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Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

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Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#151

Post by JustSomeNobody »

clouddrover wrote: post #145
distances wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's hard to see any manufacturer seriously revisiting the Windows story on mobile platforms. It has died a couple of times already, and for a casual observer it looks like Microsoft is more committed to Android+iOS story now too.

Yes, but the big difference this time around is that it's the same Windows as on the desktop with the ability to run desktop software. You get mobile plus desktop on the one device which is something Microsoft's better positioned to deliver on than either Google or Apple. And because of that Microsoft will finally start succeeding on mobile.

> And because of that Microsoft will finally start succeeding on mobile.

Has been said so many times before.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#152

Post by clouddrover »

freehunter wrote: post #148
clouddrover wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, but the big difference this time around is that it's the same Windows as on the desktop with the ability to run desktop software. You get mobile plus desktop on the one device which is something Microsoft's better positioned to deliver on than either Google or Apple. And because of that Microsoft will finally start succeeding on mobile.

That was the story with Windows Phone 7 and Windows Phone 8 too, and it never happened. Believe me, I bought into the ecosystem and was a true believer. And it never happened.

But again, the difference is that it's full Windows 10 on ARM with x86 Win32 emulation. You can take your 32-bit Windows x86 software and run it with no changes needed if you want to. You don't have to buy into any new ecosystem because there is no new ecosystem.

Here's a demo video they released at the start of the year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_GlGglbu1U

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#153

Post by efsavage »

whisdol wrote: post #36

They seem to avoid mentioning the version of Android they are running - the specs only say "Android". I'd like to be exited about this, but this uncertainty combined with the fact that their security personnel is a team of dogs[1] makes it quite hard for me. [1] https://www.essential.com/about

And the camera person doesn't have a picture...

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#154

Post by JustSomeNobody »

niho wrote: post #50

There are very good reasons that aluminum is the best option for a mobile phone, rather than titanium. The most important is environmental. Aluminum is more abundant than titanium, it is easier and friendlier to extract/process. It can be recycled (very important!) and it is cheaper. Aluminum also has much better technical qualities. It is much lighter weight and easier to machine. It is softer, which means the casin…

> The most important is environmental. Aluminum is more abundant than titanium, it is easier and friendlier to extract/process.

Don't worry, they won't sell many of these phones.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#155

Post by JustSomeNobody »

nailer wrote: post #65
shubhamjain wrote: post #62

It doesn't seem premium Android phones have something spectacular to differentiate. Sure, you can spice up the camera, make the body more glossy, and add a beautiful screen. But the software is just another commodity that would be available for 1/3rd the price. That's why Google Pixel would always feel exorbitant even when the price is almost close to Apple iPhone. Seeing Essential's price tag, I have the same viscer…

I just want a phone that: - Lasts a full day - Looks nice That's all. Currently I can buy various 8mm phones with various bad-to-OK cases. Give me a beautiful 16mm phone and software updates and I'll give you my 700 bucks.

> - Lasts a full day

Many phones do this. Both my iPhone 6 and my iPhone 6s do this and more (usually two days). The issue here is that your use case is likely different than mine. It isn't enough to just say, "full day" without specifying full day doing what.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#156

Post by tertius »

piyush_soni wrote: post #81
apexalpha wrote: post #71

What is it with these companies putting the latest SnapDragon CPUs in their mobile devices? No one cares about CPU performance. I've got a SD820 now in my Axon 7, and I can tell you there is 0 difference with a SD625 in daily use. Except that the SD625 is cheaper and has an incredible battery life. The only company realising that people care about UX in stead of specs seems to be Xiaomi. Consistently choosing SD625 a…

- "And let's be honest. No one cares about a camera phone" - "And let's be honest. No one cares about having 2 GB RAM on a phone" - "And let's be honest. No one cares about " New processors are not only 'faster' but also more energy efficient, which is an equally (or more) important thing especially now when we've reached high speeds even in basic (/cheap) smartphones. As long as they're not going backwards, I don't…

Like physical keyboards.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#157

Post by freehunter »

sangnoir wrote: post #134
philfrasty wrote: post #58

„Why 360 changes everything“ Where does all the excitement for 360° videos come from? In its current implementation it adds absolutely nothing for the viewer and strips away the possibility for the creator to tell a story by choosing what the viewer sees. Useful for VR yes, on a flat screen just no.

Most consumers don't want to "tell a story" but record memories. The auteurs who wish to "tell a story" can crop the viewport to their hearts desire without limiting choices for everyone else who isn't a tortured genius.

So you've never posed for a photo? Waited until the giraffe was looking right at you before you took a picture at the zoo? You're comfortable just snapping a picture, any old picture, and calling it good enough? You just want a picture of your kid, it doesn't matter if they're in focus, or looking at you, or picking their nose. It'll go on the christmas card anyway, right?

You don't have to be a "tortured genius" to want to frame a picture and make it look nice. Nearly everyone wants to take a picture where things are in frame, in focus, and the setting is controlled.

360 photos can be achieved with normal cameras like they are today without a fad attachment. No one is limiting your choice, let's not be hyperbolic.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#158

Post by MisterBastahrd »

freehunter wrote: post #149
joatmon-snoo wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Just no. It's just a tool that I use to communicate. And your treatment of your smartphone as such is a public expression of who you are and what you stand for ;)

Yeah, going out of your way to make sure everyone knows that your phone is just a communications tool is a louder expression of your personality than a bright pink Hello Kitty case IMO.

That's totally why I have a phone with a simple black case. It's not because I went with the most pragmatic case in a color that matched the phone, but because I secretly want to be a special ops ninja, but because of dress code requirements, I'm only able to put my phone in a tuxedo.

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#159

Post by duxup »

Jdam wrote: post #43

> Your phone is your personal property. It’s a public expression of who you are and what you stand for. Just no. It's just a tool that I use to communicate.

I'd like to know what their take is regarding what their product and all the other phone's (and by extension me...) "stand for".

Re: Essential Products – Andy Rubin’s new hardware company

#160

Post by Eridrus »

shubhamjain wrote: post #62

It doesn't seem premium Android phones have something spectacular to differentiate. Sure, you can spice up the camera, make the body more glossy, and add a beautiful screen. But the software is just another commodity that would be available for 1/3rd the price. That's why Google Pixel would always feel exorbitant even when the price is almost close to Apple iPhone. Seeing Essential's price tag, I have the same viscer…

I've come to the conclusion that neither I, nor the majority of HN, have any clue what sorts of consumer electronics will actually succeed.

I was annoyed when Google killed the Nexus line and replaced them with Pixels and hoped it would fail so that we would get the Nexus line back, but they've been unable to keep up with demand.

Similarly this page spends a lot of time talking about cameras, which I have zero interest in, but seems to be important to a lot of people, yet everyone on HN is talking about everything but the camera stuff.

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