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Setting up phones is a nightmare

joelchrono.xyz

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Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#131

Post by krick »

kwanbix wrote: post #127
pibaker wrote: post #118

I am an iPhone user myself, but the number of "this is an android problem" and "just use iPhone" in response to the author's complaints surprises me. I thought HN was more anti apple in the past? Maybe we are all old now and tinkering with our devices is out of fashion, but this doesn't make the author's complaints illegitimate. And if we zoom out a bit, iPhones are only 20% of the global phone market. The overwhelmi…

I don't use Android because iPhones are more expensive. In fact you can get Android phones that are as expensive and sometimes more expensive than iPhones. I use Android phones because it is a much more flexible ecosystem, where I can choose my browser, for example.

Exactly what I was going to say. I don't use iPhone because, well, it's iPhone. And until, like, this year, it was strictly more prohibitive than Android. Also, it was honestly just worse of a device than some Android flagships, and the tradeoff is only worth it if you are a lazy USA-ian, who doesn't use any "sketchier" non-mainstream apps, has an Apple account and owns a bunch of Apple devices anyway. Oh, and all your friends use iPhone Messages app. Then iPhone is the default. But outside of USA it was always more of a gimmick than a natural choice.

That being said, even if you wouldn't have said it before me, I probably shouldn't have said it too anyway, because I suspect that globally speaking the GP is right. Most people don't buy flagships, yet everybody has a phone. And Apple doesn't even try to compete in "non-premium" market, it's strictly impossible to buy a new iPhone for the price of some Redmi or whatever, which isn't even noticeably worse than an iPhone, practically speaking.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#132

Post by Normal_gaussian »

I'm in the UK. I use a pixel, but also have iPhones and iPads for work reasons. My wife has a Samsung, my mother a Motorola etc.

I set up phones several times a year. What the author describes is not a problem if you go "all in" on your manufacturer. iOS or Android.

If you tick the cloud sync functions you can restore apps and copy data with a two or three step wizard. If you pay for the cloud storage level, you will have enough space for your photos etc. it's really a non event.

But if you don't go all in with your manufacturer. E.g you consider Google an untrustworthy custodian of your photos, or decide you'll stick with the free iCloud account etc. You're in for a world of tiny pains.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#133

Post by cyberax »

alliao wrote: post #73
nvartolomei wrote: post #15

Upgraded to one of the latest iPhone recently. First time I clicked on “transfer data from old phone”. I’m used to reinstalling the operating system every couple of months from when I used Windows. It took maybe 15 minutes with close to 0 interactions. Everything was transferred. I was already authenticated in apps. What took manual steps was eSIM transfers. I don’t remember exact steps so there could have been a bit…

i typically don't want to re-enter credentials etc, so I always do encrypted backup via itunes.. took 6-7hrs just transferring photos quite hands off most of the time but still painful, can't imagine what android guys go through

If you are full-on in the Google ecosystem, it takes no time at all. Your photos would be in Google Cloud, so you won't need to wait to download them.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#134

Post by drnick1 »

The best phone experience, by far, if you hate bloat and spyware is GrapheneOS on a Pixel. No accounts, no logins, no restrictions on side loading, and most Android apps that aren't affected by the Play Integrity cancer just work. You can even install Google apps if you want, but my preference is to use FOSS apps only.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#135

Post by cyberax »

n8cpdx wrote: post #105
t0bia_s wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that isn't all that different from getting a Pixel. Paradox is, that with Pixel device you can get most freedom and security togather. Installation of GrapheneOS is easiest custom ROM installation that could possibly be.

I tried it, Graphene isn't really a good alternative because the built in apps are so bad that you end up needing to install the Pixel/Google versions anyway. If I have to install Google Messages for RCS, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, Pixel Camera (which forces you to use Google Photos for basic functionality), … where is the benefit? If I have to turn Graphene into a Pixel to make it usable, and I did, there’s n…

JFYI, Pixel Camera works without a Google Account. Contacts and Calendar work fine through CalDav and Fossify Calendar.

I avoid RCS like a plague, so I can't comment about that.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#136

Post by krick »

Normal_gaussian wrote: post #132

I'm in the UK. I use a pixel, but also have iPhones and iPads for work reasons. My wife has a Samsung, my mother a Motorola etc. I set up phones several times a year. What the author describes is not a problem if you go "all in" on your manufacturer. iOS or Android. If you tick the cloud sync functions you can restore apps and copy data with a two or three step wizard. If you pay for the cloud storage level, you will…

Honestly, I would say that even in the latter case the painfulness of the process is a bit overstated. Sure, it's not great. But if you treat it just as a new device and don't expect to just continue from where you've left it on the previous phone, you'll make it under 30 minutes anyway. Half of it is playing with the UI of the new version of the OS and getting annoyed at the fact that the apps are not the same anyway, because on the previous device you refused to update an app after they fucked up it's UI, and now you must to get an old apk which won't even work anyway on the brand new Androip v99 or whatever.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#137

Post by krick »

drnick1 wrote: post #134

The best phone experience, by far, if you hate bloat and spyware is GrapheneOS on a Pixel. No accounts, no logins, no restrictions on side loading, and most Android apps that aren't affected by the Play Integrity cancer just work. You can even install Google apps if you want, but my preference is to use FOSS apps only.

Surely, it depends on your particular vendors, but don't you have any problems with banking apps and such? I honestly just don't know, didn't try messing with firmware in a while. Do you use Revolut or something similar?

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#138

Post by dhosek »

kwanbix wrote: post #127
pibaker wrote: post #118

I am an iPhone user myself, but the number of "this is an android problem" and "just use iPhone" in response to the author's complaints surprises me. I thought HN was more anti apple in the past? Maybe we are all old now and tinkering with our devices is out of fashion, but this doesn't make the author's complaints illegitimate. And if we zoom out a bit, iPhones are only 20% of the global phone market. The overwhelmi…

I don't use Android because iPhones are more expensive. In fact you can get Android phones that are as expensive and sometimes more expensive than iPhones. I use Android phones because it is a much more flexible ecosystem, where I can choose my browser, for example.

I’m very much the inverse of you. I don’t use Android because I don’t want to have to worry about all the fiddly stuff that is involved with Android. I like that it’s not a big deal to migrate to a new phone, that I don’t have to worry about whether I’ll be able to get security updates in a year, or have to spend time disabling telemetry.

If I did want to do a lot of fiddling with the phone then sure, Android would be a better choice, but like I had said back in 2004, what I wanted more than anything else was a phone that would sync its contacts with my Mac.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#139

Post by trip-zip »

socalgal2 wrote: post #113
sonofhans wrote: post #8

“Phones” in the title is doing lots of heavy lifting. “Android phones” is the key missing piece. I love Free software too, and I wish I could run more of my life on it, but it’s no longer my hobby. I like cars, too, but I don’t work on a hobby car. The author’s experience is why I use proprietary stuff like Apple for these parts of my life. A new Apple device is usually a non-event: charge it, authenticate, wait for…

Apple products are atrocious to setup too. I've wanted to film just how bad the experience is but I'd need a 3rd phone since I have to use the 2nd phone to setup the new 1st phone.

I was about to say the same.

I set up a new one for my son on Christmas Eve and I almost gave up completely.

Re: Setting up phones is a nightmare

#140

Post by mannanj »

krick wrote: post #137
drnick1 wrote: post #134

The best phone experience, by far, if you hate bloat and spyware is GrapheneOS on a Pixel. No accounts, no logins, no restrictions on side loading, and most Android apps that aren't affected by the Play Integrity cancer just work. You can even install Google apps if you want, but my preference is to use FOSS apps only.

Surely, it depends on your particular vendors, but don't you have any problems with banking apps and such? I honestly just don't know, didn't try messing with firmware in a while. Do you use Revolut or something similar?

I have found websites for accessing my banking to be pretty great. Do we really need banking apps?
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