Smart Phones

Post Reply
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

What is the current market shares? I wouldn't think the iPhone would be the industry leader, but it sure seems to have more apps written for it than does the BlackBerry.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

I believe droid has more units out there than Apple now.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

Then why is it every time I see an app I want to use, it is only for the iPhone?
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
TheCatt
Site Admin
Posts: 53716
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 11:15 pm
Location: Cary, NC

Post by TheCatt »

I saw a great graphic on this recently... basica Android > iPhone (barely) in the US... but like 80-85% of people still have stupid phones.
It's not me, it's someone else.
thibodeaux
Posts: 8055
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 7:32 pm

Post by thibodeaux »

I do not have a "smart" phone. But it seems kind of bizarre to apply a not-smart label to a device that:
- is a phone
- dials the freaking numbers itself
- does text messaging
- takes pictures
- plays music
- has an FM radio
- can do internet stuff (I think; I don't have a data plan)
- can play games
- can transfer files to/from a pc
- contains lots of little utility apps such as a calendar, notepad, stopwatch, and probably more stuff

We're spoiled indeed.
TheCatt
Site Admin
Posts: 53716
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 11:15 pm
Location: Cary, NC

Post by TheCatt »

A phone without Internet? How quaint.
It's not me, it's someone else.
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

thibodeaux wrote:I do not have a "smart" phone. But it seems kind of bizarre to apply a not-smart label to a device that:
- is a phone
- dials the freaking numbers itself
- does text messaging
- takes pictures
- plays music
- has an FM radio
- can do internet stuff (I think; I don't have a data plan)
- can play games
- can transfer files to/from a pc
- contains lots of little utility apps such as a calendar, notepad, stopwatch, and probably more stuff

We're spoiled indeed.
I thought all that stuff WAS what made a smart phone.

Unless I am reading what you wrote incorrectly.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

My phone can do all the shit thib just said. But my phone isn't classified as "smart."
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

Well then what does it take to be smart?
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
Paul
Posts: 8458
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 5:02 pm
Location: KY
Contact:

Post by Paul »

The problem with iPhones is that you need the AT&T network.
So companies that want something like the iPhone go with the Droid. (I got a Droid a few days ago and love it.)

The iPhone contract with AT&T will be ending soon, so I expect use of the iPhone will explode when other companies start supporting it.
GORDON
Site Admin
Posts: 54396
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2004 10:43 pm
Location: DTManistan
Contact:

Post by GORDON »

Verizon is supporting iPhones in February, I believe, and their big selling point is no usage caps like AT&T put in. I expect my Verizon internet to get slower.



Edited By GORDON on 1295872339
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
thibodeaux
Posts: 8055
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 7:32 pm

Post by thibodeaux »

GORDON wrote:I thought all that stuff WAS what made a smart phone.

Unless I am reading what you wrote incorrectly.
You Tell Me
TheCatt
Site Admin
Posts: 53716
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 11:15 pm
Location: Cary, NC

Post by TheCatt »

thibodeaux wrote:
GORDON wrote:I thought all that stuff WAS what made a smart phone.

Unless I am reading what you wrote incorrectly.
You Tell Me
I'm just going to respond with this
this phone sux if u r a rough user.. nt a gud buy i wud recommend... no vdeo recording, nthng... its crap ... avoid it...flaps just too looz
It's not me, it's someone else.
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

Not starting a debate because, quite honestly, I'm cell phoned out. However, since you guys are discussing it, and I'm in the mood to rant (go figure)...

Let me please point out that the opinions and facts I'm about to convey come from 5+ years of technical support for cell phones and cell devices throughout the U.S. and all over the planet, working through constant billing issues with Verizon and AT&T, and negotiating contracts with Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T. This is all from my own experiences, research, and discussions with sales and tech folks from the three companies. (Cell phones are not my profession, but because the companies behind them suck so badly, they eat up a lot of my time.)

The problem with iPhones is that you need the AT&T network.


That is an opinion spread by, assumed (some confirmed), Verizon flag wavers since day 1 of Apple & AT&T's launch of the iPhone.

I know, I know. That's a crazy notion. Verizon, and/or its fans, would NEVER try to smear the biggest cell phone launch in the history of the business. Especially not when the phone is exclusive to their biggest competitor, whose technology is better (more of that later), who has world wide coverage (not just based in the U.S. like Verizon), and during a time when the world's largest cell phone maker was beginning to become displeased with Verizon. Oh, and they had almost no Blackberries at the time either.

The fact is that Verizon was getting its ass kicked by AT&T who had purchased Cingular and some no name rural company that covered a massive portion of the rural U.S. giving them comparable U.S. coverage. Prior to that Verizon was king of the hill and got complacent. the iPhone was a disaster to THEM, not to AT&T.

So companies that want something like the iPhone go with the Droid.


Actually, the Droid is doing well with consumers, but NOT companies. I posted an article about this a few months back. Companies are avoiding the Droid for the same reasons they avoid Linux.

Walk through any airport and you're going to see the majority of business people on iPhones and BBs.

The iPhone contract with AT&T will be ending soon, so I expect use of the iPhone will explode when other companies start supporting it.


Well first of all, only AT&T and Verizon will be carrying the iPhone. I also expect iPhone sales to shoot up in February, but I don't think new iPhone users will be a huge part of that. I think it'll be a lot of folks switching from AT&T to Verizon. Of those folks, you'll have Verizon loyalists and folks who think their coverage will be better with Verizon.

Let's talk coverage. Who has the best coverage? Depends where you live and what phone you use. THAT IS THE KEY TO WHICH CELL PHONE COMPANY YOU SHOULD PICK!!! There truly is no company that is overwhelmingly better than another. Anyone who argues otherwise has no clue what they're talking about. Each has their pros and cons.

For example, Verizon is speaking truth when they claim that they have the largest coverage area in the U.S. However, my company has users throughout the U.S. and with Verizon, 5 of them get no service at their homes. With AT&T everyone is covered. Is this because AT&T is the better network? No, it's pure luck based on where these companies have cell phone towers built or where they have dishes on towers based on contracts with other companies.

Yes, contracts with other companies. Truth be told if you eliminate all cell phone companies' coverage areas that are actually provided by other companies then coverage maps would look vastly different, and much smaller.

AT&T's biggest advantage in coverage is their international coverage. They use the same technology the rest of the world does, except Japan, and Verizon doesn't.

Speaking of technology, Verizon uses CDMA, and this has caused them some problems. First Samsung, the world's largest cell phone manufacturer told Verizon they were no longer going to make CDMA compatible phones. BIG problem for Verizon. That's why Verizon is very, very quietly switching their technology over to LTE to match AT&T and the rest of the world. This will be completed by 2014.

Guess what that means? Verizon phones will eliminate the international edge that AT&T currently has!!! Of course, Verizon will now face all the same technical issues that AT&T faces with LTE technology. Plus, and here's the best part, all those CDMA phones out there will become paperweights. I'm quite certain Verizon will make the transition as smoothly as possible for their customers, but I don't see them announcing this tech change publicly because it would certain hurt sales of the CDMA iPhone.

Oh, and those internet caps that Verizon is touting that they don't have? They're lying. They do too have caps. I think it's currently 5GB a month, which is a fuck ton. AT&T had the same caps in place when they called their plan "Unlimited" too.

AT&T is no longer lying about the caps and now went to a tiered internet model, just like cell phone minutes plans are tiered. They're not the first cell phone company to do this either.

Expect this to come Verizon's way too once they move further to LTE and well after their iPhone launch.

So far I think this has been more negative towards Verizon than AT&T or Sprint...so let's switch gears.

Sprint is kind of a joke. No real rural coverage. No good selection of devices. Plus, they recently upgraded their equipment to switch their technology to WiMax (or whatever) and claimed it was the best ever...now they're seriously considering moving to LTE. What a waste of money. I simply can't take them seriously.

Ditto for T Mobile. Yay, you have the fastest 4G network!! How's your phone selection? Coverage? All shitty!! And how long will your "fastest 4G network" claim last? Not very long...

As for AT&T, I have never seen a company do less with more. You want to talk bloated? AT&T could fire half its work force tomorrow and not miss a beat. By far, the worst billing I've ever seen, made doubly worse by the fact that all cell phone pricing is arbitrary. I recently reached the end of years of billing issues with AT&T.

And yes, arbitrary. All of these companies have been caught charging their customers more than they should or, using Verizon as they're the most recent example, billing them for completely made up charges.

I could go on about these companies and this ridiculous technology that we're all trapped into using, but I've got work to do.

Summary: All cell phone companies have their strengths and weakness, and generally they all lie and suck. I'm rooting for WiFi to become more prevalent rapidly and put them all out of business via WiFi phones. Don't scoff at that, it's a possibility that they're aware could happen.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

Forgot to talk actual phones:

iPhone - Cute phone, and lots of fun for the apps and music, but iTunes is the biggest pile of shit I've ever seen. On top of that, reception sucks, and their email is kind of shitty. Pretty, but shitty. The onscreen keyboard isn't that great, but it works.

Windows phones - Best in terms of reception (particularly the Samsung model). Looks good. Different models all have different features so I can't specify most things. Email is ALL there, not just the 25 or 100 most recent messages. Didn't work with this a ton, but really liked it. Didn't love it and they have some work to do, but there's a true contender here.

BBs - Businesses love these for the lack of fun apps (although, they're there, just not as cool). Touch screens are coming for all their devices, but they still look business-like. Ridiculously software requirements though. You need a server to get full functionality as a business. Other phones don't need that shit.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
TPRJones
Posts: 13418
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 2:05 pm
Location: Houston
Contact:

Post by TPRJones »

I have T-Mobile because it gives me four bars in my office, while for AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and Virigin it's a complete dead zone.

As to their coverage in general, I've never been anywhere in the past two years since I got it that I have had less then three bars.

On the flip side, I don't use my Blackberry much for extra stuff since I got an iPod, and I plan on switching both to some Android phone soon. Once I finally get around to picking one. And then I'll be shopping for who has the best data plans because I'll be using the crap out of it.

EDIT - Oh, and on the subject of iTunes, I fully agree that iTunes is shit. I use the crap out of my iPod but I use Media Monkey to handle my music and podcasts. It does everything iTunes does with audio (even the complex fancy playlists) except it runs very fast and very smooth at all times. For aps I just go straight to the aps store on the device. I haven't fired up iTunes for a synching in almost a year. I fully endorse Media Monkey for all your audio file synching needs.




Edited By TPRJones on 1295891118
"ATTENTION: Customers browsing porn must hold magazines with both hands at all times!"
Malcolm
Posts: 32040
Joined: Fri May 21, 2004 1:04 pm
Location: Minneapolis

Post by Malcolm »

I need to get one. What does everyone use, what do they recommend? Any suggestions related to iPhones will be met with furious anger.
Diogenes of Sinope: "It is not that I am mad, it is only that my head is different from yours."
Arnold Judas Rimmer, BSC, SSC: "Better dead than smeg."
Leisher
Site Admin
Posts: 65250
Joined: Thu May 20, 2004 9:17 pm
Contact:

Post by Leisher »

Apple iPhone -

The most popular phone on the market. I have used an iPhone 4 for a while now, and here are my thoughts:
1. Terrible reception. Fucking beyond terrible. Drops calls, barely gets signals, data is a mixed bag, etc.
2. It is easy to use.
3. iTunes is a piece of shit. Obviously designed by assholes who don't understand basic concepts like shopping or searching. Also ridiculously high prices.
4. Has the most apps.
5. Feuding with Google and Adobe, and thus, has dropped their apps and services.

Droid -
I have not used one, but Google ranks up there near Apple in my mind.
People like it, it has apps, and it has to have better service than Apple right?

Windows Phones -
I have a few users in the field right now with Lumias and they love them.
-Not as user friendly as the Apple phones.
-Compatible with Windows 8, which is about to be released.
-MUCH better reception than other phones.
-Not as many apps.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
User avatar
Stranger
Posts: 3180
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:34 pm

Post by Stranger »

I have the iphone 4s and i don't have any trouble with reception at all. I have verizon as my carrier not sure what carrier Leisher has but maybe that is the problem there. Or maybe its because its the 4s and something got fixed after the 4.

I know a few people with the Samsung Galaxy and they seem to really like it alot. Never have been able to mess around with one, but thats prolly what i would go for if iphone is out of the question.




Edited By Stranger on 1348773226
WORLD CHAMPIONS!!
Post Reply