iPad vs. Nexus 7

[denverpilot]

The first iPad was simply not ready for primetime when I bought it. That's what makes the N7 so great -- it's Google's first effort, and it's a grand slam. Everything works as designed, the way you expect it, right out of the box.

Well of course, they just waited long enough to copycat and avoid a learning curve. Whoop dee doo. Anyone can do that. That's (long before the patent infringement case) been Samsung's MO for a couple of decades. Cheaper parts, copy everything, make enough money to fight the court battles. This one has the possibility of really hurting them for that bad behavior this time. We shall see.

So you're saying there weren't ANY previous versions of Android on PHONES prior to their tablet that were utter messes either, right?

No Google phone that was god-awful or anything? The HTC Dream was spectacular(ly bad)!?

One is a $632B company selling stuff at a high margin, the other is a $222B company giving away hardware in hopes of building a business out of their small cut on media delivered to the device. The market is big enough for both.

If GOOG had the ability and forethought to build a tablet back in the iPad 1 days, it would have sucked. They had to go buy a company already failed that needed a (literal) bag full of cash ($10,000 to be precise) to continue operating until GOOG came courting. Wasn't a market for what they were doing prior to AAPL creating the market for them. They were focused on location-aware phones to track the user and sell them stuff, not a workable phone OS that mimicked a desktop computer with a touch screen. They only got serious about making Android do real stuff after AAPL proved that was what people wanted their smartphone to do and built a way to distribute software to the end-users devices.

It's nice to see them finally get it right, but the tablet is just like Apple's was... A continuation of the phone code base.

Nexus 7 isn't revolutionary, it's evolutionary just like iPad 1, 2 and 3.

 

[Mafoo]

Interesting. I thought the later iPad OS was untethered from iTunes? That software alone drove me to distraction.

http://www.apple.com/ios/features.html

If you scroll to the botom, you will see the latest iOS (that doesn't require any tethering), works on the iPad 1.

The next version that will come out in a month, will be the first version of iOS that won't run on the iPad 1. It has some cool new features (like there new maps app) that simply won't run well on old hardware.

I don't understand how anyone who owns a sheet of glass computer that you navigate with a finger, be it a phone or a tablet, that you love, not being thankful to Apple for creating the space.

If you like Android or Windows Phone 7 more then iOS, and Google or Microsoft more then Apple, that's cool. But to trash the company that is responsable for the phone or tablet you love even existing in the first place, is just odd to me.

Enjoy your device, thank Apple for it, and move on. Why anyone hates a consumer electronics company is beyond me.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I tried to love my iPad -- I really did. I used it on EVERY flight, for two years.

It was better than paper sectionals, I'll give it that. Beyond that, it just didn't have what I wanted, and was saddled with that horrible beta iOS they stuck on the iPad1. (I understand they've fixed a lot of that nonsense in the later models.) It eventually ended up living in the seat-back pocket, and we'd occasionally take off with its battery nearly dead from disuse.

The N7 has been a home run right out of the box. I use it everywhere -- home, office, pool, beach, hangar, in-plane. I honestly have not been able to find a single thing to ***** about on it, which (for me) is absolutely unheard of. It's THAT good.

I sold the iPad for just $20 less than the N7 cost, which makes this whole experience extra sweet.

No hardware platform is the entire equation. What application(s) were you running on the IPad that so disappointed you?

 

[rpadula]

I was intrigued by the YouTube video that showed the iPad, with an inferior processor, to actually be marginally faster in some parameters than the clearly superior Nexus 7 processor.

So, I went to the interwebs to find out why. Here's the best explanation I found:
*********************************

{snip}

NVIDIA is providing a different sort of architecture that may be more powerful, but just like it took Sony game developers years to adjust to the Playstation 3′s 8-core Cell processor, it’s going to take developers time to adjust to the Tegra 3′s 12 cores.

Winner: Nexus 7, with a better CPU and a 12-core GPU which has more potential, if developers ever make use of it.
******************************************

Translation: it'll never get done.

Taking years on a game console is one thing, as they tend to have much longer life cycles. But in a consumer tablet device? Forgeddaboutit! In the next 12-18 months, there'll be a better CPU/GPU, several releases of Android, developers will be scrambling to get it all out the door, and Nexus 7 optimization will be LOLWTFBBQ!?!?

 

[rpadula]

P.S. I appreciate your reviews Jay, and your updates as you continue using it, and I hope you'll continue. I recently read a blog post on this topic that I thought was interesting:

Moral of the story: You only learn where a product needs improvement through serious long-term use. Users gain that kind of experience, but reviewers and pundits generally do not. Their observations tend to be superficial. That's why reviews written after a few days using a product often miss the mark. The real greatness or lack of greatness in a product doesn't show up for a few weeks or months. Sometimes even longer.
​

http://scripting.com/stories/2012/08/28/whatIWantedPartIi.html

 

[tinerj]

The 1980s rule was to find the software that did the job you wanted to do, and then buy the computer with the operating system that would run the software with the speed you needed.

The 2012s rule appears to be . . . I don't know, but definitely something different than 1980s.

 

[Mafoo]

The 1980s rule was to find the software that did the job you wanted to do, and then buy the computer with the operating system that would run the software with the speed you needed.

The 2012s rule appears to be . . . I don't know, but definitely something different that 1980s.

I agree. The difference is back then, you usually only had one good option, so it was easy. Now pretty much any ecosystem can do the job you want to do. It's now more of what kind of experience do you what while you do it.

 

[Jay Honeck]

Translation: it'll never get done.

Taking years on a game console is one thing, as they tend to have much longer life cycles. But in a consumer tablet device? Forgeddaboutit! In the next 12-18 months, there'll be a better CPU/GPU, several releases of Android, developers will be scrambling to get it all out the door, and Nexus 7 optimization will be LOLWTFBBQ!?!?

I agree.

On a semi-related note, it's sort of like this new NFC stuff. (For those who don't know, NFC is the magnetic field communications capability that is sweeping the Android world. It let's you tap two devices together to share data, like a photo, flight plan, or contact info.) Google has embraced it, while Apple is way behind in this (the new iPhone is rumored to still not have it).

NFC is supposed to become the basis of our new electronic economy, allowing us to pay for everything by tapping our phones to a screen in the store. Trouble is, vendors (me included) won't install the necessary hardware until everyone has NFC in their phones -- and phone makers like Apple don't see the utility in adding NFC until vendors have the infrastructure set up. Catch-22!

Everything is in flux with this stuff right now. That's another reason the Nexus 7 is so amazing -- it has plowed a furrow in this very muddied field wide enough to be noticed.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Jay Honeck]

BTW: Does anyone else here see parallels between Apple and the Wright Brothers?

The Wrights invented flight, but spent the subsequent decade in court, prosecuting copy-catters and defending their wing warping patents.

So, Curtis (?) invented ailerons, the rapidly changing aviation world moved on while the Wrights were litigating -- and by the 1920s the Wrights were minor players in the aviation world...

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mafoo]

BTW: Does anyone else here see parallels between Apple and the Wright Brothers?

The Wrights invented flight, but spent the subsequent decade in court, prosecuting copy-catters and defending their wing warping patents.

So, Curtis (?) invented ailerons, the rapidly changing aviation world moved on while the Wrights were litigating -- and by the 1920s the Wrights were minor players in the aviation world...

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

Wow my friend, you have a very disconnected view of reality.

So Apple, on the back of iOS, is now the lagest and most profitable company that ever existed, and each quarter not only grows, but beats the inflated exceptions of everyone who tries to predict its sales, is to you, going to fade away into obscurity because of a tablet that still to date, has not sold as many units as the iPad 2 did in its first 4 days?

Also, the lawsuit they won rather quickly, with a billion in damages awarded to them, so it's not quite the same.

I can't tell if your just that clueless, or you purposely say outlandish things, in the attempt to get a rise out of people. I am leaning towards the latter. I have seen several posts from you that seem to be nothing but flame bait, and toll worthy. This ones feels the same.

 

[X3 Skier]

BTW: Does anyone else here see parallels between Apple and the Wright Brothers?

The Wrights invented flight, but spent the subsequent decade in court, prosecuting copy-catters and defending their wing warping patents.

No parallel to me. The Wrights real breakthrough was the powerplant that their chief mechanic, Charles Taylor designed and built.

So, Curtis (?) invented ailerons, the rapidly changing aviation world moved on while the Wrights were litigating -- and by the 1920s the Wrights were minor players in the aviation world...

As was Curtis shortly after WWII, at least in the airplane business.

They also combined to become AKA Curtis-Wright as of 1929 when most companies experienced some minor financial problems. :wink2: They made a few engines (140000) called Wright's in the B-17 among others which was directly a result of focusing on the real expertise of Wright Aero.

Smart companies like Wright Aero and Apple adapt while others go out of business and to some extent C-W who did both and remains a major component manufacturer in Aerospace but no longer the Behemoth they were in the 40's.

It remians to be seen if Apple sees any part of the $1B from Samsung but so far they are ahead of the Wright Bros in the Court System.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

AppleTV? You mean like WebTV?

Erm... No. That was a Microsoft thing.

Apple makes something called the "AppleTV" that is a box that you plug a TV into. It does lots of cool things like play video from iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo, or wherever; Play music; wirelessly mirror the screen of of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac; that sort of thing. But it's just a little hockey puck you plug into a TV, not an actual TV.

There have been rumors flying approximately forever that have Apple making an actual TV at some point. However, to make that worthwhile, Apple would have to completely re-imagine what a TV really is. I don't think they're gonna do it - Not enough upside and a very crowded market.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Bottom line: The processor in the Nexus 7 makes it the fastest tablet on the market. As new software is written to take advantage of this technology, it will smoke every other tablet.

Sounds like owning a Ferrari. Sure, it'll smoke every other car, but unless you also own a racetrack it doesn't do you a damn bit of good. And in this case, there aren't even any racetracks for sale.

 

[Henning]

Erm... No. That was a Microsoft thing.

Apple makes something called the "AppleTV" that is a box that you plug a TV into. It does lots of cool things like play video from iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, Vimeo, or wherever; Play music; wirelessly mirror the screen of of an iPhone, iPad, or Mac; that sort of thing. But it's just a little hockey puck you plug into a TV, not an actual TV.

There have been rumors flying approximately forever that have Apple making an actual TV at some point. However, to make that worthwhile, Apple would have to completely re-imagine what a TV really is. I don't think they're gonna do it - Not enough upside and a very crowded market.

Web TV was basically the same thing at the time, a box you used on your TV that gave you limited web resources. I remember when the local biker clubhouse got one for surfing porn at dial up speed and paying for site access. Then I pulled out my Toshiba laptop and introduced them to Usenet and alt.sex.***..

 

[flyingcheesehead]

From those links:

"ABC News’ own sources have corroborated the widely cited report of Apple’s plans to hold two events."

With whom did they corroborate? Talk to a million people, if they all heard it from AllThingsD instead of being an actual Apple employee, it doesn't matter. And Apple employees have been notoriously tight-lipped since 1997 or so, when Apple finally got serious about getting rid of leaks.

"This weekend, the Wall Street Journal, Apple's traditional venue for official leaks, reported the "iPad Mini" would be unveiled in October."

Again, no source - Just a history. And I think even the WSJ has said things about the mythical Apple TV.

I expect it, but I still wouldn't call it "confirmed."

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Web TV was basically the same thing at the time, a box you used on your TV that gave you limited web resources.

That description could be used in both cases, but they really weren't similar. WebTV was supposed to be more like its name - You could surf the web in limited fashion (standard-def TV had very poor resolution). There's no browser at all in the AppleTV, it simply acts as a super-easy-to-use gateway to content.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Interesting. I thought the later iPad OS was untethered from iTunes? That software alone drove me to distraction.

The original iPad still runs the latest iOS - And on my original iPad, I'm doing WiFi syncing now.

However, iTunes is still at the other end - I just don't have to look at it any more.

When I first got my iPad, and discovered that there was no way to delete a photo without using iTunes (something I understand they later fixed) my wife and I laughed and laughed. Imagine, something that every other manufacturer had figured out decades ago -- deleting files -- was impossible to do on the iPad without first connecting it to a competitor's machine (my PC) and running my MUSIC SOFTWARE. Ludicrous.

They really just need to rename iTunes. It was originally music software. Then, the iPod came out and it was a music device, so they used iTunes to sync it, which still made sense. However, over time, they've added many types of content and many devices, but never re-branded the software. "iTunes" wrangles content and devices. Oh, and it still happens to play music too. They really should just split "iTunes" into a nice music program, and come up with "iDon'tSuckAnymore" or something else to do the content and device wrangling.

And yes, iTunes on Windows sucks, there's no denying that.

 

[Henning]

That description could be used in both cases, but they really weren't similar. WebTV was supposed to be more like its name - You could surf the web in limited fashion (standard-def TV had very poor resolution). There's no browser at all in the AppleTV, it simply acts as a super-easy-to-use gateway to content.

So you're saying that AppleTV is a newer, flashier, less functional model of something that Microsoft pioneered and everyone scoffed at. Sounds the same as my iPhone vs my Pocket PC Phone Edition...I'm catching on to Apple's M.O. now. The best thing Apple did was create their Fanboy base way back giving Macs to schools, it's like drugs and cigarettes, get em hooked early and build brand loyalty.

 

[Mafoo]

So you're saying that AppleTV is a newer, flashier, less functional model of something that Microsoft pioneered and everyone scoffed at. Sounds the same as my iPhone vs my Pocket PC Phone Edition...I'm catching on to Apple's M.O. now. The best thing Apple did was create their Fanboy base way back giving Macs to schools, it's like drugs and cigarettes, get em hooked early and build brand loyalty.

When talking about aircraft engines, I will differ to your expertise, because to be honest, other then turning a key and watching the little thing on the front turn, I don't really know that much about them. I am a user. Your the expert.

I would ask you however, to afford me the same courtesy with respect to the computer industry, because with a response like that, you clearly have no idea what your talking about.

Let's just use each other as the capable resources we each are, in the areas we are experts on, ok?

 

[denverpilot]

I would ask you however, to afford me the same courtesy with respect to the computer industry, because with a response like that, you clearly have no idea what your talking about.

Watching Henning describe tech really is kinda like watching a train wreck, isn't it?

Of course, the fact that tech really *is* a train wreck, makes it all the more fun.

 

[Henning]

When talking about aircraft engines, I will differ to your expertise, because to be honest, other then turning a key and watching the little thing on the front turn, I don't really know that much about them. I am a user. Your the expert.

I would ask you however, to afford me the same courtesy with respect to the computer industry, because with a response like that, you clearly have no idea what your talking about.

Let's just use each other as the capable resources we each are, in the areas we are experts on, ok?

You are correct, when it comes to computers, I'm an end user only ever since I got bored with programming our TRS-80 with a tape recorder. I have been a consumer of these gems since then and have gone through many pieces of equipment because my life at sea takes a hard toll on electronics. I have had both Apple and PC products over the years at all stages of the development cycle including the original Mac . My opinions are based on observing the industry in general as well as my experience with the products I have bought. I have not been 'online' as long as some, but I remember using ARPAnet with a teletype keyboard on a PDP-12 when I was a kid and my dad was introducing me to a colleague on the other end. I also used to have a room mate in Key West who ran a major BBS from out apartment in the days before Compuserve and AOL. I do physical repairs and builds because tools fit my hands well and I'm not afraid to use them lol. Back when 286 chips were new we'd build computers up in the wheelhouse of a jack up boat speced out like a $2700 machine in the magazines for $750 worth of parts from Midwest Micro then load them up with porn and sell them to the contractors that were working onboard for $2250. I currently have an iPad2, a Sony VIAO, an Android phone, an Acer Aspire One (which was replaced by the iPad but stills lives with my stuff in Atlanta) and Q1 which is part of my Bendix King AV8OR Horizon rig which I bought for backup SVT capability but is completely useless. Even as inept as I am with the technology, I have been around it long enough that I have learned enough by trial and error as well as osmosis that people call me when they have problems, God only knows why, when I have problems I ask here, seriously.

So, while I may not be a computer professional nor expert and have never claimed to be, and I don't know modern programming codes and their relative advantages, I believe I have earned the right to my observation derived opinions on the development of the industry as a whole as well as the general usefulness of products for those Luddites such as myself who just want a machine that does what we want.

One Dead Troll did a hilarious video years ago that still represents my view quite well, it's called "Every OS Sucks". Since I'm on an iPad I'll email myself a link to it so I can copy the code and see if I can get it to embed...


Edit: Nope, it just creates a link when I use the [ YT ] coding..

 

[Henning]

Watching Henning describe tech really is kinda like watching a train wreck, isn't it?

Of course, the fact that tech really *is* a train wreck, makes it all the more fun.

That's just it, how do you describe a train wreck and make it sound like anything but?

 

[Mafoo]

You are correct, when it comes to computers, I'm an end user only ever since I got bored with programming our TRS-80 with a tape recorder. I have been a consumer of these gems since then and have gone through many pieces of equipment because my life at sea takes a hard toll on electronics. I have had both Apple and PC products over the years at all stages of the development cycle including the original Mac . My opinions are based on observing the industry in general as well as my experience with the products I have bought. I have not been 'online' as long as some, but I remember using ARPAnet with a teletype keyboard on a PDP-12 when I was a kid and my dad was introducing me to a colleague on the other end. I also used to have a room mate in Key West who ran a major BBS from out apartment in the days before Compuserve and AOL. I do physical repairs and builds because tools fit my hands well and I'm not afraid to use them lol. Back when 286 chips were new we'd build computers up in the wheelhouse of a jack up boat speced out like a $2700 machine in the magazines for $750 worth of parts from Midwest Micro then load them up with porn and sell them to the contractors that were working onboard for $2250. I currently have an iPad2, a Sony VIAO, an Android phone, an Acer Aspire One (which was replaced by the iPad but stills lives with my stuff in Atlanta) and Q1 which is part of my Bendix King AV8OR Horizon rig which I bought for backup SVT capability but is completely useless. Even as inept as I am with the technology, I have been around it long enough that I have learned enough by trial and error as well as osmosis that people call me when they have problems, God only knows why, when I have problems I ask here, seriously.

So, while I may not be a computer professional nor expert and have never claimed to be, and I don't know modern programming codes and their relative advantages, I believe I have earned the right to my observation derived opinions on the development of the industry as a whole as well as the general usefulness of products for those Luddites such as myself who just want a machine that does what we want.

One Dead Troll did a hilarious video years ago that still represents my view quite well, it's called "Every OS Sucks". Since I'm on an iPad I'll email myself a link to it so I can copy the code and see if I can get it to embed...


Edit: Nope, it just creates a link when I use the [ YT ] coding..

I could make a similar post about all the engines I have used in my day. The oil changes I have made, friends I have helped install engines with, the fuel filters I have replaced, distributor caps, belts and every other minor thing I have done, but none of it would mean I really know what I am talking about, when talking to an expert.

The only thing WebTV and the Apple TV have in common, is they connect to a TV. A VCR and a Heart Machine both can connect to a monitor. That doesn't mean one is a ripp off of the other. Framing it like you did, clearly means you don't know what WebTV was, or what Apple TV is.

As for the video, it was funny. However if that's your view of the world, let me update it a bit.

• Apple did not ripp off Xerox. They asked if they could buy the tech, and it was given to them. Nothing underhanded happened.
• Windows NT did not suck. It was a very good operating system. Windows current servers are also very good.
• OSX does not suck. I have been running in for the last 5 years, every day for many many hours, across 8 computers. I have yet to have it crash... not even once.

The rest of that video is pretty good. however....

The Apollo 11 AGC used a very sophisticated real time operating system for its day, capable of multitasking 8 jobs at once, and also ran a virtual machine that could do more complex math.

It had an OS on it, and it didn't suck

 

[Jay Honeck]

I've been growing fascinated by the NFC (Near Field Communications) capabilities that are being built into mobile devices, including the Nexus 7.

This is the technology that allows you to pay for your Big Mac at McDonald's by waving your smart phone in front of the register, or share a photo (or flight plan) with another device simply by tapping them together.

What's got me intrigued is that you can buy little stick-on tags (about the size of a 50-cent piece) that are programmable to do all sorts of things.

Examples: I can program a tag with our hotel's WiFi info, so that guests merely have to tap their devices to connect.

I can put a tag in the plane that tells my tablet to turn on Garmin Pilot, disable WiFi, turn on the GPS, and Bluetooth connect to my Garmin GDL-39.

I can put another one in my car to tell my tablet to turn on GPS, start the CoPilot software, shut off WiFi, etc.

Another one next to my chair could turn WiFi on, start Bluetooth (so I can play the stereo), etc.

The possibilities are endless. Some hotels are moving to NFC-enabled door locks. I will be adding the ability to pay for rooms ASAP.

So why is Apple still resisting this technology? The rumored iPhone5 apparently will still not have NFC built in...



Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

 

[denverpilot]

One Dead Troll did a hilarious video years ago that still represents my view quite well, it's called "Every OS Sucks". Since I'm on an iPad I'll email myself a link to it so I can copy the code and see if I can get it to embed...


Edit: Nope, it just creates a link when I use the [ YT ] coding..

Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie, actually. And it's an awesome song.

Ever heard their "Internet Help Desk" stand up routine done "Bob Newhart" style where you only hear one side of the telephone conversation? Classic stuff there.

 

[denverpilot]

• Apple did not ripp off Xerox. They asked if they could buy the tech, and it was given to them. Nothing underhanded happened.
• Windows NT did not suck. It was a very good operating system. Windows current servers are also very good.
• OSX does not suck. I have been running in for the last 5 years, every day for many many hours, across 8 computers. I have yet to have it crash... not even once.

ROFL... Now you're off your rocker... WinNT did most certainly suck compared to real server OS's of the day. (Solaris.) It still had the kernel at Ring 0, and had the impressive ability to allow user land applications to switch into running at Ring 0 where if they looped, the entire box locked solid. Unacceptable for a multi-user, multi-threaded OS, even back then.

And in many under the hood ways, OSX also sucks. DNS caching via a daemon on a Unix desktop? Who's the retard that came up with that stupid idea? For just one example. Rebuild and redirect every single binary that has a need for DNS resolution?

We could also discuss the Mission Control, App thingy, and the absolutely stupid implementation of full-screen mode that wasn't multiple monitor aware.

There's plenty of UI gaffs in OSX, too. A maximize button that doesn't always maximize and also isn't intelligent enough to scale sizes in a multiple monitor system?

AirPrint instead of an open standard? Bonjour?

There really is some Asshattery in OSX.

Guess I'm just saying... Every OS sucks, just as the song says. OSX seems to just suck a little less than some for the tasks I do on it.

See, I'm not a raging fanboi. I could come up with a much bigger and deeper list than this, given more than five minutes to think about it.

Let's not even discuss the re-release of OSX Server. That gutted fish is totally worthless now. At least it had a freakin' LAMP stack that worked and a nice config editor in the old version. Now it's trash. It's only use might be as a cheap video transcoder if you didn't have editing software. All the nice transcoding goodies in QuickTime Pro are buried down in directories. And they're higher quality than most free CODECs.

 

[denverpilot]

So why is Apple still resisting this technology? The rumored iPhone5 apparently will still not have NFC built in...

Primarily I would guess because they have other things that will make them a profit to work on.

Secondarily, it's going to be a security nightmare.

Don't invite any of the folks who've gone to DEFCON every year to your hotel... Or hope people know how to use the deadbolt.

 

[X3 Skier]

My bank debit card has NFC and I am still waiting for it to work at ANY terminal. Tried several places and nothing happens. Tried two new cards figuring they might be FUBAR with the same result.

Cheers

 

[Mafoo]

ROFL... Now you're off your rocker... WinNT did most certainly suck compared to real server OS's of the day. (Solaris.) It still had the kernel at Ring 0, and had the impressive ability to allow user land applications to switch into running at Ring 0 where if they looped, the entire box locked solid. Unacceptable for a multi-user, multi-threaded OS, even back then.

And in many under the hood ways, OSX also sucks. DNS caching via a daemon on a Unix desktop? Who's the retard that came up with that stupid idea? For just one example. Rebuild and redirect every single binary that has a need for DNS resolution?

We could also discuss the Mission Control, App thingy, and the absolutely stupid implementation of full-screen mode that wasn't multiple monitor aware.

There's plenty of UI gaffs in OSX, too. A maximize button that doesn't always maximize and also isn't intelligent enough to scale sizes in a multiple monitor system?

AirPrint instead of an open standard? Bonjour?

There really is some Asshattery in OSX.

Guess I'm just saying... Every OS sucks, just as the song says. OSX seems to just suck a little less than some for the tasks I do on it.

See, I'm not a raging fanboi. I could come up with a much bigger and deeper list than this, given more than five minutes to think about it.

Let's not even discuss the re-release of OSX Server. That gutted fish is totally worthless now. At least it had a freakin' LAMP stack that worked and a nice config editor in the old version. Now it's trash. It's only use might be as a cheap video transcoder if you didn't have editing software. All the nice transcoding goodies in QuickTime Pro are buried down in directories. And they're higher quality than most free CODECs.

No OS is without flaws. I am sure any QB coach can rattle off 5 or 10 things they would like to improve about Tom Brady. That's doesn't mean he sucks.

 

[masloki]

Perhaps it would be interesting if we all listed which stocks we own for these horses in the race? goog, aapl, msft, Nok, and some craftiness to acquire 005930 (Samsung) or 2357 (asus). But, in case anyone was wondering, I think they all suck, with android sucking the most with cross-app consistency issues that drove me batty. The new android interface guidelines should sort most of that problem out so perhaps its time to fire up my xyboard and see. Wp7 is a start, and wp8 should be interesting and at least keep apple and google on their toes.

 

[Mafoo]

Perhaps it would be interesting if we all listed which stocks we own for these horses in the race? goog, aapl, msft, Nok, and some craftiness to acquire 005930 (Samsung) or 2357 (asus). But, in case anyone was wondering, I think they all suck, with android sucking the most with cross-app consistency issues that drove me batty. The new android interface guidelines should sort most of that problem out so perhaps its time to fire up my xyboard and see. Wp7 is a start, and wp8 should be interesting and at least keep apple and google on their toes.

Suck compared to what? The old Razor 2 or Blackberry?

These kinds of devices have only been out for about 4 years. I am sure if you took away all these things that "suck" you would wonder how the hell you lived without them.

For there lifespan, and what they allow you to do in your day to day lives, I think they are pretty damn amazing.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Perhaps it would be interesting if we all listed which stocks we own for these horses in the race? goog, aapl, msft, Nok, and some craftiness to acquire 005930 (Samsung) or 2357 (asus).

I'm a former owner of both AAPL and GOOG. Currently, I own none of the above.

AAPL made me a boatload of money - 131% return in about 3 years. GOOG pretty much broke even over roughly the same time span.

If I'd hung onto both of them until today, I'd have made another 228% on Apple and about 15% on Google.

 

[denverpilot]

I sold AAPL way too early, but also made money on it. Never owned GOOG. (With the disclaimer that various mutual funds I own probably have been in and out of both, regularly).

Haven't had any money in the tech sector in a while now. Too much M&A going on, means generally companies are busy "growing by buying" and not actually making profits. Playing reindeer games to make things look good.

 

[Mafoo]

Outside my 401K mutual fund, I don't own a single stock.

 

[masloki]

Suck compared to what? The old Razor 2 or Blackberry?

These kinds of devices have only been out for about 4 years. I am sure if you took away all these things that "suck" you would wonder how the hell you lived without them.

For there lifespan, and what they allow you to do in your day to day lives, I think they are pretty damn amazing.

Fair enough - each OS/platform/stack has certain aspects of suck and other aspects of brilliance.

For your second part, really depends on how you define living. As a pilot, definitely saves money and enhances situation awareness. As a family man, certainly has made it easier to keep in contact with the people further away, while making it easier for those that are close to be distant. I think society has a lot of catching up to do with all the technology that has been created in the last 100 or so years. Not sure if it ever will.

Long AAPL. I like the iPad 3, and applaud the concept that Nexus 7 is better (nothing before it has been IMHO), as it can continue to be an arms race that benefits the user.

 

[denverpilot]

No OS is without flaws. I am sure any QB coach can rattle off 5 or 10 things they would like to improve about Tom Brady. That's doesn't mean he sucks.

The difference is, Tom Brady can't be fixed. Software can be fixed.

And most of the things that "suck" in software are the same mistakes over and over and over, made by the industry that touts "code-reuse" but changes development platforms like underwear, and constantly re-writes stuff that worked, knowing that, on average, there's a new bug for every 10 lines of code.

(All sorts of jokes hiding in that Brady not being fixable statement. )

The industry methodology toward software development and sales/marketing pressures, completely embodies the phrase, "If you can't take the time to do it right the first time, what makes you think you'll have time to re-do it later?"

 

[flyingcheesehead]

The difference is, Tom Brady can't be fixed. Software can be fixed.

...

(All sorts of jokes hiding in that Brady not being fixable statement. )

Phew... Good thing I read the whole post! I came up with two before I finished the next sentence and I was tempted to go there.

 

[Henning]

Perhaps it would be interesting if we all listed which stocks we own for these horses in the race? goog, aapl, msft, Nok, and some craftiness to acquire 005930 (Samsung) or 2357 (asus). But, in case anyone was wondering, I think they all suck, with android sucking the most with cross-app consistency issues that drove me batty. The new android interface guidelines should sort most of that problem out so perhaps its time to fire up my xyboard and see. Wp7 is a start, and wp8 should be interesting and at least keep apple and google on their toes.

None, I don't believe in the game.

 

[Mafoo]

made by the industry that touts "code-reuse" but changes development platforms like underwear, and constantly re-writes stuff that worked, knowing that, on average, there's a new bug for every 10 lines of code.

Sadly, that is a very true statement.

 

[denverpilot]

And in further proof that Nexus 7 was a direct competitor to the Kindle Fire...

Looks like Amazon had to jump higher.

http://hardware.slashdot.org/story/12/08/30/1423214/kindle-fire-is-sold-out-forever

Kindle Fire 2: Will it look just like a Nexus 7 and do the same stuff? We shall see...