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I guess I'm still stuck in the same mentality that I'm surprised at but I'm always surprised to see what gets iOS users excited these days or what problems it h

I guess I'm still stuck in the same mentality that I'm surprised at but I'm always surprised to see what gets iOS users excited these days or what problems it has: fundamental search issues the AppStore, the amazement of Google Maps being "fluid" (ironic given the tech powering it [based on koush's speculation]), lusting for the simplicity of the Google theme versus the plasticy-clear-bubbled iOS. Then again I'm also blown away by the people here who want to: 1. Say that Apple had time left on their contract with Google. And simultaneously say that the solution for Apple Maps is soon and is easily solved with more data partnerships. 2. That Apple "won" here. I'm still at a lost as to how that is. Especially given the lack of an Intent system in iOS, Apple Maps is about to be relegated to a really poor position for Apple, especially given that users = more data = better maps. These are the things that Android 2.x was criticized for. I put up with such incompleteness because I was getting something open source, powerful and customizable. It was a compromise. I don't think Android users are compromising anymore, despite the constant implication from users here that only poor people buy Android, or that Android is "full of ads", or that Google is losing interest in Android or just the constant implications that Android is still sub-par to iOS. I just don't get it when I read these threads.

flxmglrb 14y ago
I think there is some "vocal minority" stuff going on here, particularly with regard to the look and feel of Google's app. For starters, far from being "fluid", Google's app consistently has a much lower framerate when scrolling or adjusting zoom level than Apple's maps app. It never even approaches 60fps even when running on the latest hardware, whereas Apple's old (and new) map application has always been really good about this, even on old & low-end hardware. So I'm really confused as to what people are talking about when they say it's "fluid". Compared to what? As for the UI, the way Google's search input bar is positioned actually results in more of the screen being wasted than Apple's standard search bar UI. Those little slivers of the map which stick out above and on the sides are too small to be useful, so what's the point? Just pin it to the top of the screen and make it standard height like all the other apps do, thus giving the maximum amount of contiguous real estate to the actual map itself. There is a reason why Apple does it the way they do, and it's not just for looks. I have mixed feelings about the detail view being at the bottom. I understand the idea of one-handed operation and I appreciate what they're trying to do here -- optimize for the case of browsing search results with your thumb via a combination of horizontal and vertical swipes, however I'm dubious of the value of it since you still sometimes have to reach awkwardly across the screen for certain things. Not to mention the detail view takes up more real estate than necessary, much like the search bar. It also feels somewhat disconnected from the currently selected pin due to being at the bottom, which is a problem Apple doesn't have since they put the details directly on the annotation. Oh and of course you cannot blink without this app bugging you to log in.
shinratdr 14y ago
> I just don't get it when I read these threads. That's because a complaint thread about an OS is about the last place to go for an objective look at an OS. > or just the constant implications that Android is still sub-par to iOS. It's because a mapping issue and some app store searching problems, (after the entire App Store team rolled over I might add) and a couple of unfavourable design cues don't make an OS. The implication is still there because many who use iOS do feel they have a superior product. I work at a help desk and there is nothing I love more than setting up an iOS device on our network. Email? No problem? Wi-Fi, it's probably already working! I boast a 100% success rate with iOS devices. Now I get an Android device. If I'm lucky, it's high end and running ICS so it will be at least as responsive as an iPhone 4 or laggy 4S. Now I get to discover all the fun quirks with this phone. Oh it doesn't have that field, guess it's called something else here. Yeah I don't know why it's asking you to specify each layer of network security on the WiFi when iOS can do it every time without asking. I'm not sure why they use so much technical language when configuring e-mail. No, I don't know why your brand new Nexus 7 won't connect to WiFi or Email even when utilizing one of the many hacky workarounds. And then there are the no-name tablets. Honestly, fuck Google and their lack of licensing for AOSP for flooding the market with these pieces of shit. I would rather troubleshoot 20 netbooks from cold boot than wait 10 full seconds for the thing to auto-rotate back to normal, wait another 5 for it to become responsive, oh it crashed! Oh well. People still say it because it's still true. Not as drastically noticeable as in the 2.x days, but Google isn't going to suddenly eliminate the lag that comes with running what is essentially a Java VM. It's still there, it's pervasive, and it affect everything about the phone, from usability, to touch response, to accuracy and reliability.

flxmglrb 14y ago

I think there is some "vocal minority" stuff going on here, particularly with regard to the look and feel of Google's app. For starters, far from being "fluid", Google's app consistently has a much lower framerate when scrolling or adjusting zoom level than Apple's maps app. It never even approaches 60fps even when running on the latest hardware, whereas Apple's old (and new) map application has always been really good about this, even on old & low-end hardware. So I'm really confused as to what people are talking about when they say it's "fluid". Compared to what? As for the UI, the way Google's search input bar is positioned actually results in more of the screen being wasted than Apple's standard search bar UI. Those little slivers of the map which stick out above and on the sides are too small to be useful, so what's the point? Just pin it to the top of the screen and make it standard height like all the other apps do, thus giving the maximum amount of contiguous real estate to the actual map itself. There is a reason why Apple does it the way they do, and it's not just for looks. I have mixed feelings about the detail view being at the bottom. I understand the idea of one-handed operation and I appreciate what they're trying to do here -- optimize for the case of browsing search results with your thumb via a combination of horizontal and vertical swipes, however I'm dubious of the value of it since you still sometimes have to reach awkwardly across the screen for certain things. Not to mention the detail view takes up more real estate than necessary, much like the search bar. It also feels somewhat disconnected from the currently selected pin due to being at the bottom, which is a problem Apple doesn't have since they put the details directly on the annotation. Oh and of course you cannot blink without this app bugging you to log in.

shinratdr 14y ago

> I just don't get it when I read these threads. That's because a complaint thread about an OS is about the last place to go for an objective look at an OS. > or just the constant implications that Android is still sub-par to iOS. It's because a mapping issue and some app store searching problems, (after the entire App Store team rolled over I might add) and a couple of unfavourable design cues don't make an OS. The implication is still there because many who use iOS do feel they have a superior product. I work at a help desk and there is nothing I love more than setting up an iOS device on our network. Email? No problem? Wi-Fi, it's probably already working! I boast a 100% success rate with iOS devices. Now I get an Android device. If I'm lucky, it's high end and running ICS so it will be at least as responsive as an iPhone 4 or laggy 4S. Now I get to discover all the fun quirks with this phone. Oh it doesn't have that field, guess it's called something else here. Yeah I don't know why it's asking you to specify each layer of network security on the WiFi when iOS can do it every time without asking. I'm not sure why they use so much technical language when configuring e-mail. No, I don't know why your brand new Nexus 7 won't connect to WiFi or Email even when utilizing one of the many hacky workarounds. And then there are the no-name tablets. Honestly, fuck Google and their lack of licensing for AOSP for flooding the market with these pieces of shit. I would rather troubleshoot 20 netbooks from cold boot than wait 10 full seconds for the thing to auto-rotate back to normal, wait another 5 for it to become responsive, oh it crashed! Oh well. People still say it because it's still true. Not as drastically noticeable as in the 2.x days, but Google isn't going to suddenly eliminate the lag that comes with running what is essentially a Java VM. It's still there, it's pervasive, and it affect everything about the phone, from usability, to touch response, to accuracy and reliability.