I know - I was just givin' ya some crap at the same time I couldn't think of a less strong description.
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@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
My wife is on a Samsung Galaxy S6, she seems pretty happy with it. She's not all into customization like @stacksofplates with app drawers, etc, she's a normal user - wants a few apps, a few games and the ability to take pictures. To her, her phone is fine.
That's not customizing. The app drawer has been a staple of Android since before Froyo.
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@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
So for a list of features that I'm wondering Apple is missing that WP or Android have:
Notifications - as one who's never used an iPhone, I don't know what's missing there
App drawer - Don't think WP had that, nor does stock Android
Travel time - part of Google Now, not Android
Car location - part of Google Now, not Android
Wireless chargingFeature that works better on ... than iOS
Voice searching
2 cameras - though new dual camera on iphone isn't for 3d, it's two different focal lengthsApp drawer is a default on stock Android.
So to make sure we were talking about the same thing (we weren't) I looked what everyone was calling an app drawer (basically it's the all programs button on Windows). I've seen some Android devices that had a virtual drawer that would come up from the bottom of the screen with apps in it, I though that was the drawer @stacksofplates was talking about. I stand corrected.
And now I'm in agreement with @stacksofplates I would hate having all the apps just scattered all over the screens like Apple does it on iOS.
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
My wife is on a Samsung Galaxy S6, she seems pretty happy with it. She's not all into customization like @stacksofplates with app drawers, etc, she's a normal user - wants a few apps, a few games and the ability to take pictures. To her, her phone is fine.
That's not customizing. The app drawer has been a staple of Android since before Froyo.
Yeah, see above, we're now on the same page.
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And now I'm in agreement with @stacksofplates I would hate having all the apps just scattered all over the screens like Apple does it on iOS.
Ya and in android I can drag the icon where ever I want. On iOS, it forces it to be next in line. You can't move it anywhere else, you can only change the order.
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@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
All of the Google Now features are part of stock android. Just because companies remove the launcher and add their own, doesn't mean it's not part of the stock package.
This is true if you're paying Google for access to the Google Play Store, but is it really a requirement of Android OS?
of course the next thing you might say is, well who cares if it is or isn't... who would want a phone that doesn't have the Google Play Store? and to that I'd say you do have a good point.
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@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
All of the Google Now features are part of stock android. Just because companies remove the launcher and add their own, doesn't mean it's not part of the stock package.
This is true if you're paying Google for access to the Google Play Store, but is it really a requirement of Android OS?
of course the next thing you might say is, well who cares if it is or isn't... who would want a phone that doesn't have the Google Play Store? and to that I'd say you do have a good point.Google now has nothing to do with the play store. It's the default launcher of android.
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@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
All of the Google Now features are part of stock android. Just because companies remove the launcher and add their own, doesn't mean it's not part of the stock package.
This is true if you're paying Google for access to the Google Play Store, but is it really a requirement of Android OS?
of course the next thing you might say is, well who cares if it is or isn't... who would want a phone that doesn't have the Google Play Store? and to that I'd say you do have a good point.Google now has nothing to do with the play store. It's the default launcher of android.
So when Amazon downloads the latest version of Android to build their Fire devices, it comes with Google Now? That seems odd.
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@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
All of the Google Now features are part of stock android. Just because companies remove the launcher and add their own, doesn't mean it's not part of the stock package.
This is true if you're paying Google for access to the Google Play Store, but is it really a requirement of Android OS?
of course the next thing you might say is, well who cares if it is or isn't... who would want a phone that doesn't have the Google Play Store? and to that I'd say you do have a good point.Google now has nothing to do with the play store. It's the default launcher of android.
So when Amazon downloads the latest version of Android to build their Fire devices, it comes with Google Now? That seems odd.
So that's a good point. I see what you meant with the play store comment now, I thought you were saying they were tied together.
I don't know what launcher it comes with, maybe it doesn't even have one. However the Kindle has more customizing than I've seen on anything else.
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@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
All of the Google Now features are part of stock android. Just because companies remove the launcher and add their own, doesn't mean it's not part of the stock package.
This is true if you're paying Google for access to the Google Play Store, but is it really a requirement of Android OS?
of course the next thing you might say is, well who cares if it is or isn't... who would want a phone that doesn't have the Google Play Store? and to that I'd say you do have a good point.Google now has nothing to do with the play store. It's the default launcher of android.
So when Amazon downloads the latest version of Android to build their Fire devices, it comes with Google Now? That seems odd.
So that's a good point. I see what you meant with the play store comment now, I thought you were saying they were tied together.
I don't know what launcher it comes with, maybe it doesn't even have one. However the Kindle has more customizing than I've seen on anything else.
I've only heard that the Nexus was a close as you could get to stock Android, but it's not stock. It comes with the Google Play store, and all of Google's services tied in.
You mention that Amazon's devices have more customizing than on anything else - really? Have you installed stock Android and see what Amazon did compared to Google on the Nexus line? I haven't - oh and I'm not saying you're wrong either, in fact I'm guessing you're probably right. But all the non Nexus devices I've used have had significant differences between them so I wouldn't be calling out Amazon here. Another thing to remember, the Kindles aren't phones, they're tablets, so the general use case will be different too.
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@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
All of the Google Now features are part of stock android. Just because companies remove the launcher and add their own, doesn't mean it's not part of the stock package.
This is true if you're paying Google for access to the Google Play Store, but is it really a requirement of Android OS?
of course the next thing you might say is, well who cares if it is or isn't... who would want a phone that doesn't have the Google Play Store? and to that I'd say you do have a good point.Google now has nothing to do with the play store. It's the default launcher of android.
So when Amazon downloads the latest version of Android to build their Fire devices, it comes with Google Now? That seems odd.
So that's a good point. I see what you meant with the play store comment now, I thought you were saying they were tied together.
I don't know what launcher it comes with, maybe it doesn't even have one. However the Kindle has more customizing than I've seen on anything else.
I've only heard that the Nexus was a close as you could get to stock Android, but it's not stock. It comes with the Google Play store, and all of Google's services tied in.
You mention that Amazon's devices have more customizing than on anything else - really? Have you installed stock Android and see what Amazon did compared to Google on the Nexus line? I haven't - oh and I'm not saying you're wrong either, in fact I'm guessing you're probably right. But all the non Nexus devices I've used have had significant differences between them so I wouldn't be calling out Amazon here. Another thing to remember, the Kindles aren't phones, they're tablets, so the general use case will be different too.
I've had android tablets from honeycomb up and the launchers all work the same. Kindle fire doesn't have an app drawer like everyone else. It's different panes of types of applications and media. There's a pane (don't know the proper term) for books, video, music, apps, etc.
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@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
I've only heard that the Nexus was a close as you could get to stock Android, but it's not stock. It comes with the Google Play store, and all of Google's services tied in.
So I think the app drawer is built in stock, but the cards from Google Now might be an add on. From everything I can find, the app drawer is material design with search at the top.
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@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
I've only heard that the Nexus was a close as you could get to stock Android, but it's not stock. It comes with the Google Play store, and all of Google's services tied in.
So I think the app drawer is built in stock, but the cards from Google Now might be an add on. From everything I can find, the app drawer is material design with search at the top.
Now that I know what the App Drawer is, yeah - i tend to agree that it's probably part of the base Android project, and that Amazon removed it.
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@scottalanmiller said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
2 cameras - though new dual camera on iphone isn't for 3d, it's two different focal lengths
Which, I think, makes it innovative. First of its kind.
Amazon fire phone has multi camera and its been there for a while
http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/18/5821294/amazons-fire-phone-uses-four-cameras-to-offer-3d-perspective -
@Ambarishrh said in Smartphone doldrums:
@scottalanmiller said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Dashrender said in Smartphone doldrums:
2 cameras - though new dual camera on iphone isn't for 3d, it's two different focal lengths
Which, I think, makes it innovative. First of its kind.
Amazon fire phone has multi camera and its been there for a while
http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/18/5821294/amazons-fire-phone-uses-four-cameras-to-offer-3d-perspectiveI didn't look at the article, but the title says - 3d perspective That's not what the iPhone is doing. The two cameras in the iPhone have different lenses on them. One for short range shots, one for zoomed shots.
So sure, it's not the first to put two plus cameras in a phone, but it's the first to put more than one focal lens on a phone.
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I was an iPhone user till 4 and switched to Android. Was on S5 which was horrible, then to HTCM7 which was OK, then to M8. I really liked that, but gave it to my mom. Now as part of my corporate mobile plan now on S7. I am pretty happy with S7 mainly for the dual sim, no battery drains (at least for me), even though i have tons of apps and files on it and even have Samsung Knox which i really like. I have installed same apps both on the base android and inside knox so can use, for eg: whatsapp; 1 number on base and another on Knox, Dropbox (personal and official) and so on.
One thing i don't understand is why Apple never created a dual sim phone! And i guess the lack of headset jack on the new phone is a bad move, i personally know lot of people who are apple fans but frustrated that they need to buy an additional adaptor to use their expensive headset or buy separate air pods which has a high chance of losing,
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@Ambarishrh said in Smartphone doldrums:
Samsung Knox which i really like
That's a big feature they have. I don't know why more companies haven't jumped on that.
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https://mangolassi.it/topic/10725/moto-z-force-review
Love it personally. -
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Ambarishrh said in Smartphone doldrums:
Samsung Knox which i really like
That's a big feature they have. I don't know why more companies haven't jumped on that.
I have a Samsung phone... I always thought that Knox was the bootloader lock or something. Is it something else now?
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@dafyre said in Smartphone doldrums:
@stacksofplates said in Smartphone doldrums:
@Ambarishrh said in Smartphone doldrums:
Samsung Knox which i really like
That's a big feature they have. I don't know why more companies haven't jumped on that.
I have a Samsung phone... I always thought that Knox was the bootloader lock or something. Is it something else now?
It's containerization for apps.
