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Bill Gates switches to Android phone

bbc.co.uk

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Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#111

Post by BoorishBears »

Yetanfou wrote: post #49
notzorbo3 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Nor have I ever heard anyone wish out loud that their phone was more like their Microsoft Windows computer The one place I want microsoft to succeed is smartphones. Android spies on basically everything you do. Both android and iOS are vendor lock-in in a way we've never seen before. Compared to the current smartphone OS offerings, Windows was (and is) an incredibly open platform.

Android itself does not "[spy] on basically everything you do", that role is given to the Google-specific services and applications you can - but do not have to - run on the thing. Neither is Android "vendor lock-in in a way we've never seen before", the source to the basic OS is available after all. The exception to this is formed by the device drivers which generally come in the form of "blobs" which are tailored t…

The Android that competes with the iPhone and Windows Phone devices in the market at large is the Android that either has Google Play Services, or occasionally has a much worse (privacy-wise) Chinese alternative suite.

The Android you get without Google Play Services are more like Firefox OS, or Ubuntu Phone, or chrooting into Debian and calling that your "OS", interesting things for developers, but not really what the average end user would consider a serious phone option that's even on their radar.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#112

Post by WorldMaker »

pjmlp wrote: post #110
WorldMaker wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Rumors abound that 10 on mobile isn't getting the FCU for reasons of surprise/marketing/skipping ahead to Redstone 4. There's a lot of talk about "Andromeda OS" and the idea that it is something different from Windows 10 on mobile, but there's also signs/rumors that seem to say "Andromeda OS" is just an internal project name for the release plans after FCU (which is Redstone 3).

The problem with that decision, is that the very last ones actually enjoying WP10, just lost any hope left.

I'm right there worried about things. I've got a tablet I keep active in the Windows Insider program and reading release notes it's very disconcerting these days to see the 15,000 build numbers on mobile versus the 16,000 build numbers everywhere else. I want to see excitement in the Feedback Hub about mobile and wish it were easier to run Insider builds on mobile without worrying about accidentally toasting your emergency needs device and/or 2FA device.

I'd like to still hope that the Windows team knows what they are doing this time and the results will work out, but yes, things look pretty bleak today.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#113

Post by pweissbrod »

RestlessMind wrote: post #75
pweissbrod wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As an ex-WP user who also switched to android I would argue the android UX is a step backward in some respects. When I open an app in WP I received immediate loading/animation feedback. In android many core actions (such as initiating a phone call) cause temporary freeze while the app loads. Did the phone receive my tap? Do I need to tap again or wait? Coming from a more fluid interface like the WP this is something…

Which Android device are you using?

s7 edge

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#114

Post by Yetanfou »

BoorishBears wrote: post #111
Yetanfou wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Android itself does not "[spy] on basically everything you do", that role is given to the Google-specific services and applications you can - but do not have to - run on the thing. Neither is Android "vendor lock-in in a way we've never seen before", the source to the basic OS is available after all. The exception to this is formed by the device drivers which generally come in the form of "blobs" which are tailored t…

The Android that competes with the iPhone and Windows Phone devices in the market at large is the Android that either has Google Play Services, or occasionally has a much worse (privacy-wise) Chinese alternative suite. The Android you get without Google Play Services are more like Firefox OS, or Ubuntu Phone, or chrooting into Debian and calling that your "OS", interesting things for developers, but not really what t…

Those who are interested in the nitty-gritty of keeping a semblance of privacy generally will not baulk at taking some hurdles to get there, nor do they expect their devices to work exactly like those within the walled gardens.

Now if there where a way to combine these two worlds - that of the 'it just works but it knows more about me than I do myself' and the 'it does exactly what I tell it do do, no more and no less' - it would be feasible to offer such a device to a larger section of the general public.

A stripped-down Android distribution - sans Google-specific bits, with some replacements where needed - which does over the air updates just like devices on the other side of the wall would be a good start.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#115

Post by BoorishBears »

Yetanfou wrote: post #114
BoorishBears wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Android that competes with the iPhone and Windows Phone devices in the market at large is the Android that either has Google Play Services, or occasionally has a much worse (privacy-wise) Chinese alternative suite. The Android you get without Google Play Services are more like Firefox OS, or Ubuntu Phone, or chrooting into Debian and calling that your "OS", interesting things for developers, but not really what t…

Those who are interested in the nitty-gritty of keeping a semblance of privacy generally will not baulk at taking some hurdles to get there, nor do they expect their devices to work exactly like those within the walled gardens. Now if there where a way to combine these two worlds - that of the 'it just works but it knows more about me than I do myself' and the 'it does exactly what I tell it do do, no more and no les…

iOS lets you keep a semblance of privacy without hurdles. The walled garden even contributes to it's security.

I think more people who have a passing interest in privacy would rather take a walled garden on some of the best hardware out there with a rather enjoyable, if not powerful, OS.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#116

Post by Yetanfou »

BoorishBears wrote: post #115
Yetanfou wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Those who are interested in the nitty-gritty of keeping a semblance of privacy generally will not baulk at taking some hurdles to get there, nor do they expect their devices to work exactly like those within the walled gardens. Now if there where a way to combine these two worlds - that of the 'it just works but it knows more about me than I do myself' and the 'it does exactly what I tell it do do, no more and no les…

iOS lets you keep a semblance of privacy without hurdles. The walled garden even contributes to it's security. I think more people who have a passing interest in privacy would rather take a walled garden on some of the best hardware out there with a rather enjoyable, if not powerful, OS.

iOS only allows this if you consider your data to be private as long as it doesn't leave Apple (i.e. the garden). This does not mean your data can not be used for profiling purposes, it just means the profiling would be done wholly within the confines of Apple, Inc. If you trust Apple to not use this data for anything but your personal good you can feel safe and secure. If on the other hand you consider Apple to be an (extreme) example of a profit-driven company you'd do well to reconsider whether you want your personal data within their reach.

While it is hard - and getting harder - to evade profiling it is still preferable to minimise the amount of personally identifiable data collected by commercial or governmental organisations. Using an Android device without Google-specific code can help here.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#117

Post by mobilio »

kettlecorn wrote: post #93
mobilio wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup! But they do this with version 6.5 then "rewrote apps" for 7, and then "rewrite apps" for 8 and now for 10. It's easy to understand why devs are pissed-off from that decisions. PS: I forgot fiasco with 7.5 and upgrade to 7.9 and 8.0

8 -> 8.1 was also a similar transition. There was a period where targeting the 8.0 APIs meant you had access to one set of features and targeting the 8.1 set of APIs meant you were missing certain features but gaining others. The constant rewrites was a nightmare from the developer perspective and prevented any traction being gained. The story of Windows Phone is full of similar bone-headed decisions in which Microso…

I agree on 100% on that.

They also make statement this spring "no new devices this year" and this is yet-another-example-of-market-alienification.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#118

Post by BoorishBears »

Yetanfou wrote: post #116
BoorishBears wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

iOS lets you keep a semblance of privacy without hurdles. The walled garden even contributes to it's security. I think more people who have a passing interest in privacy would rather take a walled garden on some of the best hardware out there with a rather enjoyable, if not powerful, OS.

iOS only allows this if you consider your data to be private as long as it doesn't leave Apple (i.e. the garden). This does not mean your data can not be used for profiling purposes, it just means the profiling would be done wholly within the confines of Apple, Inc. If you trust Apple to not use this data for anything but your personal good you can feel safe and secure. If on the other hand you consider Apple to be a…

For the majority of users I'd recommend trusting Apple. If you're in a class of user where Apple can't be trusted I don't recommend a smartphone. They can earn profit by being the privacy oriented alternative to Google's OS.

I think the conversation has shifted from my main point. When the average user hears "Android" or says it, it's "Android + GPS". The GP said Android but seeing as the most common Android devices competing with the other two OSes they mentioned come with GPS I find it disingenuous to try and imply that it's not "Android proper" if it has GPS. If anything Android without GPS isn't "Android proper" in this context because of the amount of functionality it provides that people include when they compare those OSes

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#119

Post by craigvn »

Clubber wrote: post #38
qubex wrote: post #2

The total failure of Windows Phone to gain acceptance in the market is a huge pity. I have a Lumina 950 as a secondary device (for loading with a local SIM while abroad) and it’s a solid performer with a polished OS, refreshingly ’different’ UI, and excellent basics (build quality, call quality, and battery life). The basic, core apps I ’need’ in this role are available (WhatsApp, Facebook/Messenger, Twitter, & ceter…

I was really hoping to have a full Windows 10 phone that ran x86-64 apps and you could then dock and use like a regular computer. I think Intel scuttled that idea when they dropped the mobile chip though. It could have been a game changer.

I think this was the Holy Grail, a regular PC in a phone form factor. Of course you are left with the problem of needing a monitor and keyboard to plug it into when you want to do any work.

Re: Bill Gates switches to Android phone

#120

Post by misingnoglic »

louprado wrote: post #52

This story was originally reported the same day Apple announced that it would no longer use Bing.[1]. Gates' sudden affection for Android feels like a transparent way to snub Apple in retaliation and nothing more. [1] https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/25/16361628/apple-siri-bing-...

Apple started using Google, so Bill Gates got back at them by also using Google?
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