Personal computing discussed
Moderators: renee, David, mac_h8r1, Nelliesboo
DreadCthulhu wrote:I agree that it makes little sense to buy $650+ phones these days. Especially since I see plenty of people buy them, and then only use them for Facebook, Snapchat, and other similarly undemanding apps. I bought a Zenfone 2 Laser for $200 last November, and it has been very nice for money - 5.5" FHD IPS screen, adequate octo-A53 processor, 3 GiB RAM, 32 GiB storage + mSD card slot, and so on.
I did a side-by side comparison with one of my coworkers $750 iPhone 6s+, and for the average users, it is hard to see what spending that extra $550 gets you. Apps opened a bit faster on the iPhone, the screen was slightly better, it takes somewhat better pictures, and has a fingerprint scanner.
But in some ways it was worse - less storage (16 GiB vs 32 GiB), no mSD card slot, no user replaceable battery.
Otterboxes are UGLY! I agree that protection is important, but I don't know why people do that to their iPhones.And while it looked fancier, my coworker had it in some clunky Otterbox, rendering that a moot advantage.
What? I'd unfriend them fast just for thinking that their way is the only way for everybody. Can we still unfriend people? Well, I'd find a way.Of course, my coworker said he needed iMessage, since the guys at the clubs he frequents won't message you back if you have the wrong colored speech bubbles, so that is that, I suppose.
"Product research" is not necessary if you have a no-go item. For me it was Applepay. Android wasn't offering a secure solution, so I bought my iPhone 6 Plus (not "s"). This time around, I'll re-assess.
It always amazes me how much money people waste because they won't do a little product research.
I use Verizon. I'd consider switching, but Verizon has been flawless for me even when travelling in the US, so it's very hard to consider changing. And once you buy a new phone and change plans, switching back is a REAL hassle if you have unresolvable troubles with the new service.(This applies to more than just cell phones of course.) For example, cell phone service - it is amazing how many people won't even look at the various pre-paid options, that could easily cut their monthly bill in half.
All good points. But there are some exceptions. I don't like the Publix brand of cheese, and there is no substitute for the coffee creamer I use. Alternatives of either are rather plastic-tasting.Or how many people take whatever financing the dealer offers when buying a car, rather than asking their own bank, or looking up offers online. Or continue to buy a name brand-product when the store brand is literately identical. I know people who insist on buying the Land of Lakes brand milk, instead of the Hyvee or Wal-Mart store brand milk, even after I point out that Land of Lakes bottles both of the store brands at the same plant, and ships them in on the same truck.
Usacomp2k3 wrote:I use the otterbox commuter. Very low profile while still offering great drop protection. The case for the 7+ is even thinner than the one for the 6+
BIF wrote:Usacomp2k3 wrote:I use the otterbox commuter. Very low profile while still offering great drop protection. The case for the 7+ is even thinner than the one for the 6+
I've seen the Otterbox Commuter. It's nice in a "new cross-trainers" or "urban assault vehicle" (aka: any SUV that never sees any mud) way. But why the big hole on the back? That's just another way for grit and liquid to get in. I've been partial to the Pt line of cases that I got from Best Buy; bought something like 5 of them with different finishes. They're reasonably thin, cover the back and edges of the phone (but not the screen; I have a screen protector for that), and they come in various wood and metal veneer finishes. They fit with a Pt holster so the screen IS protected when holstered. The holster didn't come with these cases; it came with another Pt case that's 2-part and is the only one I don't use. I like the Pt cases because they're thin and nice looking, but I don't know how protective they might be against drops.
Another thing that makes me nervous about Android phones is the free-for-all nature of the store. Because of that, I think the consumer doesn't always know what he/she might be getting into with a new app.
Usacomp2k3 wrote:BIF wrote:...But why the big hole on the back? ...
Not sure what you mean by hole in which back.
BIF wrote:I've seen the Otterbox Commuter. It's nice in a "new cross-trainers" or "urban assault vehicle" (aka: any SUV that never sees any mud) way. But why the big hole on the back? That's just another way for grit and liquid to get in. I've been partial to the Pt line of cases that I got from Best Buy; bought something like 5 of them with different finishes. They're reasonably thin, cover the back and edges of the phone (but not the screen; I have a screen protector for that), and they come in various wood and metal veneer finishes. They fit with a Pt holster so the screen IS protected when holstered. The holster didn't come with these cases; it came with another Pt case that's 2-part and is the only one I don't use. I like the Pt cases because they're thin and nice looking, but I don't know how protective they might be against drops.
Another thing that makes me nervous about Android phones is the free-for-all nature of the store. Because of that, I think the consumer doesn't always know what he/she might be getting into with a new app.
derFunkenstein wrote:...Android Pay works very much like Apple Pay. NFC + fingerprint reader for contactless payment. I don't know if your bank is signed up with it (so whether your cards will work) or whether it's accepted at the stores where you shop, but it seems to be gaining quite a bit of traction. ...
ronch wrote:unnecessary performance.
ronch wrote:spending 5x more money