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Geek Culture / As a nerd/geek/tech: iOS vs Android vs Win7

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DJ Almix
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Posted: 6th Nov 2010 09:54 Edited at: 6th Nov 2010 18:45
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I've been a great fan of android and love the experience of it. Its like the windows of phones(in the way that its less restrictive and is more mod friendly), but a lot of people like to complain because they find it to be to clunk, or things don't flow through the OS. I was wondering, what are your views (with android dominating the market right now) on these 3 OS's

My favorite:

Android

Pro's
- lose restrictions on apps
- easily and highly easy to customize
- non company specific apps are offered (I.e different music/video players or search engines)
- open-source attitude promotes free applications
- ability to root is incredibly speedy process and you can install custom os's
- overclocking

Con's
- good apps are hard to discover (there there, just hard to find)
- android devs don't program to power, they program to appeal to all (most 3d apps are made to appeal to all phones and usually are not made to suit high end phones, which makes devs use less of there app potential)
- a lot of uneducated people try to do to much with android and blame perfectly good apps, causing a sometimes extremely biased rating system

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 6th Nov 2010 12:47 Edited at: 6th Nov 2010 12:48
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I've only played lightly with iOS and Android. (Mum's iPod Touch and brother's HTC Android)

I like them both, I find it hard to be able to say which I prefer. Win7 OS looks interesting, I wouldn't mind having a look at it properly.

But I'm cheap, I've got a Samsung Tocco Lite, so it uses TouchWiz, which seems very much an imitation of iOS with its own perks with only built in apps. But I love it.

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Code eater
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Posted: 6th Nov 2010 18:28
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Quote: "un educated"

I'm not trying to be mean, its an easy mistake to make, but that made me laugh

Having only used iOS I have to say I hate it. It's far too restricting and impossible to program for. I like the idea of the Win7 OS but haven't had a chance to use it.

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DJ Almix
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Posted: 6th Nov 2010 18:53
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Quote: "Quote: "un educated"
I'm not trying to be mean, its an easy mistake to make, but that made me laugh "


Yes, yes I typed it really fast and on a phone

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Satchmo
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Posted: 6th Nov 2010 23:29
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iOS was thrown together with little to no thought in attempt to be as "flashy" as possible, and to bleed consumers for a as much money as Apple could. Android is the way to go.

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Seppuku Arts
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Posted: 7th Nov 2010 04:32 Edited at: 7th Nov 2010 04:33
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You seem to make a lot of drive-by comments to berate apple products, don't you Satchmo?

But the ignorance in said comments:

"Flashy" OS and thrown together with no thought: It's a design many android phones or other touch screen phones have imitated in some way. Many other companies have seen its usefulness and not only imitated interface features, but other features within the OS and they've adapted to compete with Apple's product design eg: Which existed first: iPhone App Store or Android App Store? When the iPhone first came out, other companies weren't producing phones that were similar in design. It strayed from other phone designs and took enough thought for it to be successful. My Samsung Tocco Lite for example, many design features to the OS are eerily similar to the iPhone. Plus: first time I picked up an iPhone, the interface was very intuitive and I learned the features very quickly. No demonstrations, no asking "how do you do this?" It was designed to be intuitive so that even an idiot could use it. It doesn't lack in the feature department either, sure the software submitted to the store is regulated and therefore restricting development for many bedroom programmers whereas the android doesn't, but there's even a downside to that, read point 1 of DJ Almix's cons for Android. The iPhone 4 and latest iPod Touch are great pieces of tech, so are some of the tech that competes too.

"Bleed" consumers for as much money as they could:
Looking at prices compared to other high-end smartphones (no contracts), prices from having a quick look on the internet:
iPhone 4 - £419
Blackberry Torch - £450
Samsung Galaxy S - £429
HTC Desire HD - £400
Sony Ericsson Xperia - £350-£400 (but 1gb)

Or if you're looking at tablets (iOS vs Android):

iPad - £429
Samsung Galaxy Tab - £499
Dell Streak - £440

I don't think Apple are milking customers. There's cheaper alternatives, but they're on a lower end of the scale on what each device offers. The way I see it, the difference is, Apple doesn't offer the cheaper alternatives. Does that matter? It means less competition in the <£400 range of phones and tablets out there. You don't have to hold the entire market range.

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Insert Name Here
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Posted: 8th Nov 2010 22:24
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I hate it when people say companies 'bleed' consumers for as much money as possible. Last time I checked, it was perfectly legal to not buy something. No one moans at the guys who produced the diamond studded watches for bleeding out consumers because only people who can afford them buy them anyway.

You can get further with a smile and a gun than you can with just a smile.

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Ocho Geek
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Posted: 8th Nov 2010 23:10
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I've heard good things about Win7 mobile, but then again I've heard good things about windows vista in the past

Would be nice to get a self confessed geeks view

Ocho Geek - Pretending to be a useful contribution to the forums since 2005
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DJ Almix
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Posted: 9th Nov 2010 00:00 Edited at: 9th Nov 2010 00:02
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The thing about Win7 is that right now its totally off the radar. I haven't heard anything about it (which is odd because there was a lot of hype surrounding its release). Maybe no one bought it because its on the AT&T network.

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Phaelax
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Posted: 9th Nov 2010 08:23
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Quote: "iOS was thrown together with little to no thought"


Really? Cause I felt the iPhone was way more intuitive than Android and easier to use. Just because a design is simple doesn't mean there wasn't any thought involved.

I think Android will eventually be the future, but if you hand all these smart phones to, let's say grandma, I bet she'd have an easier time with the iPhone.

I guess my argument is more on the UI, which Android isn't necessarily responsible for.

If I used an Android phone as much as I have iOS, I'm sure I'd like it just as much. With mine jailbroken, I can do tons of things, my favorites being RDP, SSH, and wireless syncing (which is great when you lose your cable)

I've never held a windows phone in my hand, so i can't offer any comment.

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Van B
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Posted: 9th Nov 2010 08:46
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I've only used iOS and Android, and I have to say the overall experience is much better with iOS. Android is desperately trying to be better than iOS, but it ends up just feeling clunky. When it's a mobile device, you don't need gadgets and slide out drawers and all that guff, you want a good touch screen and intuitive controls.

Quote: "It's far too restricting and impossible to program for."


By that statement I'm guessing you haven't actually tried. Don't know if you've noticed how many apps are out there for iOS, you might as well say that it's impossible to eat waffles. As for restricting, well that's changed, AFAIK you no longer need a mac and xcode to build apps. My brothers Android phone has no multi-touch, now on a device like that, THAT is limiting. Consider how any sort of arcade game is gonna work on a single-touch device - we'll be fine as long as we don't need to move and fire at the same time. If you only play Angry Birds or that air traffic control game, then your all set. I guess there are better examples out there for Android, as long as your prepared to pay Apple-style money, in which case you might just get an iPhone or a Win7 phone anyway. Android has to be the cheap option, but IMO the cheap option feels kinda cheap.

Personally, I'm in no hurry to look into Android development, not in it's current form. As a user, well IMO my iPod Touch is smothered in awesome, it's great to develop for, intuitive, and most importantly it does what it is told.

Health, Ammo, and bacon and eggs!
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Fallout
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Posted: 9th Nov 2010 10:12
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I'm not a huge fan of the Android OS for usability, but it's great for development. I've almost finished my first game and will be trying out the market soon. It has a few strange concepts, but overall it's really well documented and very easy if you know Java. I'd say it took me less than a week to crack the basics and have sprites moving and sounds playing. Also it's £30 I think to register for the market, and then Google take 30% (I think) of all sales, and that's it. Nothing else to worry about.

So from a development point of view, I think it's the way to go.

Insert piccy sig here. Eh? Why didn't that work?!?! Must ring help-a-noob. What was the number again? .... where am I?
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Ocho Geek
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Posted: 9th Nov 2010 22:05
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They're stilllllll advertising Win7 for Computer. Maybe they should concentrate on showing what win7 mobile actually does rather than that cool but useless ad they are showing at the moment

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Darth Vader
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Posted: 10th Nov 2010 15:19
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Never used Android or Win 7 Mobile. iOS is a great phone OS. Also what touch based phone was really popular before the iPhone?

Hands down the best way to browse the web on a phone. Not developed for it but looks pretty sweet (hoping to soon!).

Sure it has some annoying limitations. Bluetooth files is something I miss, the fact that Apple keep your SMS's locked on the phone with no easy way to transfer them if you want to change. And great apps like iDos get banned

Android looks interesting, my co-worker just got the HTC desire HD which I'll be seeing tomorrow so that will be my first Android experience. The real only thing people ever tell me about Android though in comparison the iOS is that it's more customizable! Is that really the only advantage?

my 2 cents


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DJ Almix
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Posted: 10th Nov 2010 16:21
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Quote: "iOS is that it's more customizable! Is that really the only advantage?"


- Rooting
- Custom ROM's
- Net Tether (WiFi and USB)
- Custom home screens
- True multitasking
- Android Keeps Information Visible on Your Home Screen
- Android Has a Better App Market
- Android Gives You Better Notifications
- Android Lets You Choose Your Hardware
- Android Lets You Choose Your Carrier
- Android Lets You Change Your Settings Faster
- Android Does Google and Social Integration (+SINGLE Autosync, it's incredibly useful to have have to have 5 apps for 5 different emails.)
- Video chatting is cross compatible to all Android devices and iPhones/iTouches (Over WiFi or 3G)
- System-wide voice-to-text input (It's incredibly accurate)
- Flash
- Widgets

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Ocho Geek
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Posted: 10th Nov 2010 16:36
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I feel the limitations with android phones has quite a lot to do with the hardware, but it DOES have quite a bit to do with software

Though android is packed with extra features, the presentation isn't quite as good as iOS. And when your competing with the company which has more worshippers than any other, , slightly worse may as well be much worse

Ocho Geek - Pretending to be a useful contribution to the forums since 2005
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Rampage
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Posted: 10th Nov 2010 21:44
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I just bought an Android phone and I am personally loving it. Used to have an IPhone 3g (8gb) last Christmas and I found it great. But I find that between OS's. Android is much more to my liking than iOS.


Eidos!
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Lemonade
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Posted: 11th Nov 2010 07:10
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I just got an Android phone and I love it! $25 a month for unlimited data\texting and 300 minutes on Virgin Mobile.

One of my brothers has a Win7 phone and he's amazed with it. It certainly looks really good. A lllllllot more polished than Android anyway.

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Phaelax
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Posted: 11th Nov 2010 11:41 Edited at: 11th Nov 2010 11:41
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Quote: "$25 a month for unlimited data\texting and 300 minutes on Virgin Mobile."


Can't argue with that price, jeez!
What's Virgin's coverage like?

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Darth Vader
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Posted: 11th Nov 2010 12:04
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Thanks DJ Almix! Got to see Android in action today. Really nicely done some nice extra options.

I like how it shows you all the battery info! And how it visually shows you the proccess's running is also cool.

Overall nice OS, but... I'll stick with my iPhone 4

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Lemonade
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Posted: 13th Nov 2010 07:17
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Quote: "Can't argue with that price, jeez!
What's Virgin's coverage like?
"


I know! Too bad they have only one Android phone, but I'm more than happy with it.

I haven't moved around much, other than work and school, but so far there has been coverage everywhere I have gone. It's fast enough that I'll even go without wi-fi in the house to save battery life.

However, right now Virgin Mobile is having technical difficulties with their internet service.

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