Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

dogsnog.blog

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

181–190 of 482 posts

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#181

Post by lozf »

antihero wrote: post #90
Wildgoose wrote: post #47

I have an iPhone SE because it has a headphone jack. But if the SE 2 doesn't have a headphone jack then this will be my last iPhone. My son wants to replace his iPhone, he's just waiting to see if the SE 2 has a headphone jack as well, or he will be switching to Android. Some of us like being able to charge our phone and use it to listen to music in our cars using the AUX input of our car stereos. Plus have a wider c…

Lack of Headphone jack is annoying as fuck, but if it's for in-car use buy a cheap £10 Bluetooth audio adapter. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-SoundSync-Bluetooth-handsfree... Anker do one now! For headphones you can use that adapter (fiddly) or a 3rd party dongle, or buy something like the ATH-M50x with BAL-M50 bluetooth adapter, which was my daily driver and I loved it (until they got nicked :( )

Does Bluetooth Audio sync with Video playback properly now? I recall it being disconcertingly laggy a few years ago.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#182

Post by darrenf »

8fingerlouie wrote: post #95
atl4s wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use an app called Blink ( http://www.blink.sh/ ) on iOS to manage servers on the move, has mosh support as well for areas with spotty cell service.

I have yet to try Blink. I find it somewhat expensive. Panic makes a cheaper (SSH only) app : https://panic.com/prompt/

Termius is free and has mosh support: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/termius/id549039908?mt=8

It offers in-app purchases for some subscription feature (https://www.termius.com/pricing ) but I've never needed or wanted them.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#183

Post by elmigranto »

Saaster wrote: post #168

I wish I could switch to the iPhone, and I've tried several times. The hardware is excellent. But these are my deal-breakers that keep me on Android (I've only ever had Google Nexus / Pixel phones): - Lastpass or any other password manager on iPhone is a joke, requiring multiple convoluted steps and using the "share" menu in the browser because of the Apple lock-down. Lastpass on Android? Click the password field in…

Keyschain Access.app works exactly like that. Not sure if it would be easy to migrate from Lastlass, though. I know you can at least script the process.

Well, that could be a dealbreaker, though given this is a taste thing and great browser performance of iOS, I personally don't see it as a problem.

Google Photos is on the App Store. On Mac, you can rsync your photos library with cron or launchctl (~/Documents/Photos.library) or stick with time machine or dozen others file-level or block-level backup tools.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#184

Post by eddieroger »

no1youknowz wrote: post #120

I know a lot of this is anecdotal... My Mom who is 77, has had a few Androids. Always calling her Sons to help fix her phone. She bought cheap phones for a couple of hundred dollars, but always limited the Ram, but had plenty of storage. WhatsApp, Skype, Facebook would constantly fill it up and many times you'd have to clear out all the apps, clear the storage on the phone, etc, etc. Then I would have to explain to h…

> My time is mission critical, I can't spend 1 hour debugging a phone and talking to someone who just wants to use a device as non-technical as possible as anything complicated with be forgotten.

This is off topic and the stuff of downvotes, but you're not talking about "someone," you're talking about your mother. I value my time as much as the next developer, but I would hope to never be so busy that I can't take an hour to help one of my parents, and I would encourage anyone who feels similarly to consider their priorities if they can't take an hour for a loved one - assuming, of course, that you have a good relationship with your mom.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#185

Post by krisdol »

rusk wrote: post #80
rusk wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Frustrating and clunky as the iPhone might be at times, it's relatively reliable and stable. I'm quite happy to use Android on a tablet. It's far closer to a "traditional" operating system in terms of the amount of control you get over everything.

Although I've got to say, the headphone jack might be the last straw for me ... my iPhone SE could be my last iPhone if a reasonable alternative materialises ...

Same. I’m holding on to my 6s until its last breath. I replaced the battery recently and that boosted its performance back to launch-day levels, so I’ll probably keep chugging along for another two years at least.

To me, no headphone jack means no phone.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#186

Post by grepthisab »

I use both, got a free Pixel XL and my work phone is the iPhone 8 or something, not the X for sure. I have owned both Google and Apple phones in my personal life for years each, and now carry both side-by-side daily.

I'll say I generally prefer the Pixel to the iPhone. Many things are easier, I can use my yubikey with the Pixel, the less locked down nature means I have more control (and I'm no heavy customizer by any means), and it's generally smoother. I do really like the notifications on the Pixel vs the iPhone as well.

However, a handful of third-party apps seem more polished on the iPhone (the delta isn't what it used to be though), and I like the iPhone wallpapers better. OTOH the Google apps are better on the Pixel, and Apple keeps trying to shove Apple Maps down my throat when I navigate, annoying.

Mostly though, the Pixel is better. Upside is also when you upgrade to a new Nexus-type device (Pixel, Nexus, etc.), you can install CopperheadOS on the old one and have a privacy-focused secondary phone. I have Copperhead on my old Nexus 5X.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#187

Post by larntz »

mrarjen wrote: post #26

I too have used iPhone for the entire smartphone trend so far, and I have been considering getting the Pixel 2 as well, mainly since I keep getting locked out of apple accounts, having weird issues on my device with every new iOS update and the fact I'm basically 99% Google eco system now also with Google photo's, things just seem to work far better and with less friction on Google. I was afraid of the bad quality de…

I was in this situation also. I had an iPhone6s (and 3 iphones previously) and after the iOS11 updates it started breaking badly. I had to restart it regularly, the experience of playing music/podcasts in my car became almost unusable and I have a long commute.

At that point I started considering Android. I prefer google maps and google play music over apple music. iTunes on the PC is one of the absolute worst things I've ever used.

I just wanted to use my phone without it being annoying and being able to choose default apps was something I'd always envied about Android.

I bought a Pixel2 XL a few months ago. So far it has been great. I don't use facebook on my phone so the possible privacy issues with that weren't a deal breaker.

The notification system is amazing compared to iOS and I get to decide which apps are defaults. Those two things are my favorite things about it. So far the phone has stayed out of my way and I'm happy.

This is my first Android phone. We'll see how it goes long term, but I'm happy I switched today. I'm not against going back, but if my current experience continues I won't.

Apple has great hardware and a (I think) better privacy policy, but the software experience eventually pushed me away. The one exception here is the podcast app on iPhone. I miss it, but haven't taken the time to look for 3rd party podcast apps on the Android (I'm using Google Play Music).

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#188

Post by have_faith »

kossae wrote: post #175
Saaster wrote: post #168

I wish I could switch to the iPhone, and I've tried several times. The hardware is excellent. But these are my deal-breakers that keep me on Android (I've only ever had Google Nexus / Pixel phones): - Lastpass or any other password manager on iPhone is a joke, requiring multiple convoluted steps and using the "share" menu in the browser because of the Apple lock-down. Lastpass on Android? Click the password field in…

Wow. As an iPhone user I actually wasn't aware of how easy LastPass is on Android. I, too, hate all of the steps (leave browser to open the app, search for your site, copy password, go back to the browser, paste password). Hopefully I'm missing something? Re: Google. Their apps are certainly subpar as opposed to Android, which is to be expected. They are getting better, though. And Google Photos is a must for me as a…

I believe there is a newer flow that I've caught occasionally. I use 1Password and some apps seems to have a shortcut on password fields for 1password to help fill in the password without going through the manual process.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#189

Post by eddieroger »

atl4s wrote: post #60
teekert wrote: post #55

I'm thinking of going from android to iPhone for privacy reasons. But, whenever I hold an iPhone that list of notification puts me off, in android they are grouped, meaning 3 new exchange mails is 1 notification, I can pull on the notification to expand the 3 and then even more for every email. Short replies can be done inline in the notification even. I use that constantly. You can also swipe away a notification gro…

I use an app called Blink ( http://www.blink.sh/ ) on iOS to manage servers on the move, has mosh support as well for areas with spotty cell service.

I've been a Panic Prompt user for as long as it's been out, but it's always left me missing something. I wasn't aware of Blink, but plan on checking it out now.

Re: I switched from iPhone to the Pixel 2: One-week report

#190

Post by nvarsj »

Saaster wrote: post #168

I wish I could switch to the iPhone, and I've tried several times. The hardware is excellent. But these are my deal-breakers that keep me on Android (I've only ever had Google Nexus / Pixel phones): - Lastpass or any other password manager on iPhone is a joke, requiring multiple convoluted steps and using the "share" menu in the browser because of the Apple lock-down. Lastpass on Android? Click the password field in…

Unfortunately, as you point out, you pretty much have to use Google apps to make Android worthwhile. And you're basically opting into massive invasion of your personal privacy by doing that, turning your life into an ad-targeted money tree for Google and the other dozen pre-loaded apps on your typical Android phone. I don't think it's worth it one bit.

Similarly, a lot of the inconveniences you point out (e.g. LastPass), are also a way of protecting you from rogue apps (e.g. Facebook) from tracking everything you do on your phone. That level of integration means that any app can read anything in your browser and operate on it independently of a human action.

Post reply on HN