Opinion: I'd rather have a headphone jack and a microSD slot than AI in my phone

Like if only there were some word for the process of using language to reshape the discourse, by redefining words to include the aspects you want and exclude the ones you don’t. One might argue that without the words to express it, people’s thought processes themselves might be affected.

There should be a word that conveys the problems that induces in a discourse! It’s literally… something!

;)

Again: I consider a phone deleting its firmware when it thinks I’m unlocking the bootloader to be pretty damn user-hostile too! I think if you’re saying that’s the diametric opposite of user-hostile the only reasonable explanation is you’ve got something seriously wrong with either your language or your sense of reason is being drastically affected by your parasocial attachment to the issue. Because that’s literally so far from reason that we are talking terms like “Orwellian”, yeah.

It’s a shame the word is so loaded that it has lost its ability to be (correctly) used in less-loaded situations but there it is.

Maybe that’s more than you meant to imply by objecting to my point about android’s user-hostility, saying that I had it “backwards” and that apple is the “pinnacle” of user hostility instead but yeah, absolutely imploding the firmware to keep the user from unlocking the bootloader is extremely user hostile, there is very little reason to disagree with that statement except some kind of abject processing error or malicious ploy in the discussion.

Of course in this scenario it’s probably people echoing carefully focus-grouped strategies from google. “Right to repair” cleverly avoids talking about other e-waste issues like phones with self-destructing bootloaders and pathetic OS support lifecycles etc. Google focus-grouped that every bit as much as their RCS and so on (which they care so deeply about that they still haven’t implemented it themselves in google voice even 15 year on!). They know what resonates with you guys, and there is a kernel of truth to it - right to repair is an admirable goal, and who could oppose reducing e-waste? Which is why it’s selected as a marketing strategy!

But that doesn’t make it not Orwellian either. At this stage of the game, if you disagree that self-destructing firmware isn’t user-hostile and that it’s actually the opposite and apple is really the pinnacle of user-hostility… it’s working, it’s successfully reshaped your language processing, and your thought processes have followed. They successfully redefined user hostile to mean “only apple” for you.

Then why is it only Samsung that has Dex, a feature they don't even advertise, that lets you use a phone as a computer? Pixel is just getting HDMI out with 8. Every android rom can easily be bundled with code for a chromebook style desktop.

What about and IR camera as one of the 3 cameras? I don't need a telephoto camera with 5x zoom on my smartphone. IR camera is super useful to see things like pets in the dark, see hot or cold spots in the house, e.t.c

What about integrated sub ghz 2 way radios? In busy areas like concerts or areas without cell reception, the phone is next to useless.

What about better lights? I don't want to burn battery with the flash led. Simple lower power led option means I can actually use the light for extended period of time.

What about laser distance measurment? Often times I find myself measuring distance. Can't do it accurately with camera to as high resolution as you can with a laser.

What about low power wifi hotspot mode? Just run the phone in hotspot mode, without taking up battery for screen or background processes.

There are also things they can do in software. For example, old phones are next to useless. There should be no reason why I can't install a linux distro on it, have it boot directly to that, without having to jump through hoops or deal with android, and have a mini server at home.

Plenty of features left to be implemented.

#metoo

I had a Sansa e140 and it was perfect, it has everything that I needed while commuting and no need to recharge frequently.