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I did the opposite and can't believe how much better my life had gotten because my iPhone is just a simple tool that I use for communications and don't think ab

by kev009 11y ago

I did the opposite and can't believe how much better my life had gotten because my iPhone is just a simple tool that I use for communications and don't think about it as a project. With Android, I always wanted to tweak silly things and run Cyanogenmod because the handset firmware was always so bad and vulnerable. On several occasions I'd bricked my phone requiring hours of recovery, or had transient failures of cell service and communications issues. I guess if you have the right level of discipline, apathy, or use a Nexus device that may be more Apples to Apples (harhar).

tsunamifury 11y ago
There is an entire book written about this trade off called "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintaince" One of the major themes is the author and his best friend comparing how they interact with their bikes and the meaning they get from either tinkering, or not having to tinker, with them.
taesu 11y ago
These things that you mentioned, you didn't really have to do. Buy a nexus, and it's as clean as it gets. What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? I do agree though, that those samsung/lg/etc phone have lots crapwares + carrier crapwares.
- kev009 11y ago
  I made a trade off, being a FreeBSD person I am one degree removed from a lot of the xnu/iOS team and trust them to do the right thing. Empirically it seems like they quickly ship updates for vulns and support phones for beyond their typical first world lifespan. I also trust Apple to worry about the baseband firmware for the lifespan, whereas that is completely unmaintained on all other handsets especially once you use a custom ROM.
- stcredzero 11y ago
  What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? Actually, this is a pattern that many products follow, as they evolve from a newly tinkered thing pioneered by enthusiasts to a mature consumer device. There is much more "freedom" in 80's and 90's audio equipment. (And markedly higher build quality. Bargain stuff I bought as a teenager is now lauded on ebay as the good old stuff, "built like a tank.") However, there are also a lot more cables to deal with. The progression is like this: 1) Pure tinkering, no standards 2) Enthusiast market, standards, high modularity/complexity 3) Prepackaged experience, no modularity Cars also followed this pattern, come to think of it.
  - Swizec 11y ago
    > Cars also followed this pattern, come to think of it. I remember my dad complaining all through my youth about how the more modern that cars get, the less serviceable you are. That in new cars you need special computers just to tell them that yes, you did fix the problem and the car can stop complaining now. 10 years later ... man, if I have to even think about opening the bonnet and poking at something, I assume the manufacturer has failed at their job. I don't want to maintain my car. I expect my car to be a tool. Even taking it into the shop to get its tires changed every winter (and the additional 30euro checkup and winter-prepr, then spring-prep) are too much of a hassle. Maintainability is the feature of unreliable equipment.
    - stcredzero 11y ago
      Maintainability is the feature of unreliable equipment. Not necessarily. Modern airliners are highly reliable, so long as you follow the maintenance schedule. Disposable equipment is a feature of markets driving costs down. It's a sign of commoditization and convenience+short-term reliability winning over long term reliability.
      - selectodude 11y ago
        Modern airliners are highly redundant. Stuff breaks on them constantly though.
        stcredzero 11y ago
        They're operating closer to engineering limits than your smartphone is, I'd wager.
        iSnow 11y ago
        Considering structural widths in modern CPU's, I'd disagree. But CPU's are built by the billions and planes by the thousands, so the amount of engineering that can go into a CPU is insane.
- jkyle 11y ago
  What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? That's an incredibly hyperbolic way to spin their choice. No one's in prison here. A choice was made based on desired functionality and features. And they paid for that choice out of their own free will. They've chosen 'the jail of a simple interface' the same way someone who gets tired of working on a classic car just to keep it running as a hobby decides they'd like to buy an A8 has imprisoned themselves to the dregs of luxury car use and bumper to bumper manufacturer maintenance.
  - taesu 11y ago
    I am not generalizing here. I am solely talking about kev009's decision in moving. Read his comment, his motivation to move is because he could not resist doing things that resulted him with a bricked device.
    - jkyle 11y ago
      The way his comment read to me is he felt compelled to tinker because of flaws in the device like bad firmware or poor design that didn't seem to work well for him. So he switched to a device that worked well enough so he did not feel that compulsion. After all, he could equally choose to jail break his iOS device and tinker with it. But there's no reason (for him) to do so.
- pasbesoin 11y ago
  In 5.x -- because Moto/Verizon refuse to update my X to 6 -- the path to add a news number in my call list to my list of contacts is... several steps and non-obvious, via the route of the command to "edit number before calling". With each Android revision I've encountered, I feel more pissed off at it. Whoever's making these changes -- it feels like they are jerking me around for the sake of their own purposes -- whether ego, marketing/ads, or whatever. And did I mention, my device -- still under contract -- is stuck on a vulnerable version of 5? I'm about done with this shit. I've been looking at the Nexi, but... I'm just pissed, at this point. Maybe Apple's a "bully", but sometimes that seems to serve a good purpose.
  - sergiosgc 11y ago
    In stock Android, just click the "face" placeholder left of the number in the call list, then the new contact button on the top right of the screen. Moto is close enough to stock for this path to be present.
    - mercer 11y ago
      Much as I was happy with my Nexus 4 when I had it, this is one thing that I really didn't like about the OS' design. On iOS, it can generally be assumed that tapping on a list item will do the same thing no matter where on the item you tap. I found it infuriating at times (no hyperbole) to tap on part of a list item on Android and have different things happen depending on where I tapped, or to discover hidden functionality. Just one of the many small reasons why I ended up going back to iOS. To be fair, I could still happily use Android and the main reasons had nothing to with UI, but still, it contributed.
- butThenThis134 11y ago
  > Buy a nexus, and it's as clean as it gets. Until it gets infected with malware that requires a firmware reflash to close: http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/03/rooting-bug-in-android-opens-nexus-phones-to-permanent-device-compromise/ http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/03/rooting-bug-in-andro...
  - xd1936 11y ago
    Ugh. $100 to anyone who actually knows somebody who has been exploited.
    - philliphaydon 11y ago
      I dont know about that exploit. But I clicked on a twitter link which installed malware and I didn't even realise. What happened was paid apps would pop up adverts. And the browser would redirect to adverts before navigating to page links.
  - lern_too_spel 11y ago
    This vulnerability was already fixed for Nexuses by the time the article was written. The exact same thing has happened for iPhone. People forget that to date, a far higher percentage of iPhones have actually been infected with malware than Google-flavored Android phones due to XcodeGhost and that actual Google Android devices like Nexuses have an even better security record than that.
    - macintux 11y ago
      > a far higher percentage of iPhones have actually been infected with malware than Google-flavored Android phones Citation desperately needed.
      - lern_too_spel 11y ago
        Malware infections from the Play Store have usually been on the order of thousands infected, with the occasional instance of 500k-1 million (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/google-removes-13-android-apps-play-store-infected-brain-test-malware-1537049 http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/google-removes-13-android-apps-play...). XcodeGhost infected more than 500 million of a smaller total userbase (http://www.macrumors.com/2015/09/20/xcodeghost-chinese-malware-faq/ http://www.macrumors.com/2015/09/20/xcodeghost-chinese-malwa...). The numerator is an order of magnitude larger, and the denominator is an order of magnitude smaller, so a much higher percentage of iPhones have been infected with malware.
- conradfr 11y ago
  Until your Nexus is out of the short update window.
  - guelo 11y ago
    Nexuses seem to have about a 3-4 year update window.
    - danieldk 11y ago
      We can only judge by devices that are out of support. Galaxy Nexus: released in November 2011, last release: 4.3 in July 2013. Update Window: 1 year and 8 months. Nexus 4: released in November 2012, last release: 5.1.1 in May 2015. Update window: 2 years and 6 months. Nexus 5: released in October 2013, last release: 6.x (?), probably April/May 2016. Update window: probably 2 years and 6 months. (Granted, the Nexus 4 received security updates for a longer period.) They have recently announced a better policy: Nexus devices will continue to receive major updates for at least two years and security patches for the longer of three years from initial availability or 18 months from last sale of the device via the Google Store. Source: http://officialandroid.blogspot.de/2015/08/an-update-to-nexus-devices.html http://officialandroid.blogspot.de/2015/08/an-update-to-nexu... But 3-4 years is definitely false. Up to now ~2-2.5 years, in the future 3 years.
- babuskov 11y ago
  Don't buy a Nexus. I have and it's a huge disappointment. I had a perfect Nexus 10 device running KitKat. And then it keeps nagging to upgrade to Lollipop, so I did. Ever since that, it runs every application slow as hell. If you allow the battery to run out, prepare for pain. Once you fill up the battery and it restarts it will start "optimizing" all installed applications. I have about 80 applications and this takes an hour. Every time it reboots! Also, whether the sound will work after reboot, is a lottery. If you leave it plugged into the power, it surely won't work. It's been how long since Android L came out and they still haven't fixed these issues for their own flagship device. Nexus is a mess and we're not even beta testers. Just a big fu from Google.
  - xd1936 11y ago
    That sounds like a list of uncommon issues. My company's Nexus 10 runs Lollipop really well... Maybe something went poorly with the OS update. Try a factory reset and see if those issues are still happening?
    - babuskov 11y ago
      A short google search for "Nexus 10 sound" would show you that it isn't uncommon at all. See how many people commented in these threads: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/0CDPXvY5Zpc https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/0CDPXvY... https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/nexus/NR3ItKIieH4 https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/nexu... http://androidforums.com/threads/nexus-10-volume-wont-work-please-help.886973/ http://androidforums.com/threads/nexus-10-volume-wont-work-p...
      - Macha 11y ago
        A search for "iPad Air sound" is equally negative: https://www.google.ie/search?sclient=tablet-gws&q=iPad+air+sound&oq=iPad+air+sound&gs_l=tablet-gws.3..0i7i30l3.13024.16184.0.16551.17.14.1.0.0.0.167.1506.5j9.14.0....0...1c.1.64.tablet-gws..7.10.936.VuseAGMCOWQ https://www.google.ie/search?sclient=tablet-gws&q=iPad+air+s...
      - 11y ago
- sethd 11y ago
  Clean as it gets? That must not be a very high bar. I bought a Nexus 7 once and it came with an HP Print services app that could not be removed. I would be willing to bet that would be classified as crapware by most users. This is the main reason I stuck with iOS, even the the "pure" Android experience the Nexus line is supposed to offer is tainted.
  - lern_too_spel 11y ago
    You mean like all the Apple apps you can't remove on iPhones? The difference is that on your Nexus 7, you can disable the HP Print Driver, so you never see it, while on your iPhone, those Apple apps are going to keep taking space on your home screen and continue to waste battery and data on updates.
    - sethd 11y ago
      That is true to an extent but the key difference is that on iOS they are Apple apps, not third party. We you buy a device that comes with third party apps that are not removable it feels like you just paid for an advertisement.
      - frostymarvelous 11y ago
        And on Samsung, we have Samsung apps. Double standard? Yes, not all of them are Samsung apps but those are mainly what Samsung users rile them for. Once again, you are not forced to suffer this. You have the freedom to get out of this. In your case, you DON'T!! ! And that's why Apple fans will never get it. We do have a lot of crap on Android just as you! But the thing is, we don't have to suffer it! We have the freedom to change this! That is why Android remains a superior platform. You get to choose your experience!
      - lern_too_spel 11y ago
        You mean like Yahoo! Weather, Yahoo! Stocks, and (formerly) Google Maps and YouTube? To actual users, it doesn't matter whose app it is. It just matters that they don't want them, and most of the Apple preinstalled apps are utter crap. Meanwhile on Android, though the apps aren't removable because the system partition is read-only, the apps are disable-able so the user never sees them, which is far better than what iOS lets you do.
- gt565k 11y ago
  I struggled with the same issues. Running CM roms that were just damn unstable and broke shit left and right. Finally settled for the Nexus 6P, and I'm loving it. No need more dealing with crapware!
- bunnymancer 11y ago
  What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? You should be a JavaScript developer.
- scarface74 11y ago
  It amazes me when Android users say that the answer to fleeing a walled garden where one company controls the hardware, the software, and the app store is by buying a phone (a Nexus) where one company provides the hardware and software and if you want to stay safe, only use their app store.
  - angli 11y ago
    I'm an iPhone user myself but I understand this impulse. Having safety and compatibility sorted out for you really is an important time-saver and convenience. However, when you want to do something that isn't part of the manufacturer's plan there's only one way to go. I probably wouldn't sideload many apps, but when there's one app that makes my life easier and app store rules prohibit it, I'd really appreciate the flexibility. Long story short: just because you can doesn't mean you must. Options are nice but so is not having to think about it. The Nexus is a middle ground for Android
    - johncolanduoni 11y ago
      > I probably wouldn't sideload many apps, but when there's one app that makes my life easier and app store rules prohibit it, I'd really appreciate the flexibility. Apple relatively recently removed the requirement to pay for a developer account to compile and run apps on your own device. You can pretty much sideload apps like you can on Android, just with the added requirement of re-signing them for your device specifically (which is IMHO a nice security feature). A lot of the app store rules are enforced by human review (e.g. only being allowed to use background execution for certain things), not the sandbox itself, so you have a comparable amount of flexibility (one thing I still really miss is the ability to do JIT and dynamic code generation).
    - johncolanduoni 11y ago
      > I probably wouldn't sideload many apps, but when there's one app that makes my life easier and app store rules prohibit it, I'd really appreciate the flexibility. Apple relatively recently removed the requirement to pay for a developer account to compile and run apps on your own device. You can pretty much sideload apps like you can on Android, just with the added requirement of re-signing them for your device specifically (which is IMHO a nice security feature). A lot of the app store rules are enforced by human review (e.g. only being allowed to use background execution for certain things), not the sandbox itself, so you have a comparable amount of flexibility (one thing I still really miss is the ability to do JIT and dynamic code generation).
- mayoff 11y ago
  If you are addicted to junk food but want to eat clean, you rid your house of junk food. If you are addicted to TV but want to spend your time on more active pursuits, you get rid of your TV. If you're addicted to futzing around with your Android device…
  - stephendedalus 11y ago
    There are people out there who are either going back to flip phones or getting rid of their phones entirely. I chose to go to a Nexus 5X instead, but I feel people wanting to simplify their lives and focus on things that matter to them more with fewer distractions.
- coldtea 11y ago
  >What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? No, he's saying that he got himself out of being the prisoner of his device (time, maintainance, etc wise) to being the casual user of his device.
  - incepted 11y ago
    He could have been a casual user of an Android phone. All you need is learning how to prioritize your time. A lot of adults can do that.
- livus 11y ago
  I was a longtime android user. Now jumped to iOS. It was not just the crapware but also the sheer audacity of android developers to access any and every piece of information available on the device. Marshmallow will fix things but the ecosystem still has to catch on and I don't think that developers would be quickly jumping on board. I remember a very big media house published their first android application in my country. They demanded access to contacts, calendars, locations, camera, gallery...basically everything imaginable. And there was a fierce backlash from users. It's always a matter of trade offs. For some people, tinkering with their device is more important. And for the rest, they just want to get their work done and for their devices to get out of the way. I have come to terms with the freedom in the latter category now.
- rnovak 11y ago
  a simple interface that WORKS, absolutely. I tried in February to switch to the Nexus 6P. I literally had to restart it TWICE on day one. How is that even reasonable? for 650 dollars, that's a joke. I'll get downvoted to hell, but I really don't care, iOS just works (tm), and I'll take that over custimizibility any day of the week.
  - what_ever 11y ago
    This is the first time I am hearing about someone having to restart their 6P twice a day. I have been using mine for 5 months now and I would have restarted the phone may 5 times other than the times I was updating it.
- themihai 11y ago
  Android is far from "freedom". Having to find exploits in order to get root access on your own device is just wrong.
  - chetanahuja 11y ago
    With Android you have a choice to buy devices with unlockable bootloader so you can get root without looking for on exploit. On iOS you have none such. And the fact that every iOS version ever has been jailbroken only tells you how hard security is... specially against an adversary with full physical access to the device.
  - bendbro 11y ago
    IOS fails the same standard. http://venturebeat.com/2015/12/31/software-with-the-most-vulnerabilities-in-2015-mac-os-x-ios-and-flash/ http://venturebeat.com/2015/12/31/software-with-the-most-vul...
- wodenokoto 11y ago
  I'd rather have few, good functions then many poor functions.
- philliphaydon 11y ago
  Has N6 and Note 4, just got iPhone 6s+ a month ago, can't believe I stayed with android so Long, the only thing I miss on iphone tho is the touch flow keyboard from windows phone, nothing on iphone and android comes close. :(
- rufugee 11y ago
  You know...I used to think the way you do. But given that we're the product in the Android ecosystem, lately I'm wondering more and more if I've made a mistake. If the perms were better on Android...if Google's control and permissive misuse of Android were better, I might feel differently. All that said, I don't trust Apple one bit ;-)
- taneq 11y ago
  > you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? "Is this not... better?" - Loki
- jug 11y ago
  > What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? Hmm, I think it's only a jail if it feels like one. I did something similar for my photography, "jailing" myself to a fixed lens with no zoom. It was truly liberating to lock myself in. Yes, I realize the oxymoron there. But I could concentrate on making the best of my skills rather than falling into a gear swamp.
- soylentcola 11y ago
  That's how it's always come across to me. I buy Nexus or Nexus-like devices (the 2014 Moto X being an example of the latter) and just like iPhones, they work just fine for me out of the box. In general, even the devices I don't personally like with OEM skins and addons work just as well out of the box for typical uses like web, email, phone, calendar, nav, and your average smattering of entertainment and communication apps. In that regard, there's not a lot of difference and both platforms succeed well. It's more about how well they "fail". When I use my iPad and it doesn't do something I want or behave in a way I prefer, my options are often similar tweaking and tinkering. Many times, I would need to jailbreak the thing in order to install an unsigned app not approved by Apple to get it to do what I want. On my Android devices, it's usually a lot simpler. iOS has improved a bit in terms of customization (being able to "open with" various apps instead of the factory defaults, third party keyboard layouts, and stuff like that) but that was always the case on Android. As these platforms have matured, they've both got their "success states" pretty solid so now it's down to how well they "fail" and how easy it is to get my device to do what I need without jaibreaking or otherwise taking advantage of security holes to gain access to certain settings or capabilities.
- pmarreck 11y ago
  > Switched to Android from iOS (with reasons) > Switched to iOS from Android (with reasons) > Counterargument is: But you didn't try this specific Android device. Sort of "moving the goalposts," is it not?
mortenjorck 11y ago
Did you click on the article? All your points, while valid in a vacuum, have nothing to do with the author's argument about the two platforms' approaches to web apps. I appreciate and even agree with your view, but you might as well be talking about OS X versus Windows given the topic of the submitted post.
- lewisl9029 11y ago
  Threads like these (completely off-topic, but somehow ends up at the top and takes up 1/4 of the page) are why I wish the official HN client could collapse threads.
  - flanbiscuit 11y ago
    I love the HN-Special extension and miss it when i'm using mobile. At least HN finally a has a mobile view
    - ergothus 11y ago
      I did not know of this extension, and I am now a happier person. Thanks!
  - jessriedel 11y ago
    HN Collapse also is a chrome extension that does the job. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hacker-news-collapse/bbkfcamiocfccgmcjngdljolljhifdph https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hacker-news-collap...
  - username223 11y ago
    I've long used something called "hckr news" in Safari, which collapses both subthreads and whole threads. It almost makes the site pleasant to use.
69mlgsniperdad 11y ago
kev009 smellz
guelo 11y ago
This is an annoying top comment because it has nothing to do with the developer topic of the OP. It's just another boring useless opinion in the fanboy flame wars.
- deleted 11y ago
  [deleted]
gramakri 11y ago
Linux user chiming in. This reminds of the people who complain about running Linux :-) When they run linux, they start tweaking all sorts of things: trying to run wayland master or run Arch (which is a great distro if you know what you are doing). And more often than not, they come out frustrated. Then the proceed to claim how awesome Mac is since everything just "works". So yeah, I totally get what you are saying :-)
- noir_lord 11y ago
  I know a few people who have a constantly broken desktop because they like to tinker (which is fine, we all did it) and then complain that linux is getting more unstable. I just install Xubuntu, configure it to my workflow and it works until the next update comes out, I've had one serious issue with it (they shipped 15.10 unable to build the fglrx kernel module with the version of GCC, can't blame Xubuntu directly but that was a pain oth I found out that the open driver is now as good/better for just the desktop stuff so I came out ahead).
- babatong 11y ago
  On the other hand: Install Arch, do configuration once, keep installing updates but otherwise leave it. Yes that works these days. 2 yrs and running, with minimal tinkering. Can't do that on Android (it would require you to never install an update).
  - _ikke_ 11y ago
    I have a laptop with in installation that's 4/5 years old, and still running. Except for the occasional things, no problems with upgrading (even transitioning to systemd went fine without problems).
  - zanny 11y ago
    As another Arch user using an S4... that currently has stock, because CM is just broken from a lack of maintainer on jfltespr... your desktop never breaks and is always up to date, while your phone eventually breaks and never gets updates. That is predominantly because OS and hardware as separate products is essential to user empowerment over their own hardware. There is a tremendous conflict of interest for a company who makes its money selling new hardware to provide good software support to old hardware, so they just do not. And it brings Android as a whole down for it. If these companies were also not so Linux hostile and stupid, they would upstream their device support into mainline Linux so we could see a healthy ecosystem of Android forks rather than just one attempt in CM that destroys the souls of volunteers who have to maintain all the insane out of tree binary blob kernels these OEMs ship phones with.
shiven 11y ago
This. This and more this. Compared to Android and Windows, iOS and OSX is pure nirvana. Sure, accuse me of drinking the Kool-Aid all you want, but is my life simpler or what. Never wanna go back to fiddly-hell, ever.
sampo 11y ago
> On several occasions I'd bricked my phone The article talks about how Android is a better platform to develop mobile offline web apps. You talk about how you like iOS from a user point of view. Your comment is totally unrelated to the article.
rdtsc 11y ago
I got a cheap-o Moto G for $170 3 years ago and love that thing. It is small 4" only, got reasonable updates (up to 5.1 now). It is simple to use. Yeah Google owns my life, but I wouldn't feel better if Apple owned it instead. Never felt the need to tweak hardware, or run Cyanogen and others. Once I wanted more memory for my music. But then deleted some of the music I didn't want and was fine. Best part if I sit on it and break it, I'll just go find another $170 Moto G without blinking an eye. I have a full time job and all but shelling out $700 for a phone I can drop, loose, break is not in my budget yet. Maybe one day...
- billyhoffman 11y ago
  > Yeah Google owns my life, but I wouldn't feel better if Apple owned it instead Why? Apple makes money selling you hardware. Google makes money selling you to advertisers. I'm not comfortable with any company figuratively "owning" my life, but if I have to choose, the one that isn't built on scummy ads will get my money every single time.
  - criddell 11y ago
    > Google makes money selling you to advertisers. That's a little misleading. Google makes money showing you ads. It's not like I can call up Google and buy billyhoffman's data.
    - threeseed 11y ago
      Governments can however. And with Apple they have a demonstrated history of protecting privacy at any cost. Google not so much.
      - criddell 11y ago
        Sure, there's a chance for government abuse of my data, no argument. There are also significant benefits to me for sharing with Google. For me (and I suspect for most Americans), the real benefits exceed the likely costs. I worry far more about things like getting into a car wreck, falling in the shower, and my crappy diet.
daxfohl 11y ago
I've been thinking about "trying" a move in the opposite direction as well, but each time I look at the limitations of iOS, I think maybe next time I just get a cheap non-smart phone if that's all I want. Escape from all this. n.b. I'm 40 and have no need for snapagram or whatever. (Even if I needed it, pfft, nobody needs it).
627467 11y ago
Likewise, I was also tired by freedom of android and it was part of the reason why I "moved" to iPhone 2 months ago. I don't consider my action as switching as I'll probably keep switching to both my windows phone and xperia every couple of months. The main reason I got myself an iPhone: there are still plenty of apps launching iOS only or first. I also feel that both platforms have now matured for the past year and it doesn't really matter what I use. I got to complain about iOS (lack) of a system-wide filesystem and locked-down file-sharing, though.
SonicSoul 11y ago
yep, exactly the same experience. I've used android since beta and finally switched on iPhone 6s. never been happier. At one point (on my 2nd to last android) i found myself flashing a version of cyanogen on the subway because the phone just stopped working. I was laughing to myself about the crazy mess I was in. and flashing was never a smooth process, each version had it's own issues for which of course the only support was the forum. definitely do not miss any of that. i was shocked at how little tweaks ios needed after first setting it up and how little work there was to transition to a new phone when i changed colors. it not "just works" but works extremely well.
eruditely 11y ago
I agree so much. I'm never going back to Android, my entire family loves it. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking using android.
Myrmornis 11y ago
Me too. I switched from Android (Verizon HTC One) to iPhone and shit just works, e.g. VPN. I wasn't able to use a stock Google phone without vendor crapware. But the market being flooded with devices suffering from crapware is in some sense a valid criticism of "Android" as a product isn't it? At least that's how it seems to end users who might not have the sophistication to avoid crapware and who don't understand that Android is a platform rather than a product.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
ryao 11y ago
> I did the opposite and can't believe how much better my life had gotten because my iPhone is just a simple tool that I use for communications and don't think about it as a project. With Android, I always wanted to tweak silly things and run Cyanogenmod because the handset firmware was always so bad and vulnerable. On several occasions I'd bricked my phone requiring hours of recovery, or had transient failures of cell service and communications issues. I guess if you have the right level of discipline, apathy, or use a Nexus device that may be more Apples to Apples (harhar). I did the same. Outsourcing mobile to Apple made my life easier too.
stephendedalus 11y ago
I went through something similar recently. I moved to another country and in the process I had to buy something to replace my Note 4. I initially bought a Note 3 to replace my iPhone because I wanted to stop carrying a tablet. The Note was a "solution" to be able to read on the go at all times, play games, etc. all in one handy device. Upon moving I was really frustrated at first at the lack of options with large amounts of storage (my Note has a 128GB SD card) and a giant screen that were available from my new company's carrier. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized I was solving for a problem that no longer existed. I've felt recently like I spend too much time on my phone. I don't want to play games and watch movies on my commute any longer. I don't want to read books on my phone. I want to read an actual book or, at worst, on a Kindle where all I can do is read. I want to work my brain more, basically and the phone has become antithetical to that. So I purchased a Nexus 5X. Low storage, barely enough space for my music, etc. I saw it as going as far down the phone food chain as I was willing to go without going to a flip phone. I've been really happy with it. I talk to human beings. I look at the world. And my phone really only has enough space for a few smartphone things like maps and music. It's perfect for what I want now. Fairly simple and limited. In this case limited is good.
cylinder 11y ago
I don't mod at all, I've got a Nexus 6p and am confident it is the perfect phone right now.
- idle_processor 11y ago
  "Perfect" is a stretch. It was one of the better options in its release window, though. One flaw: tough to repair (2/10 on ifixit [0]) which will be fun when the battery starts to go. Another issue: Android Marshmallow (admittedly not Nexus-specific) doesn't play well with AdBlockPlus, and if you want AdAway or another hosts mod, you still need root. Rooting will allegedly break Android Pay, too. [0] https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Nexus_6P https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Nexus_6P
  - canuckintime 11y ago
    AdGuard is an alternative android app that doesn't require root. You may also install the Firefox android app then add the Adblock extension Also there are lots of other android Chromium browser apps in the playstore and many with ad blocking built in
  - bendbro 11y ago
    Android pay can be activated when you are not rooted, and remains active if you root later. It is trivially easy to root/unroot flagship android devices and you have access to unblemished images from google if you happen to screw something up. My experience "hacking" my Nexus 5 to enable WiFi hotspots, without paying sprint for the service, required root, and the process took maybe five minutes.
incepted 11y ago
> With Android, I always wanted to tweak silly things and run Cyanogenmod because So effectively, you prefer to use tools that give you less flexibility and that's why you prefer the iPhone.
dmourati 11y ago
Same. I had Android for probably 6 years. Top of the line phones. Nexus one and Nexus 4. The Nexus one was great. The 4 irritated the crap out of me. I can't answer an incoming phone? Hello, this is a phone. Charging issues. Weird lag all the time. When it came time to upgrade I switched. Bought an iphone last year. Couldn't be happier.
sandGorgon 11y ago
And how is this bad? I bricked my phone several times and fixed it. I cannot buy a phone that I can't tinker with (which is i have a Nexus now). I don't understand how inability to tinker is a good thing. Take that argument one step further and it's the net neutrality condition.
- tiatia 11y ago
  I don't think he is talking about the "inability to tinker" but about the "necessarily to tinker". Most Android phones a loaded with bloated crab ware. I have an Android and I made sure before I bought it that it runs Cyanogenmod. I don't like the locked-in systems from Apple but sometimes I miss something that runs out of the box.
  - ocean3 11y ago
    "necessarily to tinker" - i suppose is done by tech guys. Normal people would use it as it is. There are so many low-end to high-end Android mobiles sold in India. Most of them don't tinker at all. As long as it does the basic call/browsing/videos/music its fine.
  - sandGorgon 11y ago
    I'm not sure if I got that same sense. See, the point about tinkering to get rid of crap is an implicit acceptance that you CAN do this on Android. And even if I had to accept your argument, you forget about a Nexus. A Nexus is a phone built to tinker - and has zero crapware. An Xperia is also a phone with beautiful Android customization (yet allows bootloader to be unlocked easily). The 6p is my first Nexus and I have spent the last couple of years running bleeding edge CM. Android encourages opinionated experiences...that is a good thing IMHO.
  - miguelrochefort 11y ago
    > crab ware
coco1989 11y ago
Exactly Kev. Android is like having a phone that feels like it has holes in it and thorns - its like an overgrown backyard like oh I should pull up these weeds.. I should work on this fence.. My iphone is like a smartphone.
rustynails 11y ago
We all have different experiences. For example, My iPhone would ring and I could use speaker on a call but I could not hear music or sound in videos. I rebuilt my image, but the issue persisted for about 3 months!! It was my car audio dock and Apple's hidden "other volume" setting that was the culprit. At one time, I tried to copy music to my phone, but all new songs were being corrupted. I used 3rd party tools successfully, but iTunes would corrupt the songs when I re-synced my phone. About a month later, Apple fixed the bug - but it was "impossible" to get new songs on my phone. ITunes crashed during synchronisations and I realised at one point that I had about 25 gigabytes in lost space. I had to erase the phone and recover from a backup to fix the leak, which takes many hours to do. There is no file system fixer for IOS. In most of these instances, I was snookered because I had no control over my device. Going several months without music was a major inconvenience that Apple failed to solve, despite many attempts. This reinforced that I am not truly in control of my device when such basic things are not possible. TL;DR Apple "just works" is a myth. It's great when it works and disastrous when it doesn't.

by kev009 11y ago

tsunamifury 11y ago

There is an entire book written about this trade off called "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintaince" One of the major themes is the author and his best friend comparing how they interact with their bikes and the meaning they get from either tinkering, or not having to tinker, with them.

taesu 11y ago

These things that you mentioned, you didn't really have to do. Buy a nexus, and it's as clean as it gets. What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? I do agree though, that those samsung/lg/etc phone have lots crapwares + carrier crapwares.

kev009 11y ago
I made a trade off, being a FreeBSD person I am one degree removed from a lot of the xnu/iOS team and trust them to do the right thing. Empirically it seems like they quickly ship updates for vulns and support phones for beyond their typical first world lifespan. I also trust Apple to worry about the baseband firmware for the lifespan, whereas that is completely unmaintained on all other handsets especially once you use a custom ROM.
stcredzero 11y ago
What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? Actually, this is a pattern that many products follow, as they evolve from a newly tinkered thing pioneered by enthusiasts to a mature consumer device. There is much more "freedom" in 80's and 90's audio equipment. (And markedly higher build quality. Bargain stuff I bought as a teenager is now lauded on ebay as the good old stuff, "built like a tank.") However, there are also a lot more cables to deal with. The progression is like this: 1) Pure tinkering, no standards 2) Enthusiast market, standards, high modularity/complexity 3) Prepackaged experience, no modularity Cars also followed this pattern, come to think of it.
- Swizec 11y ago
  > Cars also followed this pattern, come to think of it. I remember my dad complaining all through my youth about how the more modern that cars get, the less serviceable you are. That in new cars you need special computers just to tell them that yes, you did fix the problem and the car can stop complaining now. 10 years later ... man, if I have to even think about opening the bonnet and poking at something, I assume the manufacturer has failed at their job. I don't want to maintain my car. I expect my car to be a tool. Even taking it into the shop to get its tires changed every winter (and the additional 30euro checkup and winter-prepr, then spring-prep) are too much of a hassle. Maintainability is the feature of unreliable equipment.
  - stcredzero 11y ago
    Maintainability is the feature of unreliable equipment. Not necessarily. Modern airliners are highly reliable, so long as you follow the maintenance schedule. Disposable equipment is a feature of markets driving costs down. It's a sign of commoditization and convenience+short-term reliability winning over long term reliability.
    - selectodude 11y ago
      Modern airliners are highly redundant. Stuff breaks on them constantly though.
      - stcredzero 11y ago
        They're operating closer to engineering limits than your smartphone is, I'd wager.
        iSnow 11y ago
        Considering structural widths in modern CPU's, I'd disagree. But CPU's are built by the billions and planes by the thousands, so the amount of engineering that can go into a CPU is insane.
jkyle 11y ago
What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? That's an incredibly hyperbolic way to spin their choice. No one's in prison here. A choice was made based on desired functionality and features. And they paid for that choice out of their own free will. They've chosen 'the jail of a simple interface' the same way someone who gets tired of working on a classic car just to keep it running as a hobby decides they'd like to buy an A8 has imprisoned themselves to the dregs of luxury car use and bumper to bumper manufacturer maintenance.
- taesu 11y ago
  I am not generalizing here. I am solely talking about kev009's decision in moving. Read his comment, his motivation to move is because he could not resist doing things that resulted him with a bricked device.
  - jkyle 11y ago
    The way his comment read to me is he felt compelled to tinker because of flaws in the device like bad firmware or poor design that didn't seem to work well for him. So he switched to a device that worked well enough so he did not feel that compulsion. After all, he could equally choose to jail break his iOS device and tinker with it. But there's no reason (for him) to do so.
pasbesoin 11y ago
In 5.x -- because Moto/Verizon refuse to update my X to 6 -- the path to add a news number in my call list to my list of contacts is... several steps and non-obvious, via the route of the command to "edit number before calling". With each Android revision I've encountered, I feel more pissed off at it. Whoever's making these changes -- it feels like they are jerking me around for the sake of their own purposes -- whether ego, marketing/ads, or whatever. And did I mention, my device -- still under contract -- is stuck on a vulnerable version of 5? I'm about done with this shit. I've been looking at the Nexi, but... I'm just pissed, at this point. Maybe Apple's a "bully", but sometimes that seems to serve a good purpose.
- sergiosgc 11y ago
  In stock Android, just click the "face" placeholder left of the number in the call list, then the new contact button on the top right of the screen. Moto is close enough to stock for this path to be present.
  - mercer 11y ago
    Much as I was happy with my Nexus 4 when I had it, this is one thing that I really didn't like about the OS' design. On iOS, it can generally be assumed that tapping on a list item will do the same thing no matter where on the item you tap. I found it infuriating at times (no hyperbole) to tap on part of a list item on Android and have different things happen depending on where I tapped, or to discover hidden functionality. Just one of the many small reasons why I ended up going back to iOS. To be fair, I could still happily use Android and the main reasons had nothing to with UI, but still, it contributed.
butThenThis134 11y ago
> Buy a nexus, and it's as clean as it gets. Until it gets infected with malware that requires a firmware reflash to close: http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/03/rooting-bug-in-android-opens-nexus-phones-to-permanent-device-compromise/ http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/03/rooting-bug-in-andro...
- xd1936 11y ago
  Ugh. $100 to anyone who actually knows somebody who has been exploited.
  - philliphaydon 11y ago
    I dont know about that exploit. But I clicked on a twitter link which installed malware and I didn't even realise. What happened was paid apps would pop up adverts. And the browser would redirect to adverts before navigating to page links.
- lern_too_spel 11y ago
  This vulnerability was already fixed for Nexuses by the time the article was written. The exact same thing has happened for iPhone. People forget that to date, a far higher percentage of iPhones have actually been infected with malware than Google-flavored Android phones due to XcodeGhost and that actual Google Android devices like Nexuses have an even better security record than that.
  - macintux 11y ago
    > a far higher percentage of iPhones have actually been infected with malware than Google-flavored Android phones Citation desperately needed.
    - lern_too_spel 11y ago
      Malware infections from the Play Store have usually been on the order of thousands infected, with the occasional instance of 500k-1 million (http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/google-removes-13-android-apps-play-store-infected-brain-test-malware-1537049 http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/google-removes-13-android-apps-play...). XcodeGhost infected more than 500 million of a smaller total userbase (http://www.macrumors.com/2015/09/20/xcodeghost-chinese-malware-faq/ http://www.macrumors.com/2015/09/20/xcodeghost-chinese-malwa...). The numerator is an order of magnitude larger, and the denominator is an order of magnitude smaller, so a much higher percentage of iPhones have been infected with malware.
conradfr 11y ago
Until your Nexus is out of the short update window.
- guelo 11y ago
  Nexuses seem to have about a 3-4 year update window.
  - danieldk 11y ago
    We can only judge by devices that are out of support. Galaxy Nexus: released in November 2011, last release: 4.3 in July 2013. Update Window: 1 year and 8 months. Nexus 4: released in November 2012, last release: 5.1.1 in May 2015. Update window: 2 years and 6 months. Nexus 5: released in October 2013, last release: 6.x (?), probably April/May 2016. Update window: probably 2 years and 6 months. (Granted, the Nexus 4 received security updates for a longer period.) They have recently announced a better policy: Nexus devices will continue to receive major updates for at least two years and security patches for the longer of three years from initial availability or 18 months from last sale of the device via the Google Store. Source: http://officialandroid.blogspot.de/2015/08/an-update-to-nexus-devices.html http://officialandroid.blogspot.de/2015/08/an-update-to-nexu... But 3-4 years is definitely false. Up to now ~2-2.5 years, in the future 3 years.
babuskov 11y ago
Don't buy a Nexus. I have and it's a huge disappointment. I had a perfect Nexus 10 device running KitKat. And then it keeps nagging to upgrade to Lollipop, so I did. Ever since that, it runs every application slow as hell. If you allow the battery to run out, prepare for pain. Once you fill up the battery and it restarts it will start "optimizing" all installed applications. I have about 80 applications and this takes an hour. Every time it reboots! Also, whether the sound will work after reboot, is a lottery. If you leave it plugged into the power, it surely won't work. It's been how long since Android L came out and they still haven't fixed these issues for their own flagship device. Nexus is a mess and we're not even beta testers. Just a big fu from Google.
- xd1936 11y ago
  That sounds like a list of uncommon issues. My company's Nexus 10 runs Lollipop really well... Maybe something went poorly with the OS update. Try a factory reset and see if those issues are still happening?
  - babuskov 11y ago
    A short google search for "Nexus 10 sound" would show you that it isn't uncommon at all. See how many people commented in these threads: https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/0CDPXvY5Zpc https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/nexus/0CDPXvY... https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/nexus/NR3ItKIieH4 https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!category-topic/nexu... http://androidforums.com/threads/nexus-10-volume-wont-work-please-help.886973/ http://androidforums.com/threads/nexus-10-volume-wont-work-p...
    - Macha 11y ago
      A search for "iPad Air sound" is equally negative: https://www.google.ie/search?sclient=tablet-gws&q=iPad+air+sound&oq=iPad+air+sound&gs_l=tablet-gws.3..0i7i30l3.13024.16184.0.16551.17.14.1.0.0.0.167.1506.5j9.14.0....0...1c.1.64.tablet-gws..7.10.936.VuseAGMCOWQ https://www.google.ie/search?sclient=tablet-gws&q=iPad+air+s...
    - 11y ago
sethd 11y ago
Clean as it gets? That must not be a very high bar. I bought a Nexus 7 once and it came with an HP Print services app that could not be removed. I would be willing to bet that would be classified as crapware by most users. This is the main reason I stuck with iOS, even the the "pure" Android experience the Nexus line is supposed to offer is tainted.
- lern_too_spel 11y ago
  You mean like all the Apple apps you can't remove on iPhones? The difference is that on your Nexus 7, you can disable the HP Print Driver, so you never see it, while on your iPhone, those Apple apps are going to keep taking space on your home screen and continue to waste battery and data on updates.
  - sethd 11y ago
    That is true to an extent but the key difference is that on iOS they are Apple apps, not third party. We you buy a device that comes with third party apps that are not removable it feels like you just paid for an advertisement.
    - frostymarvelous 11y ago
      And on Samsung, we have Samsung apps. Double standard? Yes, not all of them are Samsung apps but those are mainly what Samsung users rile them for. Once again, you are not forced to suffer this. You have the freedom to get out of this. In your case, you DON'T!! ! And that's why Apple fans will never get it. We do have a lot of crap on Android just as you! But the thing is, we don't have to suffer it! We have the freedom to change this! That is why Android remains a superior platform. You get to choose your experience!
    - lern_too_spel 11y ago
      You mean like Yahoo! Weather, Yahoo! Stocks, and (formerly) Google Maps and YouTube? To actual users, it doesn't matter whose app it is. It just matters that they don't want them, and most of the Apple preinstalled apps are utter crap. Meanwhile on Android, though the apps aren't removable because the system partition is read-only, the apps are disable-able so the user never sees them, which is far better than what iOS lets you do.
gt565k 11y ago
I struggled with the same issues. Running CM roms that were just damn unstable and broke shit left and right. Finally settled for the Nexus 6P, and I'm loving it. No need more dealing with crapware!
bunnymancer 11y ago
What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? You should be a JavaScript developer.
scarface74 11y ago
It amazes me when Android users say that the answer to fleeing a walled garden where one company controls the hardware, the software, and the app store is by buying a phone (a Nexus) where one company provides the hardware and software and if you want to stay safe, only use their app store.
- angli 11y ago
  I'm an iPhone user myself but I understand this impulse. Having safety and compatibility sorted out for you really is an important time-saver and convenience. However, when you want to do something that isn't part of the manufacturer's plan there's only one way to go. I probably wouldn't sideload many apps, but when there's one app that makes my life easier and app store rules prohibit it, I'd really appreciate the flexibility. Long story short: just because you can doesn't mean you must. Options are nice but so is not having to think about it. The Nexus is a middle ground for Android
  - johncolanduoni 11y ago
    > I probably wouldn't sideload many apps, but when there's one app that makes my life easier and app store rules prohibit it, I'd really appreciate the flexibility. Apple relatively recently removed the requirement to pay for a developer account to compile and run apps on your own device. You can pretty much sideload apps like you can on Android, just with the added requirement of re-signing them for your device specifically (which is IMHO a nice security feature). A lot of the app store rules are enforced by human review (e.g. only being allowed to use background execution for certain things), not the sandbox itself, so you have a comparable amount of flexibility (one thing I still really miss is the ability to do JIT and dynamic code generation).
  - johncolanduoni 11y ago
    > I probably wouldn't sideload many apps, but when there's one app that makes my life easier and app store rules prohibit it, I'd really appreciate the flexibility. Apple relatively recently removed the requirement to pay for a developer account to compile and run apps on your own device. You can pretty much sideload apps like you can on Android, just with the added requirement of re-signing them for your device specifically (which is IMHO a nice security feature). A lot of the app store rules are enforced by human review (e.g. only being allowed to use background execution for certain things), not the sandbox itself, so you have a comparable amount of flexibility (one thing I still really miss is the ability to do JIT and dynamic code generation).
mayoff 11y ago
If you are addicted to junk food but want to eat clean, you rid your house of junk food. If you are addicted to TV but want to spend your time on more active pursuits, you get rid of your TV. If you're addicted to futzing around with your Android device…
- stephendedalus 11y ago
  There are people out there who are either going back to flip phones or getting rid of their phones entirely. I chose to go to a Nexus 5X instead, but I feel people wanting to simplify their lives and focus on things that matter to them more with fewer distractions.
coldtea 11y ago
>What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? No, he's saying that he got himself out of being the prisoner of his device (time, maintainance, etc wise) to being the casual user of his device.
- incepted 11y ago
  He could have been a casual user of an Android phone. All you need is learning how to prioritize your time. A lot of adults can do that.
livus 11y ago
I was a longtime android user. Now jumped to iOS. It was not just the crapware but also the sheer audacity of android developers to access any and every piece of information available on the device. Marshmallow will fix things but the ecosystem still has to catch on and I don't think that developers would be quickly jumping on board. I remember a very big media house published their first android application in my country. They demanded access to contacts, calendars, locations, camera, gallery...basically everything imaginable. And there was a fierce backlash from users. It's always a matter of trade offs. For some people, tinkering with their device is more important. And for the rest, they just want to get their work done and for their devices to get out of the way. I have come to terms with the freedom in the latter category now.
rnovak 11y ago
a simple interface that WORKS, absolutely. I tried in February to switch to the Nexus 6P. I literally had to restart it TWICE on day one. How is that even reasonable? for 650 dollars, that's a joke. I'll get downvoted to hell, but I really don't care, iOS just works (tm), and I'll take that over custimizibility any day of the week.
- what_ever 11y ago
  This is the first time I am hearing about someone having to restart their 6P twice a day. I have been using mine for 5 months now and I would have restarted the phone may 5 times other than the times I was updating it.
themihai 11y ago
Android is far from "freedom". Having to find exploits in order to get root access on your own device is just wrong.
- chetanahuja 11y ago
  With Android you have a choice to buy devices with unlockable bootloader so you can get root without looking for on exploit. On iOS you have none such. And the fact that every iOS version ever has been jailbroken only tells you how hard security is... specially against an adversary with full physical access to the device.
- bendbro 11y ago
  IOS fails the same standard. http://venturebeat.com/2015/12/31/software-with-the-most-vulnerabilities-in-2015-mac-os-x-ios-and-flash/ http://venturebeat.com/2015/12/31/software-with-the-most-vul...
wodenokoto 11y ago
I'd rather have few, good functions then many poor functions.
philliphaydon 11y ago
Has N6 and Note 4, just got iPhone 6s+ a month ago, can't believe I stayed with android so Long, the only thing I miss on iphone tho is the touch flow keyboard from windows phone, nothing on iphone and android comes close. :(
rufugee 11y ago
You know...I used to think the way you do. But given that we're the product in the Android ecosystem, lately I'm wondering more and more if I've made a mistake. If the perms were better on Android...if Google's control and permissive misuse of Android were better, I might feel differently. All that said, I don't trust Apple one bit ;-)
taneq 11y ago
> you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? "Is this not... better?" - Loki
jug 11y ago
> What you're saying is that you left the freedom of your device to jail yourself into simple interface...? Hmm, I think it's only a jail if it feels like one. I did something similar for my photography, "jailing" myself to a fixed lens with no zoom. It was truly liberating to lock myself in. Yes, I realize the oxymoron there. But I could concentrate on making the best of my skills rather than falling into a gear swamp.
soylentcola 11y ago
That's how it's always come across to me. I buy Nexus or Nexus-like devices (the 2014 Moto X being an example of the latter) and just like iPhones, they work just fine for me out of the box. In general, even the devices I don't personally like with OEM skins and addons work just as well out of the box for typical uses like web, email, phone, calendar, nav, and your average smattering of entertainment and communication apps. In that regard, there's not a lot of difference and both platforms succeed well. It's more about how well they "fail". When I use my iPad and it doesn't do something I want or behave in a way I prefer, my options are often similar tweaking and tinkering. Many times, I would need to jailbreak the thing in order to install an unsigned app not approved by Apple to get it to do what I want. On my Android devices, it's usually a lot simpler. iOS has improved a bit in terms of customization (being able to "open with" various apps instead of the factory defaults, third party keyboard layouts, and stuff like that) but that was always the case on Android. As these platforms have matured, they've both got their "success states" pretty solid so now it's down to how well they "fail" and how easy it is to get my device to do what I need without jaibreaking or otherwise taking advantage of security holes to gain access to certain settings or capabilities.
pmarreck 11y ago
> Switched to Android from iOS (with reasons) > Switched to iOS from Android (with reasons) > Counterargument is: But you didn't try this specific Android device. Sort of "moving the goalposts," is it not?

mortenjorck 11y ago

Did you click on the article? All your points, while valid in a vacuum, have nothing to do with the author's argument about the two platforms' approaches to web apps. I appreciate and even agree with your view, but you might as well be talking about OS X versus Windows given the topic of the submitted post.

lewisl9029 11y ago
Threads like these (completely off-topic, but somehow ends up at the top and takes up 1/4 of the page) are why I wish the official HN client could collapse threads.
- flanbiscuit 11y ago
  I love the HN-Special extension and miss it when i'm using mobile. At least HN finally a has a mobile view
  - ergothus 11y ago
    I did not know of this extension, and I am now a happier person. Thanks!
- jessriedel 11y ago
  HN Collapse also is a chrome extension that does the job. https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hacker-news-collapse/bbkfcamiocfccgmcjngdljolljhifdph https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/hacker-news-collap...
- username223 11y ago
  I've long used something called "hckr news" in Safari, which collapses both subthreads and whole threads. It almost makes the site pleasant to use.

69mlgsniperdad 11y ago

kev009 smellz

guelo 11y ago

This is an annoying top comment because it has nothing to do with the developer topic of the OP. It's just another boring useless opinion in the fanboy flame wars.

deleted 11y ago
[deleted]

gramakri 11y ago

Linux user chiming in. This reminds of the people who complain about running Linux :-) When they run linux, they start tweaking all sorts of things: trying to run wayland master or run Arch (which is a great distro if you know what you are doing). And more often than not, they come out frustrated. Then the proceed to claim how awesome Mac is since everything just "works". So yeah, I totally get what you are saying :-)

noir_lord 11y ago
I know a few people who have a constantly broken desktop because they like to tinker (which is fine, we all did it) and then complain that linux is getting more unstable. I just install Xubuntu, configure it to my workflow and it works until the next update comes out, I've had one serious issue with it (they shipped 15.10 unable to build the fglrx kernel module with the version of GCC, can't blame Xubuntu directly but that was a pain oth I found out that the open driver is now as good/better for just the desktop stuff so I came out ahead).
babatong 11y ago
On the other hand: Install Arch, do configuration once, keep installing updates but otherwise leave it. Yes that works these days. 2 yrs and running, with minimal tinkering. Can't do that on Android (it would require you to never install an update).
- _ikke_ 11y ago
  I have a laptop with in installation that's 4/5 years old, and still running. Except for the occasional things, no problems with upgrading (even transitioning to systemd went fine without problems).
- zanny 11y ago
  As another Arch user using an S4... that currently has stock, because CM is just broken from a lack of maintainer on jfltespr... your desktop never breaks and is always up to date, while your phone eventually breaks and never gets updates. That is predominantly because OS and hardware as separate products is essential to user empowerment over their own hardware. There is a tremendous conflict of interest for a company who makes its money selling new hardware to provide good software support to old hardware, so they just do not. And it brings Android as a whole down for it. If these companies were also not so Linux hostile and stupid, they would upstream their device support into mainline Linux so we could see a healthy ecosystem of Android forks rather than just one attempt in CM that destroys the souls of volunteers who have to maintain all the insane out of tree binary blob kernels these OEMs ship phones with.

shiven 11y ago

This. This and more this. Compared to Android and Windows, iOS and OSX is pure nirvana. Sure, accuse me of drinking the Kool-Aid all you want, but is my life simpler or what. Never wanna go back to fiddly-hell, ever.

sampo 11y ago

> On several occasions I'd bricked my phone The article talks about how Android is a better platform to develop mobile offline web apps. You talk about how you like iOS from a user point of view. Your comment is totally unrelated to the article.

rdtsc 11y ago

I got a cheap-o Moto G for $170 3 years ago and love that thing. It is small 4" only, got reasonable updates (up to 5.1 now). It is simple to use. Yeah Google owns my life, but I wouldn't feel better if Apple owned it instead. Never felt the need to tweak hardware, or run Cyanogen and others. Once I wanted more memory for my music. But then deleted some of the music I didn't want and was fine. Best part if I sit on it and break it, I'll just go find another $170 Moto G without blinking an eye. I have a full time job and all but shelling out $700 for a phone I can drop, loose, break is not in my budget yet. Maybe one day...

billyhoffman 11y ago
> Yeah Google owns my life, but I wouldn't feel better if Apple owned it instead Why? Apple makes money selling you hardware. Google makes money selling you to advertisers. I'm not comfortable with any company figuratively "owning" my life, but if I have to choose, the one that isn't built on scummy ads will get my money every single time.
- criddell 11y ago
  > Google makes money selling you to advertisers. That's a little misleading. Google makes money showing you ads. It's not like I can call up Google and buy billyhoffman's data.
  - threeseed 11y ago
    Governments can however. And with Apple they have a demonstrated history of protecting privacy at any cost. Google not so much.
    - criddell 11y ago
      Sure, there's a chance for government abuse of my data, no argument. There are also significant benefits to me for sharing with Google. For me (and I suspect for most Americans), the real benefits exceed the likely costs. I worry far more about things like getting into a car wreck, falling in the shower, and my crappy diet.

daxfohl 11y ago

I've been thinking about "trying" a move in the opposite direction as well, but each time I look at the limitations of iOS, I think maybe next time I just get a cheap non-smart phone if that's all I want. Escape from all this. n.b. I'm 40 and have no need for snapagram or whatever. (Even if I needed it, pfft, nobody needs it).

627467 11y ago

Likewise, I was also tired by freedom of android and it was part of the reason why I "moved" to iPhone 2 months ago. I don't consider my action as switching as I'll probably keep switching to both my windows phone and xperia every couple of months. The main reason I got myself an iPhone: there are still plenty of apps launching iOS only or first. I also feel that both platforms have now matured for the past year and it doesn't really matter what I use. I got to complain about iOS (lack) of a system-wide filesystem and locked-down file-sharing, though.

SonicSoul 11y ago

yep, exactly the same experience. I've used android since beta and finally switched on iPhone 6s. never been happier. At one point (on my 2nd to last android) i found myself flashing a version of cyanogen on the subway because the phone just stopped working. I was laughing to myself about the crazy mess I was in. and flashing was never a smooth process, each version had it's own issues for which of course the only support was the forum. definitely do not miss any of that. i was shocked at how little tweaks ios needed after first setting it up and how little work there was to transition to a new phone when i changed colors. it not "just works" but works extremely well.

eruditely 11y ago

I agree so much. I'm never going back to Android, my entire family loves it. I'm not quite sure what I was thinking using android.

Myrmornis 11y ago

Me too. I switched from Android (Verizon HTC One) to iPhone and shit just works, e.g. VPN. I wasn't able to use a stock Google phone without vendor crapware. But the market being flooded with devices suffering from crapware is in some sense a valid criticism of "Android" as a product isn't it? At least that's how it seems to end users who might not have the sophistication to avoid crapware and who don't understand that Android is a platform rather than a product.

deleted 11y ago

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ryao 11y ago

> I did the opposite and can't believe how much better my life had gotten because my iPhone is just a simple tool that I use for communications and don't think about it as a project. With Android, I always wanted to tweak silly things and run Cyanogenmod because the handset firmware was always so bad and vulnerable. On several occasions I'd bricked my phone requiring hours of recovery, or had transient failures of cell service and communications issues. I guess if you have the right level of discipline, apathy, or use a Nexus device that may be more Apples to Apples (harhar). I did the same. Outsourcing mobile to Apple made my life easier too.

stephendedalus 11y ago

I went through something similar recently. I moved to another country and in the process I had to buy something to replace my Note 4. I initially bought a Note 3 to replace my iPhone because I wanted to stop carrying a tablet. The Note was a "solution" to be able to read on the go at all times, play games, etc. all in one handy device. Upon moving I was really frustrated at first at the lack of options with large amounts of storage (my Note has a 128GB SD card) and a giant screen that were available from my new company's carrier. The more I thought about it, though, the more I realized I was solving for a problem that no longer existed. I've felt recently like I spend too much time on my phone. I don't want to play games and watch movies on my commute any longer. I don't want to read books on my phone. I want to read an actual book or, at worst, on a Kindle where all I can do is read. I want to work my brain more, basically and the phone has become antithetical to that. So I purchased a Nexus 5X. Low storage, barely enough space for my music, etc. I saw it as going as far down the phone food chain as I was willing to go without going to a flip phone. I've been really happy with it. I talk to human beings. I look at the world. And my phone really only has enough space for a few smartphone things like maps and music. It's perfect for what I want now. Fairly simple and limited. In this case limited is good.

cylinder 11y ago

I don't mod at all, I've got a Nexus 6p and am confident it is the perfect phone right now.

idle_processor 11y ago
"Perfect" is a stretch. It was one of the better options in its release window, though. One flaw: tough to repair (2/10 on ifixit [0]) which will be fun when the battery starts to go. Another issue: Android Marshmallow (admittedly not Nexus-specific) doesn't play well with AdBlockPlus, and if you want AdAway or another hosts mod, you still need root. Rooting will allegedly break Android Pay, too. [0] https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Nexus_6P https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Nexus_6P
- canuckintime 11y ago
  AdGuard is an alternative android app that doesn't require root. You may also install the Firefox android app then add the Adblock extension Also there are lots of other android Chromium browser apps in the playstore and many with ad blocking built in
- bendbro 11y ago
  Android pay can be activated when you are not rooted, and remains active if you root later. It is trivially easy to root/unroot flagship android devices and you have access to unblemished images from google if you happen to screw something up. My experience "hacking" my Nexus 5 to enable WiFi hotspots, without paying sprint for the service, required root, and the process took maybe five minutes.

incepted 11y ago

> With Android, I always wanted to tweak silly things and run Cyanogenmod because So effectively, you prefer to use tools that give you less flexibility and that's why you prefer the iPhone.

dmourati 11y ago

Same. I had Android for probably 6 years. Top of the line phones. Nexus one and Nexus 4. The Nexus one was great. The 4 irritated the crap out of me. I can't answer an incoming phone? Hello, this is a phone. Charging issues. Weird lag all the time. When it came time to upgrade I switched. Bought an iphone last year. Couldn't be happier.

sandGorgon 11y ago

And how is this bad? I bricked my phone several times and fixed it. I cannot buy a phone that I can't tinker with (which is i have a Nexus now). I don't understand how inability to tinker is a good thing. Take that argument one step further and it's the net neutrality condition.

tiatia 11y ago
I don't think he is talking about the "inability to tinker" but about the "necessarily to tinker". Most Android phones a loaded with bloated crab ware. I have an Android and I made sure before I bought it that it runs Cyanogenmod. I don't like the locked-in systems from Apple but sometimes I miss something that runs out of the box.
- ocean3 11y ago
  "necessarily to tinker" - i suppose is done by tech guys. Normal people would use it as it is. There are so many low-end to high-end Android mobiles sold in India. Most of them don't tinker at all. As long as it does the basic call/browsing/videos/music its fine.
- sandGorgon 11y ago
  I'm not sure if I got that same sense. See, the point about tinkering to get rid of crap is an implicit acceptance that you CAN do this on Android. And even if I had to accept your argument, you forget about a Nexus. A Nexus is a phone built to tinker - and has zero crapware. An Xperia is also a phone with beautiful Android customization (yet allows bootloader to be unlocked easily). The 6p is my first Nexus and I have spent the last couple of years running bleeding edge CM. Android encourages opinionated experiences...that is a good thing IMHO.
- miguelrochefort 11y ago
  > crab ware

coco1989 11y ago

Exactly Kev. Android is like having a phone that feels like it has holes in it and thorns - its like an overgrown backyard like oh I should pull up these weeds.. I should work on this fence.. My iphone is like a smartphone.

rustynails 11y ago

We all have different experiences. For example, My iPhone would ring and I could use speaker on a call but I could not hear music or sound in videos. I rebuilt my image, but the issue persisted for about 3 months!! It was my car audio dock and Apple's hidden "other volume" setting that was the culprit. At one time, I tried to copy music to my phone, but all new songs were being corrupted. I used 3rd party tools successfully, but iTunes would corrupt the songs when I re-synced my phone. About a month later, Apple fixed the bug - but it was "impossible" to get new songs on my phone. ITunes crashed during synchronisations and I realised at one point that I had about 25 gigabytes in lost space. I had to erase the phone and recover from a backup to fix the leak, which takes many hours to do. There is no file system fixer for IOS. In most of these instances, I was snookered because I had no control over my device. Going several months without music was a major inconvenience that Apple failed to solve, despite many attempts. This reinforced that I am not truly in control of my device when such basic things are not possible. TL;DR Apple "just works" is a myth. It's great when it works and disastrous when it doesn't.