Time: Phone specs don't matter

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

The great thing with Android is that I can drasticly change the UI to get the look and useability that I desire. Apple's OS is nice and smooth thanks to the closed platform, but the "mass of icons on screen after screen" is just ugly and not very efficient. With Android you can change it to what you want. With Apple you just learn to live with it.

On the matter of media... snycing is definitely better for music, but drag and drop is infinitely better for video files. And with my Droid X I don't even have to worry about converting media. I can play just about any type of video file just fine. That's HUGE.

Drag and Drop is fine, but it gets to be a mess. Why does EVERY media player in the world have a sort of managed system where they categorized stuff. This whole world is getting away from folder hierarchy and stuff. Look at Win 7, etc. I agree we're all power users here. I still like doing C:\whatever\whatever. But seeing how Windows 7 starts hiding directory trees and stuff and assuming we all have one large hard drive, it's annoying. But for a good # of users, it shouldn't matter. And for me 95% of the time it doesn't matter. The better they use the whole home folder and documents folder, the less I worry about where the hell my files are. Sure it makes my life difficult with multiple partitions and trying to backup, but how often do I do that stuff anyway?

As power users I do like Android's drag and drop. But at the same time I recognize that a managed service isn't bad. iTunes is ok, and 95% of the time I'm ok with it. It just gets annoying when you need to sync with multiple computers and stuff. So I just give up in that sense.

You're absolutely right Android allows you to customize, and I love my Launcher Pro. At the same time, realize we're customizing because everything's not good enough. iOS has a decent UI. Locking us down would be ok. Would you all be ok if we got locked down on say the piss poor Motorola launcher on the Droid 1? Have fun with your slideshow. Thank goodness we have openness. It's because we NEED it because Android is so unpolished. It's like sending me a black rock and telling me a diamond is inside. There's a lot of work left to do before it's "ready."

Hmm. So why doesn't the iPhone4 have 4g?

4G is overrated. Who has 4G right now in all seriousness? Sprint? Verizon kinda half has it, but what phones out there?

What about the rest of the world? No one's really going HSPA => LTE officially big time yet. Like I said before, this whole 4G hype is because Verizon and Sprint need to move there as their speeds are being eclipsed by 7.2mbps HSDPA from AT&T. The rest of the world has been at 7.2 and has moved to 14.4 and even faster like T-Mobile. 3G UMTS can be pushed very far and that's why there's no LTE phones. Look at all major phone manufacturers. LG, Samsung, HTC, Apple, Motorola, Sony Ericsson. Where the hell are the LTE phones? Get over it. Just because they don't have it yet doesn't mean they're behind. It's just that the world isn't ready for it yet.

I'll admit that Apple WAS behind with the iPhone 2G. That was ridiculous. But then again did people really cry about it? No one even knew much about AT&T's 3G network before the iPhone 3G made the whole "3G" term such a big concept. Just like no one really cared about clock speeds til the iPhone 3GS advertised the Cortex A8 and the Nexus One touted its 1ghz processor.

 

[MrX8503]

Pitiful mobile graphics at 960x640 or less isn't gaming in HD.

If you wanna get technical, anything above SD is considered HD. The Retina display certainly helps too. If you played Infinity Blade at 300dpi, your jaw would drop.

Pitiful mobile graphics? I'm sorry is there a game on the Android platform that looks as good as Infinity Blade/RAGE? lol

 

[Puddle Jumper]

If you wanna get technical, anything above SD is considered HD. The Retina display certainly helps too. If you played Infinity Blade at 300dpi, your jaw would drop.

Pitiful mobile graphics? I'm sorry is there a game on the Android platform that looks as good as Infinity Blade/RAGE? lol

I've seen Infinity Blade and it was hardly jaw dropping but I'm not that easily impressed when it comes to games. Now on the other hand Crysis at 5760x1080 is something that makes my jaw drop.

Just because Android doesn't have anything better dosen't stop the graphics from sucking, Android games just have graphics that suck even more.

 

[MrX8503]

I've seen Infinity Blade and it was hardly jaw dropping but I'm not that easily impressed when it comes to games. Now on the other hand Crysis at 5760x1080 is something that makes my jaw drop.

Just because Android doesn't have anything better dosen't stop the graphics from sucking, Android games just have graphics that suck even more.

Uh...its all about relativity. Its irrelevant if you bring up points that aren't relative.

A desktop computer has nothing to do with a mobile phone. Lame argument I'd say.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Uh...its all about relativity. Its irrelevant if you bring up points that aren't relative.

A desktop computer has nothing to do with a mobile phone. Lame argument I'd say.

quite honestly everytime they demo apps at the iPhone/iPod launches, it's always jaw dropping. Almost always they make me go "OMG I WANT NOW." The only thing that's done it for me on Android is Google Maps.

 

[zoiks]

If that's your argument for cutting edge, that's quite pitiful.

And yet the Iphone4 doesn't have it. Not even "cutting edge".

 

[zoiks]

We are talking about performance here, you're diverging. The iPhone4 runs circles around the best Android devices in UI fluidity and speed. On top of that it has the unreal engine to back it up. Those games will be on Android sooner or later? Try later, Rein and Carmack weren't too keen on the Android platform.

Stick with your Angry Birds.

http://www.platformnation.com/2010/12/19/dungeon-defenders-on-the-android-its-unreal/
http://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/29099781035

 

[zerocool84]

I've seen Infinity Blade and it was hardly jaw dropping but I'm not that easily impressed when it comes to games. Now on the other hand Crysis at 5760x1080 is something that makes my jaw drop.

Just because Android doesn't have anything better dosen't stop the graphics from sucking, Android games just have graphics that suck even more.

If you can't look at that game and realize that it's for a cellphone then something is wrong with you. It has awesome graphics for a cellphone. You have to take it into context.

 

[MrX8503]

And yet the Iphone4 doesn't have it. Not even "cutting edge".

Seriously you sound like a whiney kid out to prove something. There are a handful of devices with no 4G.

http://www.platformnation.com/2010/12/19/dungeon-defenders-on-the-android-its-unreal/
http://twitter.com/ID_AA_Carmack/status/29099781035

Thanks for proving my point. Android games can't hold a candle against iOS. Keep waiting for your RAGE port.

 

[zoiks]

Seriously you sound like a whiney kid out to prove something. There are a handful of devices with no 4G.




Thanks for proving my point. Android games can't hold a candle against iOS. Keep waiting for your RAGE port.

Wow. You must the first rate pissant of your household. You do sound like a whiny 12 year old. I just proved your assertions wrong but that of course doesn't hold well to you.

 

[MrX8503]

Wow. You must the first rate pissant of your household. You do sound like a whiny 12 year old. I just proved your assertions wrong but that of course doesn't hold well to you.

I don't see how that was proof, but ok. You're the only one that I know of that is naive enough to argue about mobile gaming on the Android platform. It's mediocre at best.

Verizon android phones must not be cutting edge either because it doesn't have 4G.

 

[akugami]

Wow. You must the first rate pissant of your household. You do sound like a whiny 12 year old. I just proved your assertions wrong but that of course doesn't hold well to you.

When the iPhone 4 was released it was on the cutting edge. Sure, there have been more powerful phones since but anyone who is impartial would have put the iPhone 4 on the forefront of mobile phones in terms of the power of the hardware.

You compare the iPhone 4 to other phones to others and dock the iPhone points for not having 4G. That's a comparison and really a bad one due to the early nature of 4G internet in the United States. Then you go and complain about someone else comparing the state of gaming on the iPhone and Android which the iPhone wins out handily in. You go so far as calling it "12 years old trying to measure penises." So you comparing features between the iPhone and other phones is ok but when someone else does it, it's 12 year olds measuring penises? Hypocritical.

With all due respect, you were the one who started the "12 year old" comments in this thread which is a borderline personal insult. You could have refuted what he said without those insulting comments. But if you're going to go that route, don't be surprised when someone else doesn't like it and fires a few shots back.

 

[zoiks]

When the iPhone 4 was released it was on the cutting edge. Sure, there have been more powerful phones since but anyone who is impartial would have put the iPhone 4 on the forefront of mobile phones in terms of the power of the hardware.

You compare the iPhone 4 to other phones to others and dock the iPhone points for not having 4G. That's a comparison and really a bad one due to the early nature of 4G internet in the United States. Then you go and complain about someone else comparing the state of gaming on the iPhone and Android which the iPhone wins out handily in. You go so far as calling it "12 years old trying to measure penises." So you comparing features between the iPhone and other phones is ok but when someone else does it, it's 12 year olds measuring penises? Hypocritical.

With all due respect, you were the one who started the "12 year old" comments in this thread which is a borderline personal insult. You could have refuted what he said without those insulting comments. But if you're going to go that route, don't be surprised when someone else doesn't like it and fires a few shots back.

Umm sorry. He was the one who instigated this. Measuring penises doesn't even remote embark on what could be constituted as an insult. If you get your feelings hurt just by that then I don't know what to tell you.
If I may quote what he said.
"When Apple does release a new iPhone, its specs are on par or better than what is currently available."
And what I replied back was with.
"Hmm. So why doesn't the iPhone4 have 4g? "

At which he thought my remark was "pitiful". After that whatever I said was fair game.

 

[Bateluer]

I don't see how that was proof, but ok. You're the only one that I know of that is naive enough to argue about mobile gaming on the Android platform. It's mediocre at best.

Verizon android phones must not be cutting edge either because it doesn't have 4G.

Won't argue with this, Android gaming is pretty poor. Its improving as Android sales numbers continue to climb, but its still bad. Which is sad, Apple on the desktop has next to no games. Apple mobile, very good gaming experience.

I wouldn't consider 4G a requirement for a cutting edge phone, not until there's more penetration. If you consider T-Mobile's HSPA+ network 4G, then you've got the G2, the MT4G, and Sprint's Evo and Epic as the only 'cutting edge' phones out there. All good phones to be sure, but I wouldn't consider the Evo cutting edge any more.

 

[akugami]

Umm sorry. He was the one who instigated this. Measuring penises doesn't even remote embark on what could be constituted as an insult. If you get your feelings hurt just by that then I don't know what to tell you.
If I may quote what he said.
"When Apple does release a new iPhone, its specs are on par or better than what is currently available."
And what I replied back was with.
"Hmm. So why doesn't the iPhone4 have 4g? "

At which he thought my remark was "pitiful". After that whatever I said was fair game.

ARE YOU SERIOUS? Look at the order of the posts. Your "12 year old penis measuring" comment (post #47) was before his "pitiful" comment (post #48). It's not about being hurt by a comment. It's about civility. For example, I disagree with what Bateluer says in a lot of posts. Sometimes my comments are pretty blunt. You don't see me and him (I'm assuming he's a guy here) getting into a pissing contest.

And your comment about 4G can be said to not matter when MrX8503 was talking about the power of the hardware. And on a technical standpoint there are no 4G phones because no network out there is capable of the specs needed to be officially labeled as 4G according to the ITU. Not Wimax. Not the current implementations of LTE by both Verizon and AT&T.

 

[MrX8503]

Umm sorry. He was the one who instigated this. Measuring penises doesn't even remote embark on what could be constituted as an insult. If you get your feelings hurt just by that then I don't know what to tell you.
If I may quote what he said.
"When Apple does release a new iPhone, its specs are on par or better than what is currently available."
And what I replied back was with.
"Hmm. So why doesn't the iPhone4 have 4g? "

At which he thought my remark was "pitiful". After that whatever I said was fair game.

I don't get my feelings hurt as I don't take the forums personally, I just get annoyed by some of the comments.

Mainly comments that are false.

For example, 1. iPhone4 not cutting edge, 2. Android having competitive gaming.

The iPhone4 isn't cutting edge now, but it was for its time when it was released, just like every other smartphone out there. 4G or not is irrelevant as many smartphones don't have 4G. It would be almost as bad as me saying "Your phone isn't cutting edge because it doesn't have a retina display"

As for gaming, Android gaming isn't very good, but that's not to say that it won't get better. To say that Android is competitive in gaming today is false.

 

[sivart]

As for gaming, Android gaming isn't very good, but that's not to say that it won't get better. To say that Android is competitive in gaming today is false.

What do you mean? You can play Madden 2011 on your Android phone now. :biggrin:

Personally gaming is the last use I will find for my phone. It is mainly used to keep me up with my stocks and the "goings on" of the day. Heck, I didn't play games on my PS3 when I had it.

 

[Bateluer]

And your comment about 4G can be said to not matter when MrX8503 was talking about the power of the hardware. And on a technical standpoint there are no 4G phones because no network out there is capable of the specs needed to be officially labeled as 4G according to the ITU. Not Wimax. Not the current implementations of LTE by both Verizon and AT&T.

The ITU just relaxed their 4G definitions.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/18/itu-capitulates-admits-that-the-term-4g-could-apply-to-lte-w/

Not sure I like relaxing the technical standards just so marketing can call it what they wish.

 

[sivart]

4G has always been 100mbps...so they are "relaxing" the definition even more. So far, I haven't seen any 4G that meets the upper end of the spec.

 

[akugami]

The ITU just relaxed their 4G definitions.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/18/itu-capitulates-admits-that-the-term-4g-could-apply-to-lte-w/

Not sure I like relaxing the technical standards just so marketing can call it what they wish.

Interesting, though it still doesn't change my feeling that 3G or 4G is mostly marketing speak. Heck, ITU relaxing the standard was probably pressure from wireless carriers so they can label more networks as 4G.

The important thing to me is not just the speed and latency but the availability. I don't think 4G internet will be relevant until the end of 2011 at the earliest. I live in Philadelphia and Sprint and Clear has their WiMax internet but if you move outside of the city, you get switched to Sprint's 3G internet. Philadelphia is also one of the cities for Verizon's LTE "4G" launch. Same deal as Sprint's "4G" with no availability if you have to travel.

 

[zoiks]

ARE YOU SERIOUS? Look at the order of the posts. Your "12 year old penis measuring" comment (post #47) was before his "pitiful" comment (post #48). It's not about being hurt by a comment. It's about civility. For example, I disagree with what Bateluer says in a lot of posts. Sometimes my comments are pretty blunt. You don't see me and him (I'm assuming he's a guy here) getting into a pissing contest.

And your comment about 4G can be said to not matter when MrX8503 was talking about the power of the hardware. And on a technical standpoint there are no 4G phones because no network out there is capable of the specs needed to be officially labeled as 4G according to the ITU. Not Wimax. Not the current implementations of LTE by both Verizon and AT&T.

I will not argue further on this. I do want to however mention that by 'measuring penises' I meant foolishly pitting the phones against each other when it's inevitable that both will prevail and have similar features 1 month, 3months or perhaps a year from now.

 

[drbrock]

I am a blackberry owner who is about to switch to another OS but I have to say I am prob going to the iphone even though I cant stand itunes, I like the drag and drop.

It bothers me that andriod phones take so long to update. You buy a sick phone with amazing specs but then you have to wait for the provider to release the update? I can see maybe waiting a month but multiple months for a major update like gingerbread should be done fast. What will happen when 3.0 comes. Are people going to have to trade in their Galaxy S and EVOs to get the latest OS. IF the phone can run it. That sucks!
At least the iphone when it releases you get the update. If the phone cant handle it the phone does not get the update. I understand that the update goes through one carrier but I am sure verizon will be at the same release dates for IOS 5 or whatever they name the next version.
I wonder if Windows 7 phone is going to have a windows 7 update like PCs. There are a ton of different hardware configs that run Win 7 PC but they release patches all the time fairly flawlessly.

 

[MrX8503]

I am a blackberry owner who is about to switch to another OS but I have to say I am prob going to the iphone even though I cant stand itunes, I like the drag and drop.

It bothers me that andriod phones take so long to update. You buy a sick phone with amazing specs but then you have to wait for the provider to release the update? I can see maybe waiting a month but multiple months for a major update like gingerbread should be done fast. What will happen when 3.0 comes. Are people going to have to trade in their Galaxy S and EVOs to get the latest OS. IF the phone can run it. That sucks!
At least the iphone when it releases you get the update. If the phone cant handle it the phone does not get the update. I understand that the update goes through one carrier but I am sure verizon will be at the same release dates for IOS 5 or whatever they name the next version.
I wonder if Windows 7 phone is going to have a windows 7 update like PCs. There are a ton of different hardware configs that run Win 7 PC but they release patches all the time fairly flawlessly.

Its harder for Android to update because of the vast fragmentation. You have various different phones with different hardware, then on top of that you have various different skins.

This is also compounded by each manufacturer (Motorola, HTC, Samsung, etc.) releasing multiple different models. Different hardware X different software X different models = Long waits for updates.

Google just throws out a new OS update, its not their problem after that. This is why it may be advantageous to own a Nexus1.

 

[drbrock]

MRx I can see your point on the fragmentation but I think there should be a better way to get these updates out quicker. If these updates are really monumental such as gingerbread. They should be released quick. It just bothers me, I am sure google or the market could come up with a better solution.

Maybe the Nexus 1 is the answer.

 

[MrX8503]

There's not much that you can do other than buying a stock google phone. You could also look at Motorola, Samsung, and HTC update trends. I'm not sure who's the quickest out of the three but I'm willing to bet Samsung is the slowest.