Posted on 01/20/2011 9:58:08 AM PST by artificial intelligence
To the average consumer, the war between iPhone and Android is probably very confusing.
Most people don’t know there’s a difference between a “Droid” and an “Android” phone or why these new phones are so different from what came before.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocunwired.ocregister.com ...
The A4 is marginally faster than the second generation Snapdragon. Akin to the difference you’d see between Intel’s Q9400 and Q9550 quad core processors. Yeah, the 9550 is faster, but it’s not enough of a difference that you’ll likely notice. We won’t see phones that offer significant improvements over the current crop, whether they be A4 or Snapdragon until multiple core processors are released.
Where the Iphone falls short of the phones in my list is functionality, and the experience. The Iphone has many advantages that exist primarily on paper. Faster processor, better display, and a host of other things that the user isn’t likely to even notice. Sort of a like a 720p vs 1080P video on a small flatpanel TV, or LED edgelit vs LED array lit for a new TV. Both have phenomenal pictures, and the actual advantage is small in either case.
Examples:
Hotspot. It works, and Apple doesn’t have it. I occasionally create one for my non-3g Nook, and I regularly create a hotspot in my car so my children can connect with their Ipod touches. It’s a great irony that I couldn’t do that with my Iphone which is a sister device to theirs.
Apple’s internet experience is crippled with it’s sub-par flash support. Not the case with the high end androids with the latest flash player.
Voice navigation. Can’t be beat My phone sit’s in a dock on my dash and speaks to me (and I to it) just like my previous dedicated navigation system that it replaced. To get the Iphone to do the same, it’s an expensive app as the free and cheap ones aren’t even remotely close.
Iphone has a decent keyboard, but it can’t compare to the speed I have with swype. Apple doesn’t have it. My wife uses the Dragon dictation software on hers, and rarely uses a keyboard at all. Again, apple doesn’t have it.
I video chat with the wife more than I call her now. Apple won’t do it unless you’re in a hotspot.
The videos from my iphone looked ok on my television, but not even close to my android. Difference: HTC was considerate enough to realize that it’s the 21st century and component cables are so 1999, so they game me HDMI support.
Nah, I repeat. The top of the line androids smoke the Iphone in every relevant category. I’m not a brand fanboi. If apple comes out on top again, I’ll buy another Iphone. Until then, I’m buying what’s most useful, which right now, isn’t an apple product.
Where did you read that the A4 has HD video decoding and the Hummingbird does not.
Samsung claims full HD hardware decoding and encoding on the Hummingbird. I personally suspect the two chips are nearly identical excluding the GPU.
Declaration this is a non-flame war thread in 5..4..3..2
The A4 has a dedicated hardware video decoder in the form of a PowerVR VXD375. The Hummingbird can do it in hardware too, but with its more generalized GPU and/or SIMD units. Both can pump out the video, but the VXD375 lets Apple do it using very little battery. The iPhone 4 gets IIRC around 50% more video play time compared to a Galaxy, even though iPhone 4 has a smaller battery and more pixels to push (higher-res screen).
They like both phones, just not ATT, and the apps are similar ....but they felt IPhone is more user friendly compared to the Droid
Where I stated, way back in the beginning, that the importance of any functionality usually depends on the individual.
Sort of a like a 720p vs 1080P video on a small flatpanel TV
That one is clearly noticeable on the iPhone. You can't make out pixels, so text looks like it's in print. It is amazing, much easier on the eyes. The resolution is just below the threshold of visibility, while your comparison of 720p vs. 1080p is about overkill in using 1080p in smaller TVs where 720p is already below that threshold. No Android phone is already below the threshold.
Hotspot. It works, and Apple doesn’t have it.
It will very soon. But this is for those who need it. All other say who cares.
Apple’s internet experience is crippled with it’s sub-par flash support. Not the case with the high end androids with the latest flash player.
Even the high-end Androids have crappy Flash support. Flash just isn't made for mobile touch devices, and sucks on them.
Voice navigation.
Good for those who want it, everybody else, who cares.
Iphone has a decent keyboard, but it can’t compare to the speed I have with swype.
That's you. Others have different experiences. And you can get Dragon for the iPhone.
I video chat with the wife more than I call her now. Apple won’t do it unless you’re in a hotspot.
Again, for those who want it. But expect that AT&T imposed limitation to end soon.
Difference: HTC was considerate enough to realize that it’s the 21st century and component cables are so 1999, so they game me HDMI support.
I do believe you are the first person I've ever heard who actually wanted to plug a phone into a TV. That is a very esoteric feature. The iPhone mainly has video out as a legacy of the iPod connector. And if they really wanted to come into the 21st Century, they should have used Display Port.
Nah, I repeat. The top of the line androids smoke the Iphone in every relevant category.
You said "when it comes to power." I addressed that with the facts. This is an expanded statement.
I’m not a brand fanboi.
For reference, my current phone is also an Android. But that's mainly because no matter how good the iPhone is, it wasn't enough to make me switch to AT&T.
Uh, no... the specs say: "512MB DDR2 Ram, 4GB Nandflash built in Extend Memory up to 32GB via micro sd card" and that is $229 with an OS that the OS publisher says in inappropriate for a tablet... how can you say it's better?
Does more? Funny... only in your mind. I can find NO reviews that say that. Can you help us with these reviews that say that?
Here's what one of the reviewers has to say about your vaunted "does more" HeroTab from your own link:
"The device was heavier than I expected, but i think that is part of why it feels very solid/well made.
The biggest nit-pick I have for it is the power/back button.
- it can get caught/stuck when pressed down and to the side.
- it is not a real big concern, just minor annoyance.
Live wallpapers work great!Apps that are not working at this time:
- YouTube (viewable in the forums/embedded)
- (Can be FIXED go here: Link: Herotab MID816 - Programs - Apps - Installations - Root)
, - Gmail (viewable online or with email app)The speaker still plays even when headphones are plugged in.
In screen tests, the "shake" appears minimal. Roughly "o" or less in size.- I have had no issues moving/holding on to icons
Video playback appears to be software based at this time. (no issues/lag though)
The G-Sensor covers 270 degrees.
- 2 Portrait
- 1 Landscape
Right... works better...
Motorola Xoom... Can you provide the hands on reviews that prove that? Fact is, nobody has even TOUCHED one except mock-ups, because there are no production models available yet, and only seen video's of one in action act CES... so how do you know it is better? The word of Motorola?
Cnet said this in their "review" from CES:
"Jha showed some videos of the tablet in action but told reporters it was still under development and would not be available for hands-on demonstrations today."
Hardly definitive that it's better... only specs available and a video prepared by hype artists.
Your link on the Samsung tablets is to a wholesaler who sells in LOT quantities to get those prices... as if an individual is going to buy five at a time... try to be real, Truth.
It claims it is capacitance but the angle of view is abysmal... and it only is expandable to 32GB, not the 64 Truth is claiming... and it runs 2.2 Froyo, a phone OS. Absurd to say it's better.
-PJ
The iPhone can do it... AT&T won't allow it. That's not a shorfailing of the phone. It's a failing of the carrier.
Apple’s internet experience is crippled with it’s sub-par flash support. Not the case with the high end androids with the latest flash player.
Flash player is still crippled and the choice is to kowtow to a dying format and embrace the new, or to force a change. Apple has always forced the new. Android phones with Flash have abysmal battery life... and you can't change that. You have to remember to turn off the player.
Voice navigation. Can’t be beat My phone sit’s in a dock on my dash and speaks to me (and I to it) just like my previous dedicated navigation system that it replaced. To get the Iphone to do the same, it’s an expensive app as the free and cheap ones aren’t even remotely close.
It is available.
Iphone has a decent keyboard, but it can’t compare to the speed I have with swype. Apple doesn’t have it. My wife uses the Dragon dictation software on hers, and rarely uses a keyboard at all. Again, apple doesn’t have it.
Sorry, I've had Dragon Dictation on my iPhone for two years...
I video chat with the wife more than I call her now. Apple won’t do it unless you’re in a hotspot.
Again, pioneered by Apple... but crippled by AT&T's limitations.
The videos from my iphone looked ok on my television, but not even close to my android. Difference: HTC was considerate enough to realize that it’s the 21st century and component cables are so 1999, so they game me HDMI support.
Why use a cable... I send HD content directly from my iPhone4 and iPad to my AppleTV without a cable... works perfectly. I also have an adaptor for iPhone/iPad to HDMI... also works perfectly.
Your complaints are based more in not knowing that actual facts, Melas.
I have the fourth generation iPod Touch - and an ordinary cell phone. Gives me everything...
I’ve tried google and my usual tech sites and I can’t find anything that says the A4 has different or better video decoders than the hummingbird. If you have information please direct me to it, I would find it interesting.
I have Froyo on my busted up old MyTouch 3G, how sad is that.
Biggest problem Android has...it’s parents...Google!
Everything you do on that phone will be collected and shared.
Does the new iPod touch have GPS?
-PJ
I wasn’t trying to say that the apple screen is better than all android screens, but it’s better than most android screens, when all the really affordable functional generic tablets are included. The Samsungs are known to have good screens.
3.
The screen is not as good on the mid816. I’ve been using a computer for years, as I’m sure you and everyone else has, and I’ve never had to touch the screen at all in order to do something. I’d rather have flash - which the mid816 does have, and the people who have the mid816 are happy with it - than a cooler, better screen. I want the whole internet - the mid816 provides it for less than half the price of the ipad - and the ipad doesn’t provide flash. It’s aware flash exists, is aware that flash is a critical part of the internet, is aware that cheap generic android tabs are doing flash well, and apple is still not putting flash on their $500 ipads? Ridiculous. And those people defending Apple on this are just delusional.
I understand that apple is reluctant to put flash on for battery reasons. Android users would know how to turn on and off the flash, Apple users wouldn’t.
Flash is an internet technology. If the handhelds can’t handle the existing internet, it’s on them. Flash was around before handhelds, before the iphone ipad. we’ve had this argument before I think.
You have this belief that because Apple doesn’t want to do something, that thing isn’t worth doing. Completely irrational, and a reason why people call Apple fanboys cultists. The fanboys can’t separate themselves from the Applecult.
There OBVIOUSLY is something wrong with Apple not supporting Flash on their handhelds. It’s not a debateable point. But the fanboys insist that it’s actually better that the Apple devices don’t have what all standard computers have and what the newest android devices have.
I do think that the Apple gadgets are cool. They’re always so well designed. Year in, year out, really good looking gadgets. No other computer hardware manufacturer comes close. And they’ve led / innovated in many of these categories - media player, tablet, smartphone. So they have that.
But I don’t like their attitude. People who are less than competent with computers, or gadgets seem to like apple. These apple fans seem to be the kind of people who would rather have half of something if it’s really really easy to get that half then people who want all of it, even it its tricky or complicated or difficult to get.
- yes the screen is cheaper
- this device is far cheaper than the ipad. $200-$250 vs $500. so, yes, it comes with an internal 4gb. but you can replace that microsd card easily. 16 gb class 10 cards are available for $35. It supports 32gb on the internal and 32 on the external for a total of 64. But the real point I’m trying to make is that the removable microsd card hard drive is a very interesting feature. You could have custom applications on different hard drives. You could have just mp3s on one, applications on another, depending on what you were planning on doing. But I’m not sure exactly why this device really needs so much space. Of course, you can attach this device to your computer and swap files back and forth.
- some more info on the processor. I’m not an expert on this processor, but they all say it’s fast, so I’m guessing
that any of the generic tablets running it are fast.
http://www.slatedroid.com/unlisted-cortex-a8-tablets/new-s5pc210-7’-capacitive-tablets/
This is where many get their herotab mid816. Watch the videos, they’re very good - showing flash performance on this $229 device.
http://www.merimobiles.com/Herotab_MID816_Android_2_2_Flash_10_1_1_2GHz_p/meri0541.htm
watch the 1st video - shows flash performance. Solid.
watch the 2nd video - see how easy it is to hook up to a tv through hdmi. some have argued that the mac 30 pin cable can do the trick. great. but what if you’re somewhere else. you want to show someone something on your tablet on their tv screen. just unplug a htmi from the system and plug in your tablet. Ipad users are out of luck unless they’re carrying around their cable with them. The ipad just has limited functionality.
I said up to 64 gigs. 32 internal microsd card 32 external
microsd card. You don’t really need that much storage because it’s so easy to move files back and forth between the 2 computers. Does the ipad do that? I heard it didn’t but that was a while ago and maybe they fixed the problem.
The OS was not designed for a tablet I believe due to screen sizes. It wasn’t optimized for larger resolutions. 800x600 isn’t a particularly large screen. And it’s very possible that 2.2 even not optimal might be best with a fast processor.
Don’t forget that when I say “better” I mean, roughly the same as the Apple performance wise, but does more. Certainly the Xoom will beat the Apple performance wise, but they’re comparable products price wise, and the Xoom is newer.
I’m not an expert on the ipad, and you’re defending it, what exactly does the ipad do that this mid816 doesn’t? except work the way you’d expect it to all the time. I’ll take flash and hdmi and removeable switchable hard drives and $300 and you can have an excellent screen and a rock solid user experience. Is there anything else functionally that ipad does that the others don’t? (except making some feel good about themselves)
In terms of reviews, look at the video.
You’re quoting about heaviness or a cheap build? sure, that’s gonna be there. I don’t want to pay extra for nicer design. These were some issues. One or another of a particular app was or wasn’t working. Who knows what is supposed to work and what isn’t. It’s not like you’re on a webpage, and stuff is missing. People did want those features, and those features are now there. And the speaker /headphones bug was fixed. But what does the ipad do that this cheap android tablet doesn’t? This android tablet I’ll admit does not always work right.
I don’t know much about the Xoom, but it did win best of CES and lots of people are excited about it. But no it’s not out yet. Honeycomb 3.0 is supposed to be great, and the Tegra2 processors are supposed to be great, and in no time flat you’ll be able to get a perfectly fine tablet for $99.
These things are cheap and generic as they come and they’ll continue to get better and better. And people can hook up their mouse and their keyboard and their monitor and use the computer that way, or unplug the cords, and use it like a tablet.
my link wasn’t to a wholesaler, but to sort of an ebay from wholesalers primarily, but there are a good number that do sell just 1. Some will only sell 100, but others will sell
1.
Here’s the mid816 (or a variant) for $204 - Free Shipping.
http://www.aliexpress.com/product-gs/396918180-SPECIAL-OFFER-8-Laptop-android-2-2-OS-tablet-pc-Samsung-S5PV210-ARM-CortexTM-A8-1-wholesalers.html
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