Weird thing about android

[dragantoe]

Sounds like op should just use an iphone, what is the big deal?

The big deal is that if he's unhappy with an s6, there's little chance he'll be happier with an iphone. His best bet is to get a different android phone, since the s6 is almost just as different to an iphone as it is an lg g4 (in fact I'd argue the g4 is more different than an iphone)

 

[sweenish]

So what's the best, high-res, slick ui having audio player going right now? also, is the process of getting music over (flac, I'm assuming) by usb only? I haven't done that in years, in fact I don't get a drive letter when I charge off of my mac... hmm, new things to learn! i think that's the problem. i get it, customization is nice. but it's a lot to learn, and differs by manufacturer and even model, so finding information is much more difficult over iphones.

is there a place for high end, 3d games? like infinity blade? i know nvidia has tegrazone, but that wouldn't work on an s6 right?

Can't answer the first question because my phone is not my main music device. Google Music suits my (phone music) needs just fine, so I haven't looked any further. I know that flac support can be had, but it'd be overkill on any phone, in my opinion.

As for file transfers, I use Solid Explorer and its built-in ftp function to wirelessly transfer to my phone. I had to install Filezilla to really take advantage, but it's free (Filezilla, not Solid Explorer). ES explorer is a free file explorer that I believe also offers wireless file management. I enjoy being able to move/access things between my phone, computer, Dropbox, Onedrive, and Google Drive with one app. Just a note, don't let the looks of Solid Explorer throw you. There's a beta with a MD overhaul, and it's very nice.

I used to use Airdroid for its simpler interface, but the app ended up redundant after I installed Pushbullet.

For reference, I am running a stock Nexus 5. If/When it stops receiving official support, I'll find a vanilla ROM. I'm not getting a new phone for a while. The N4 getting continued support beyond 2 years is refreshing. Hopefully that trend continues.

If you want graphic-intensive games, just use Google. Implosion is fairly pretty, as is that water racing game, I forget its name. My phone games are largely casual fare. I do my "hardcore" gaming mostly on PC these days. I will throw out Anomaly 2 and Anomaly Defenders if you like tower defense, though.

At the same time though amazing headphones sound like butt through lousy systems. In fact, My buddy got hd 598's which are pretty decent, but they sounded significantly worse in his computer than my beater hd 439's in mine, because I have a decent sound card and he just used integrated. One of my few complaints with the lg g2 is the terrible audio quality, but what are you gunna do?

Yeah, that was implied by what I was saying. The conversation had too simple a tone. Lots to consider when you start talking audio and quality together.

 

[sm625]

I just noticed something else weird about android. The price of a Galaxy Note 3 looks to be set to hit the $200 mark by the time the Note 5 releases. Imagine that, a 2.3GHz quadcore 5.7" 1080p 3GB (!) of RAM device for $200! I must say I cannot understand why people would want to spend 3 times as much money just to get one tiny step above those specs. But I guess I'm glad they do because they're the ones that make such incredible deals possible.

 

[JAG87]

With iOS you can't download files directly to your phone. My gf has to copy the Dropbox link in my txt message, email herself the link on her iPhone, then use her MacBook to open up her email, download the mix and then sync with her iPhone.

Are you serious? There are many ways to download any type of file to an iPhone, none of which require cables or syncing with iTunes.

If we're talking about your own files, you can download a file from Dropbox and open it with another app, maybe not necessarily the built in apps, but any other third party app that supports iOS extensions and opening those files, at which point the file will be saved into that app and available offline.

If you are sending from a computer, most of these apps also offer wifi-transfer, so you can bypass cloud storage entirely.

If you are sharing a file with someone, Dropbox recently updated their app so that you can open the link with the Dropbox app on your phone, and download + open with another app, just as illustrated above.

Finally, if sender and receiver are on the same wifi network, you can also Airdrop (OSX to iOS or iOS to iOS, to transfer almost any kind of file and open it with an appropriate app, same as above. You can also exploit this system at any location by creating an ad-hoc network with personal hotspot.

Now, one way Apple doesn't allow you to download files to a phone is through a browser. And for damn good reason!

 

[poofyhairguy]

I just noticed something else weird about android. The price of a Galaxy Note 3 looks to be set to hit the $200 mark by the time the Note 5 releases. Imagine that, a 2.3GHz quadcore 5.7" 1080p 3GB (!) of RAM device for $200! I must say I cannot understand why people would want to spend 3 times as much money just to get one tiny step above those specs. But I guess I'm glad they do because they're the ones that make such incredible deals possible.

Its not really weird, Android devices drop in price all the time. Heck the best thing about Android is around the 4 month mark you can get many devices for around 40% off the day 1 price on swappa. Or you can get really good deals day 1 (I got $200 my wife's Note 4 day one). The six month product cycles drive value into the ground at rates that are fast even for technology.

And honestly Galaxy devices like this retain their value longer and higher than the Android average. A LG G2 from a similar time and with the same SoC is already less than $200. If you keep an eye on Swappa it is obvious that Nexus and Galaxy retain the most value the longest, while LG devices drop in value the fastest.

It is kinda crazy that we hit a good enough plateau back in 2013 that only the S6 has gotten past.

 

[poofyhairguy]

And for damn good reason!

Which is?

No wait, don't tell me. That Apple apologist "you shouldn't be able to do that" rhetoric is tiring. I should be able to download a file in a web browser on a ten inch computer. There is no good reason not to, I am an adult.


The best way to copy a file to an iOS device is via SSH to the app's little sandbox. Then it doesn't matter what apps have dropbox extensions or not.

 

[sweenish]

Now, one way Apple doesn't allow you to download files to a phone is through a browser. And for damn good reason!

What reason could that possibly be?

 

[shortylickens]

What reason could that possibly be?

it gives you the illusion of safety which improves sales.

 

[poofyhairguy]

it gives you the illusion of safety which improves sales.

You joke, but some people like that iOS is basically an operating system with the training wheels welded on.

I just can't stand when iOS users try to justify that being the ONLY option, as if no one should be able to download attachments on a machine that costs less than a thousand dollars. Just once it would be awesome to see one say "yeah I will admit iOS treats my like a five year old, but that is great because I see mobile devices as more of a tool than a hobby and my computer efforts are better spent elsewhere."

 

[shortylickens]

I'm not joking. I never joke.
I am a miserable human being who says things that other people assume is a joke.

 

[poofyhairguy]

Noted.

 

[jhu]

I just use whatever Cyanogenmod and Gapps defaults to.

 

[bearxor]

You joke, but some people like that iOS is basically an operating system with the training wheels welded on.

I just can't stand when iOS users try to justify that being the ONLY option, as if no one should be able to download attachments on a machine that costs less than a thousand dollars. Just once it would be awesome to see one say "yeah I will admit iOS treats my like a five year old, but that is great because I see mobile devices as more of a tool than a hobby and my computer efforts are better spent elsewhere."

Just once it would be awesome to see one of the elitist Android users say "Hey, there's great value in both of these operating systems and just because they target different user preferences doesn't mean the users that prefer iOS are five year old children."

 

[poofyhairguy]

Just once it would be awesome to see one of the elitist Android users say "Hey, there's great value in both of these operating systems and just because they target different user preferences doesn't mean the users that prefer iOS are five year old children."

Obviously iPhone users are not all five year old children, as children that young can't afford their own iStuff yet. But you can hand an iThing to a small child and they use it more naturally than any computer on the planet. Its a credit to the operating system, but that doesn't invalidate a more complicated GUI or system in the same form factor.

I have readily admitted more than once on here that it is the perfect operating system for a large percentage of computer users and has a higher quality selection of apps, especially at the tablet level. Heck I have an iPad Air 2.

Still doesn't mean that the rules established by Apple for the form factors of phone and tablet is the only " right" way to do it. Sometimes they go too far to hide the sharp edges of technology.

 

[dontl00katme]

The biggest downside for me about iOS is the lack of a proper way to handle files. It has to be a way to implement a repository and a document picker without compromising security. If it has been done for pictures and videos why not for regular files?

 

[sweenish]

Just once it would be awesome to see one of the elitist Android users say "Hey, there's great value in both of these operating systems and just because they target different user preferences doesn't mean the users that prefer iOS are five year old children."

Visit here, much?

It happens plenty. Read OP, and you get a better idea of why people are dumping on them. Both major OS's, and even WP have their merits and demerits.

OP is choosing to dump on Android for things that are not necessarily the fault of Android, but their own ignorance/stupidity//app/phone choices. But instead of coming and asking how to make the Android experience better, it's just dump on Android.

It's corollary to the POS-Android-phone to iPhone rant that I hate so much. At least OP is using a good Android set this time.

And there's never accounting for the trolls that always stop by threads like this.

 

[soccerballtux]

op do you have tldr

 

[thilanliyan]

I also stopped tinkering with my phones and just use them stock. I really like HTC sense, much better than stock Android imo. That's the thing though, with Android you can usually find exactly what you are looking for since there is so much choice.