Live data from Hacker News

IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

designbygravity.wordpress.com

21–30 of 56 posts

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#21
post #4

I just switched from iPhone 3GS to Android (Galaxy S). My first impression is that it's not as polished as the iPhone, but the overall gain in functionality is worth the switch. IMO the biggest pros (that iPhone lacks): - Micro SD card storage - Mount the phone as a USB drive or as a modem (hallelujah, why did it take so long for phones to get this?!) - Swype (reminds me of T9 on non-smart phones, sweet, although use…

You _can_ remove the AT&T apps if you root the phone. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=712546 http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/3319-stock-apps-that-can-... http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/1950-galaxy-s-has-been-ro... I'm very close to switching from an iPhone 3G to the Galaxy S (captivate), so I'm glad to see someone confirming what I thought would be my impression: not so smooth but more functio…

Rooting your phone just to remove ads is like removing an engine from your car just to get rid of hubcaps -- they should just snap right off.

But seriously, a new iPhone costs $199 with 2 year contract. My Galaxy S (Captivate) cost $229 with 2 year contract. You would think that for a higher price than the iPhone -- which is heralded as the end-all-be-all of smartphones, and which doesn't have ANY bloatware whatsoever -- Samsung could afford to not preload an otherwise awesome phone with so much crap.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#22
post #14
post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "niggle" is troubling and slightly outdated, especially if you look up it's etymology. Could you expand on this? I can't find anything other than it dating to the 1500/1600s, probably from Norwegian "Nigla" (to be penurious) or cognate with "Niggardly". As with "niggardly" I don't think there's any racial connotation to the term other than its sound?

The word "niggardly" and it's cognates are not preferred language not just due to their phonetic similarity to a word which unfortunately has awful connotation, but also because sophomoric racists have unfortunately appropriated these terms to have this sort of racial meaning. I should have said "recent etymology" above. For this reason, magazines and newspapers avoid the term: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Controvers…

It just blows my mind that there exist people who would discourage the use of the word 'niggle' because of the fact that it is etymologically related to a word that sounds a bit like a derogatory term.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#23
post #8

Despite all the furor about iOS needing multitasking, this detail is glossed over: on Verizon you can't look up something requiring data while you're on a call. This isn't an Android vs iPhone issue: on AT&T my HTC Aria can handle a call while checking for directions on Google Maps just fine. It's interesting how total failure to support the most common smartphone multitasking scenario is glossed over as a "niggle".…

Does rooting the phone get rid of it, or does the problem lie on the network / back end?

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#24
post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that the full standalone Safari or an embedded Safari within the twitter client? It looks like an embedded browser within the twitter client. On my iPod touch, if I left my twitter client to go to Safari, I could not come back to exactly where I was in tweetdeck. But I have not tried 4.0 in this regard.

It's a fully functional browser that loads from the app, yes. All developers have this at their disposal. This isn't a problem precisely because apps rarely need to "leave" to display a browser. One just comes in modally, displays the content of a page, and that's that. If you were using a Twitter client that yanked you out of Twitter to show a site, you were using a bad client.

Then I want to email the link to that page, so I have to open the full Safari, then do the email link which opens my mail client, then close the mail client which goes to my home screen, go find my twitter app and open back up to pick up where I left off!

I like my iPhone but it has it's flaws just like any other device.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#25
post #8

Despite all the furor about iOS needing multitasking, this detail is glossed over: on Verizon you can't look up something requiring data while you're on a call. This isn't an Android vs iPhone issue: on AT&T my HTC Aria can handle a call while checking for directions on Google Maps just fine. It's interesting how total failure to support the most common smartphone multitasking scenario is glossed over as a "niggle".…

Is this a GSM vs CDMA issue? I'm pretty sure I can due this on TMobile.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#26
post #25
post #8

Despite all the furor about iOS needing multitasking, this detail is glossed over: on Verizon you can't look up something requiring data while you're on a call. This isn't an Android vs iPhone issue: on AT&T my HTC Aria can handle a call while checking for directions on Google Maps just fine. It's interesting how total failure to support the most common smartphone multitasking scenario is glossed over as a "niggle".…

Is this a GSM vs CDMA issue? I'm pretty sure I can due this on TMobile.

It is indeed a CDMA limitation, not an Android one.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a fully functional browser that loads from the app, yes. All developers have this at their disposal. This isn't a problem precisely because apps rarely need to "leave" to display a browser. One just comes in modally, displays the content of a page, and that's that. If you were using a Twitter client that yanked you out of Twitter to show a site, you were using a bad client.

Then I want to email the link to that page, so I have to open the full Safari, then do the email link which opens my mail client, then close the mail client which goes to my home screen, go find my twitter app and open back up to pick up where I left off! I like my iPhone but it has it's flaws just like any other device.

Nah, Tweetie (the iPhone Twitter client in the screenshots above) also has a built in email client for sending links. No need to leave the app.

And yes in iOS 4 if you DID need to exit the app it would be in the state you left it when you returned.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You _can_ remove the AT&T apps if you root the phone. http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=712546 http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/3319-stock-apps-that-can-... http://forum.cyanogenmod.com/topic/1950-galaxy-s-has-been-ro... I'm very close to switching from an iPhone 3G to the Galaxy S (captivate), so I'm glad to see someone confirming what I thought would be my impression: not so smooth but more functio…

Rooting your phone just to remove ads is like removing an engine from your car just to get rid of hubcaps -- they should just snap right off. But seriously, a new iPhone costs $199 with 2 year contract. My Galaxy S (Captivate) cost $229 with 2 year contract. You would think that for a higher price than the iPhone -- which is heralded as the end-all-be-all of smartphones, and which doesn't have ANY bloatware whatsoeve…

I agree, I don't like the AT&T pre-installing crapware either, and it should be easy to uninstall. Your gripe on that point is caused by AT&T, not Samsung though (as coderdude mentioned).

I think on Verizon the Galaxy S doesn't have as much bloatware.

By the way, if you buy online from AT&T the Captivate costs $150 instead.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#29
related question for those who have experience: what do you think is the best phone and carrier combo on the market right now (or that will be on the market soon)? i'm about to be a free agent and i want to get myself into the best of whatever is out there.

Re: IPhone to Droid X: Impressions of a Data Pig

#30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a fully functional browser that loads from the app, yes. All developers have this at their disposal. This isn't a problem precisely because apps rarely need to "leave" to display a browser. One just comes in modally, displays the content of a page, and that's that. If you were using a Twitter client that yanked you out of Twitter to show a site, you were using a bad client.

Then I want to email the link to that page, so I have to open the full Safari, then do the email link which opens my mail client, then close the mail client which goes to my home screen, go find my twitter app and open back up to pick up where I left off! I like my iPhone but it has it's flaws just like any other device.

You're wrong. http://yfrog.com/1ssz0p

This is a free app. It's up to the app's designer and isn't endemic to the device or OS, unlike the inexplicable permanent presence of a physical back button on Android devices.

Post reply on HN