Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#1

Post by wallflower » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 4:07 AM UTC

Earlier this year, a MSFT advocate offered us a free WP7 smartphone if we would develop an app for their WP7 platform. We politely demurred as we thought the effort/possible download numbers didn't mesh. Not to mention, the headache we'd get (we're a small team) trying to context switch between Android, iOS, and WP7.

I've seen the numbers for smartphone usage, and I consider the News.YC community a forward-thinking, early-adopter crowd. What is the smartphone platform that you rely on a daily basis?

If you own multiple smartphone platforms, please only vote for the one you use the most.

If you don't use a smartphone, I'd be interested in why you do not use one - please comment.

If you chose WP7, please comment on why you chose WP7.

Choices from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#2

Post by zmonkeyz » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 4:59 AM UTC

WP7. The design really grabbed me when I saw it. I like the way the live tiles function and the app selection is fine by me as I don't really go on the marketplace looking for a lot of apps. Even though i'm using a Mac for my desktop I really like the Zune/Zune Pass and it works well with the phone. The integration with social networks on the people hub is pretty nice and it will get better with Mango. With that said I am really looking forward to seeing the Pre3 and enhancements to WebOS.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#3

Post by [deleted] » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:05 AM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#4

Post by gsivil » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:05 AM UTC

Obviously I do not belong to the "early-adopting crowd": I do not own a smartphone. Why? Because I find the 80 dollars per month too high price to pay for something(access to the internet) that I have almost everywhere I spent my time: work, home, bookstores. Even though I am seriously tempted everyday to get an iPhone.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#5

Post by edoloughlin » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:05 AM UTC

I use an iPhone but, like zmonkeyz, I'll get a pre3 if the hardware turns out to be up to scratch. I tried 2 original Pre units but returned both because of hardware problems.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#6

Post by KeithMajhor » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:06 AM UTC

I have an Android phone and recently bought an iPad. After experiencing both platforms I think I'll be buying an iPhone 5 next.

If I we're going to do android again I'd get a phone where I could install stock android (like the Nexus S).

Oh also, I really hope WP7 doesn't take off. The new wave of smart phones run webkit almost exclusively right now and I'd like it to stay that way.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#7

Post by srl » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:08 AM UTC

Don't use one. (Shouldn't this be one of the options as well?) (Disclaimer: I've also never owned one.)

Half of my reasoning is specific to the various platforms. I don't want to use an iPhone because of Apple's usual obsessively controlling policies. WP7 is probably not good at all (judging - I'll admit - mainly from its popularity). Blackberry and Symbian just aren't hip. Maemo/Meego is too hip. I've never even /heard/ of Bada. Android ... Android would be my choice, if I had to pick a platform - but I've played with several Android devices, and they feel slow. Laggy. With the better ones, it's not really noticable except as a slight feeling of discomfort. It's as though I'm fighting with the phone, just a little bit, to get it to do what I want. And it wrecks the experience. (IIRC iPhones were like this too a few years back. Some Android vendors will figure it out, eventually.)

The other half of reasoning is that I can't imagine what I would use it for. I hate reading on the small screen. I find 98% of all games incredibly boring (the other 2% are only mildly boring). I hate the idea of being constantly tied to the rest of the world via an electronic leash. I don't like cellphones! Pesky things, always buzzing at you when you're trying to get something done.... (I keep mine off most of the time.) Most importantly, everything I use my computer for involves either typing or fully exploiting every last square inch of real-estate my screen has. Smartphones are only good for consuming information, and at a slow rate at that.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#8

Post by robryan » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:09 AM UTC

Main reason I have an iphone and would probably continue with them as long as they stay reasonably close to state of the art is that app eco system. Pretty much every company I see with develop for iphone first and then maybe Android later if they are successful enough. Despite not being the biggest user of apps I know if something new and interesting comes out I'll most likely be able to take advantage of that.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#9

Post by belliard » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:16 AM UTC

WP7. I previously had an android and it just felt like a chinese iphone clone. This feels different and great.

Re: Poll: Which smartphone platform do you own and use mainly?

#10

Post by JimmyL » Sun, Aug 07, 2011, 5:16 AM UTC

BlackBerry - got started on the platform when I was given a series of them at Big Companies, and stay with them for the keyboard and BlackBerry Messenger.