Mobile Operating Sytem app wars

[EtienneK]

MyBroadband.co.za, please don't tell me that you have paid dear old Russel to write this steaming pile of horse manure that he calls an article.

A closed App Store means quality apps? Really?

Well, if by quality Russel is referring to the hundreds of different Fart Apps on the iStore, then yes, the iStore is quality.

If by quality Russel is referring to all the "Apps" on the iStore that are basically just containers for different videos, then yes, the iStore is quality.

Just not the quality I'm looking for.

Keep on using your closed, walled-garden, store with its quality Fart Apps, Russel. I will keep on using the wide open marketplace known as the internet.

 

[cmyplay]

MyBroadband.co.za, please don't tell me that you have paid dear old Russel to write this steaming pile of horse manure that he calls an article.

Manners, buddy. Manners.

Well, if by quality Russel is referring to the hundreds of different Fart Apps on the iStore, then yes, the iStore is quality.

Seriously guy, give it a rest. Do you know how many fart apps there are for Android? Try googling it.
What I'm pretty damn sure of is that none of the App Store fart apps crash the OS or steal sensitive information. Neither should any of the other hundreds of thousands of productivity, fitness, reference, games, etc… apps.

 

[drukkie]

What's this writer smoking?

 

[cmyplay]

Christ, man, that is my damn point.

Great, the author fluffed up his phrasing. The issue still stands that proprietary systems and open systems both have problems. The article makes a good case for why proprietary is head and shoulders above open - the overall experience for the end user.

 

[Slyfox]

Great, the author fluffed up his phrasing. The issue still stands that proprietary systems and open systems both have problems.

Yes. This is what I've been saying from that first post.

The article makes a good case for why proprietary is head and shoulders above open - the overall experience for the end user.

Yes... but also no. He makes the right points, but elevates them unfairly by ignoring key aspects of the Android Market which I mentioned in my first post: (1) the 48-hour refund window in case an app turns out not to be up to scratch, and (2) the presence of a sufficiently accurate review system to highlight apps that do not work as advertised.

Convenient for Russell's side of the argument, no?

So yes, I actually agree with EtienneK calling this article a steaming pile of horse manure, and rightly so. It's laced with a biased attitude, and ignores facts that would dilute Bennett's preconceived idea of who the "winner" is. In other words, it's ****ing useless as a piece of informative journalism.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

My guess is that the writer has never owned an Android device. Android is the way forward.

 

[cmyplay]

You're taking this very personally.

(1) the 48-hour refund window in case an app turns out not to be up to scratch,

Very useful. I personally think that this is overdue on the App Store

(2)the presence of a sufficiently accurate review system to highlight apps that do not work as advertised.

Not exactly unique to the Android marketplace, so I can see why it's been omitted. It's not an advantage when both open & closed systems have this in place.

In other words, it's ****ing useless as a piece of informative journalism.

I never viewed it as anything other than an opinion piece. You can hardly fault MyBroadband such viewpoints considering the volume of comments such articles garner in the forums.

 

[Rouxenator]

MeeGo will crush the rest just like Symbian did.

 

[cmyplay]

My guess is that the writer has never owned an Android device. Android is the way forward.

My guess is that paper beats rock.

 

[hammell]

Perhaps there won't be a victor per se. We rattle on about a "battle" and a "winner". Surely, as those who so vigorously support Android preach, choice should be the decider? I choose a closed system, with the hardware and software made by the same company. Someone else chooses an open platform, with varied forms of an open OS on dissimilar hardware. Yes there are huge differences in the two but surely it is my choice which platform I choose?

 

[smokey]

While the article makes some valid points - it's still a overly biased, totally one-sided view of the entire situation. Personally though - when it's time for me to buy a new phone, it'll definitely be Android.

 

[smokey]

Perhaps there won't be a victor per se. We rattle on about a "battle" and a "winner". Surely, as those who so vigorously support Android preach, choice should be the decider? I choose a closed system, with the hardware and software made by the same company. Someone else chooses an open platform, with varied forms of an open OS on dissimilar hardware. Yes there are huge differences in the two but surely it is my choice which platform I choose?

+1

 

[Slyfox]

Not exactly unique to the Android marketplace, so I can see why it's been omitted. It's not an advantage when both open & closed systems have this in place.

Granted.

You're taking this very personally.

[...]

I never viewed it as anything other than an opinion piece. You can hardly fault MyBroadband such viewpoints considering the volume of comments such articles garner in the forums.

I'm not really taking this personally (honest!). And I agree with you that this is an opinion piece. What incenses me is the cherry-picking of facts and use of vague-to-no hard data to support a specific conclusion. If I were to do this in a face-to-face conversation with you, you'd call me out on it so quickly I wouldn't even have time to close my mouth, and rightly so. Just because it's an opinion piece isn't an excuse to allow shoddy journalism.

Look, I'm not saying he should have said that Android is teh winrars, but this kind of behaviour just adds more fuel to the raging, unnecessary stupidity that is the iOS versus Android fire.

 

[Cloud]

You're welcome to choose, so long as it's Android?

You get to choose the hardware, unlike the iPhone.

The article says that a manufacturer should take more control of the entire product, hardware, software and application environment. Like Samsung has done, like Apple has done. If a company becomes a monopoly because they manage the entire product then I'm all for monopolies.

Can you run Android on an iPhone? See point 1.

The music industry? Seriously? Weak sauce.

You make a good argument.... oh wait.

I'm sure that music lovers never faced the prospect of downloading a track that stole their private data, destroyed the rest of their music collection and corrupted their sound-system enough to need a firmware restoration.

Ever downloaded a dodgy track off Limewire? The point is - if you are an ignorant noob you will get crapped on by spammers, hackers, keygens, trojans etc.

Educate yourself.

Fanboy.

Haha, how mature. If Google stops doing what they are doing the way that I and millions of others prefer, then I will move on to the next company.

 

[Cloud]

I have only used Nokia phones for the last 10+ years. The main reason for this was that they had the best product (in my opinion) available when it the time came for replacement. my contract recently expired again. The only phones from Nokia that were in the running was the N97(too big) and the N8(not available yet). The lack of quality apps on OVI did not help, and I think Nokia got cocky and lost the plot (drank their own Kool-Aid) a bit. Will have too see if they can make a comeback in high-end phones

My name went on the pre-order list for an iPhone 4. After playing with my g/f iPad I came to the realisation that I did not want any part of that. I picked up my Samsung Galaxy S, 2 weeks ago.

After a somewhat stressful day or two when I realised how powerful Nokia PC Suite really is and that Android did not have anything similar, I know REALY like my Android phone.

My impression thus far is that there a many very good apps available in the Android App store, many by the same creators of apps for Apple devices. Further the “type” of individuals that seem to gravitate towards Android also seem to be the type that will create a solution if none exist where Apple users seem to be just too happy with whatever get provided to them.

My Android phone is significantly more customisable than an iPhone will EVER be, plus rooting it was not nearly as big a deal as jailbreaking an iPhone.

I think what sold me on Android was attitude. I do not feel comfortable with the level of control Apple feels the must have on their devices after it left their factory/store.

It’s my phone, I paid for it, if I want to mess with it, you are not allowed to have a say.

BTW : There is a LOT of BS in the Apple App Store too.

You make some very good points there, I agree.

 

[cmyplay]

What incenses me is the cherry-picking of facts and use of vague-to-no hard data to support a specific conclusion.

Look, I'm not saying he should have said that Android is teh winrars, but this kind of behaviour just adds more fuel to the raging, unnecessary stupidity that is the iOS versus Android fire.

Point taken. Maybe it's the atmosphere surrounding this debate that makes people all crazy like. A little perspective in forum comments would go a long way towards eliminating the fanboy mindset. I really don't care what phone people use as long as they don't troll every post about a competing product.

 

[hammell]

You make some very good points there, I agree.

Actually some pretty poor points. So if I buy something, mess it up totally, then take it back to Apple, it's somehow their fault? The fact that Android users seem to think that everyone wants to customize their phone completely is strange to me. I drive an Audi. It's exactly the same now as it was when I bought it. I haven't customized it in any way and I'm happy with that. Sure, some people like to put spoilers on, tweak the sound system and change the wheels, I'm happy with it the way it was designed. Perhaps using a car as an analogy is not quite a valid comparison, but I hope I made my point...

I don't care if I can't change the wallpaper, or the ringtone, or if I can't make a lightsaber sound whenever I get an SMS. I like a phone the works well, is intuitive and stable, that has a good mail application and can play my music. For me that's IOS.

 

[Cloud]

hammel, your car analogy is not great, the point being that you can still customize your car if you want. If you drove an iPhone you would be severely limited (compared to driving a Toyota, Lexus, Porche, etc. with an Android engine).

Here is my real life example:

I like to read ebooks on my phone, but my HTC Desire has hardware lights that stay on when I read in the dark. It hurts my eyes and the standard Android OS does not allow for it to be turned off. Bummer right? Wrong.

Some bright individual wrote an app (for rooted Android phones) to turn off those lights. Works flawlessly. Would I be able to do this on an iPhone? Chances are, no. So what then, I must stick a piece of tape on it? What?

Android = options.

 

[hammell]

hammel, your car analogy is not great, the point being that you can still customize your car if you want. If you drove an iPhone you would be severely limited (compared to driving a Toyota, Lexus, Porche, etc. with an Android engine).

Here is my real life example:

I like to read ebooks on my phone, but my HTC Desire has hardware lights that stay on when I read in the dark. It hurts my eyes and the standard Android OS does not allow for it to be turned off. Bummer right? Wrong.

Some bright individual wrote an app (for rooted Android phones) to turn off those lights. Works flawlessly. Would I be able to do this on an iPhone? Chances are, no. So what then, I must stick a piece of tape on it? What?

Android = options.

My point was that I don't choose to customize something, but anyway...

And I absolutely agree with you - you're happy with Android, so go for it - enjoy. I'm happy with Apple. I don't think Android is rubbish, but it seems to be a requirement of Android users to hate Apple. My whole point is that for me, and for many people, Apple is right for them.

 

[Cloud]

Hammer, the fact that you chose not to modify something I understood, but if you later decided to do it, you would not be able to.

Android phones work just as well as iPhones out of the box, but you don't have the same options that you do for customization (even if you don't want it) later.

The article is trying to say that force fed and regulated apps and hardware are the way of the future, and I just don't agree with it based on personal experience.