Moto X Impressions + Possibility of Leaving iPhone

[VeeDubb]

Hokiefyd, yeah I agree that inconsistent experiences hurt Android. But I don't see Google changing the way they will market the Nexus phone - they don't. That is why it is not a big seller and is relatively unknown. They do not want to undercut manufacturers like Samsung and HTC. So if they push the Nexus line beyond developers for mass consumption, it will cut into Samsung's margins.

Google's business strategy is radically different from Apple's. Apple makes money from hardware and itunes sales. So they push for margins. Google makes money from ads and data. So zero and negative margins on Android doesn't hurt Google provided they get wide distribution. [censored] off a power broker like Samsung who spends gobs of money marketing and distributing Android is really not a smart strategy.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
Google's business strategy is radically different from Apple's. Apple makes money from hardware and itunes sales. So they push for margins. Google makes money from ads and data. So zero and negative margins on Android doesn't hurt Google provided they get wide distribution. [censored] off a power broker like Samsung who spends gobs of money marketing and distributing Android is really not a smart strategy.


The point about different revenue streams for Google and Apple is relevant, and you are correct: it's certainly not in Google's best interest to shut out any hardware partner. As you said; Google is not in the hardware business (at least not in a significant manner at this point), and they need those hardware partners to get their products out there.

What will be interesting to me is how Google proceeds from here. It has bought Motorola, presumably for their hardware and manufacturing technology and expertise. Google itself marketed an Android phone some years back, but with limited distribution. Is Google planning on getting into the self-branded hardware market, and making Google-labeled hardware in the future, such as phones, tablets, or Chromebooks? That will be interesting to see.

Disclaimer: I am heavy into the Google ecosystem (Gmail, Drive, YouTube, Picasa albums, etc), so I do try to stay abreast of Google's doings. I'm certainly not an anti-Google head; I use their products extensively. So far, I appreciate their somewhat limited support of Google products on other OSes (such as iOS), but if that changes in the future, I will have a decision to make.

 

[JHZR2]

Im not one to tinker that much on my phone, the way I do on computers, to want to or have interest in being able to do all kinds of crazy stuff with the system. Let's face it, were not doing hardware mods/upgrades, android or iphone or anything else. To make a deal about one being more tech savvy than another is to me, laughable, even if one has some marginally more capability/flexibility/adaptability.

On top of that, I want to be able to do full capability and highly secure stuff like trade stocks, do banking, control home security, communicate privarely with my family and friends, etc.

I dont care for an "open" system to compromise my data or information, nor am I particularly interested in having that data mined for the purpose of selling advertising and linkages as part of the ongoing subsidy for getting the HW cheap.

And Im sure that Apple sells some info to someone somehow, so spare me the newsflashes and links. But they arent a company set up with that as their profit business model. Ditto for BB.

 

[VeeDubb]

Not sure why you always seem combative about all this. Isn't it great the market supplies products we are both happy with?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
Not sure why you always seem combative about all this. Isn't it great the market supplies products we are both happy with?



Not combative at all. Im glad that the droid system is bringing out new stuff that works well and operates to peoples' liking.

Just saying that for some of the more sensitive stuff that I like to have the convenience to do on my smartphone, Im not as sure that I like a wide open ecosystem where malware and spying can be done easily - on the part of installed apps or google themselves.

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/android...ory?id=20096620

And for the fair and balanced... Directly from the article,
Quote:
...the lack of threats to iOS should not be simply interpreted as Apple having a near flawless security system. "If you go to the CVE database, you'll find 238 security problems specific to iOS devices," he said. "Everything has security risks."


But if droid is where 79% of malicious people are targeting, Im sure that the open source and open/ease of getting apps and whatnot out facilitates malware getting in and security threats growing. We could argue all day long about buying apps or not buying apps or not taking on some oddball customization that might open to malware, but all the droid camp touts the customization thing as so important, and how it sets it apart from the "forget about tech" iOS crowd. So all Im saying is that this may be a liability, and the closed ecosystem may be a benefit. Looks like our military connectivity systems may be going from BB to iOS next, not Droid. Not my doing, wonder why... My tech suppot line already has the iOS prompt. Oh yeah, its some Admiral who drank the kool aid and thinks they are a hipster with an iphone, right?

And Im personally not comfortable with google reading my emails to sell advertising... which is why I dont use gmail personally. Google has a lot of great services, their scholar search is awesome. Im not tightly integrated into ANYTHING.

Competition is good, and I couldnt care less about what device someone picks or doesnt pick. Just because someone buys one doesnt mean they are high on some kool aid, nor is any one device the end all, be all perfection in mobile smart devices. We all have reasons why things are good or bad.

But my discussion of closed vs open software/hw ecosystems IMO is valid, because if open facilitates malware and threats, then that is indeed a consideration.

 

[VeeDubb]

Fair enough. But if you read Hokiefyd and my discussion, there was no assertion that open is better. The point was there are tradeoffs.

I tried to impose very little value judgment in our discussion so I'm not sure who your comments are directed at. But it is a fact (not my opinion) that Google adheres to an open source culture with Android and it is also a fact that many open source dudes tend to be very idealistic about their philosophy. And therefore, Google will not eliminate the fragmentation issue because it would go against the open source ideology of allowing a community to tinker. And it is also a fact that Google and Apple have very different business models so their strategies probably make sense within the context of their business models.

As for the malware issue, that is well known for Androids 2.2 and 2.3 which is still very widely distributed around the world, especially at the low end of the market and for people who side-load apps. But there are also known ways to avoid the malware. For me personally, I had more security issues using iTunes (account hacked twice, credit card stolen three times) then I have with Android (though I have been predominantly on 4.0 and up). Obviously, my experience is anecdotal and doesn't hold for everyone. But I feel fairly confident that I know how to control Malware by taking a few simple steps.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
Fair enough. But if you read Hokiefyd and my discussion, there was no assertion that open is better. The point was there are tradeoffs.



never said there was. It was my 2c put out there for interest and to see if I was incorrect in the info that Ive seen and concerns that Ive had. Seems only logical that a fragmented and open source world could be open to bad stuff and offer easier exposure. Maybe it is manageable or maybe it isnt. Im not sure. But it is a basis for discussion, and if I were to leave iphone (the original premise of the topic was leaving iphone), that would be a consideration.

 

[VeeDubb]

I think itguy said it best when he said (paraphrasing) when you lose someone as a customer, it's hard to get them back. It was true for him with Android and for me with Apple. But if you are happy with Apple, then I can't see a reason to switch.

Broadly speaking (and I am generalizing big time here), Google builds better cloud based software and Apple does a better job at hardware and integration of that software with the hardware. As for security, Android OS is more vulnerable than iOS but the Google Cloud has fewer outages and fewer security issues that iCloud and iTunes. So there is no utopia. Just have to pick the vulnerability you are willing to live with.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
Broadly speaking (and I am generalizing big time here), Google builds better cloud based software and Apple does a better job at hardware and integration of that software with the hardware.


I personally think Apple's cloud software stinks. I think even some of their desktop software stinks. I wouldn't mind switching to their iCloud email, but I have no confidence that Apple will maintain it. They had at least one system in the last (Mobile Me) and essentially gave users two choices: change to iCloud or leave. Apple has no Picasa-like photo sharing/streaming services. They have Photostream, but it's not an album-based service where you can share with non-Apple users, so you still have to double-up with Picasa or Flickr or similar for photos. Google has an excellent product with Google Drive (or is it just "Drive" now?). Microsoft has a similarly good product with SkyDrive. Apple has no competitive product here. iPhotos on the desktop is a joke. iMovie works well, but I hate iPhotos with a passion.

I'm very much a Google user because of their online products. And as I said earlier, as long as Google makes even a passing attempt at allowing open connectivity to that with other OSes, I'll be okay. They have so far, but with a few hiccups along the way. I would actually prefer that Google support more open standards like true IMAP push email and iCard and iCal protocols, but it works okay as it is. If they ever "close up" their connectivity, and start to limit it to non-Android users, that's when I'll have a decision to make.

 

[jigen]

Overcast kinda day... took a couple quick shots to compare the Moto X next to the iPhone 5. This stuff is fun for me. Default shooting modes on both, same exact shots.

Having it now for one full week, I am having a lot of fun with the moto X's shooter. It can take some really, really great shots. Some pics are fun but the shots are over processed and colors are overdone. The iPhone still seems more consistent for day to day use and much more accurate as far as color goes (in most shots at least).

Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:


Moto X:

iPhone 5:

 

[123Saab]

Something wrong w/the Iphone's settings or Photobucket is really messing with the Jpegs.

Never seen a Iphone 5 look so washed out and mushy.

Looking at the last shots of the buckets its clear the Iphone still has more detail, Look at the Lattice Work in the background.

The Moto is Very soft.

 

[jigen]

Uploaded each with the photo bucket app. Android version could upload differently.

 

[JHZR2]

photobucket destroys photos. I have shots clear as day from my D800, that photobucket makes look like a scan from a disposable camera.

It is also the ONLY app I have that crashes nonstop. Why they want to use location services is beyond me, disabling has helped a tiny bit.

Not a fan of photobucket.

 

[VeeDubb]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd


Microsoft has a similarly good product with SkyDrive.




I just got a new Windows convertible ultrabook and I have to say I quite like Windows 8 in tablet mode. I may give SkyDrive a shot. What do you like about it specifically?

 

[jigen]

Lets try this again for two pics. Flickr allows full res uploads.

Moto X:

iPhone 5:

Indoor shot, decent light:

Moto X:

iPhone 5:

Indoor with poor lighting:

Moto X:

iPhone 5:

 

[BearZDefect]

jigen, thank you for reviewing the Moto X here. Presently I am not in the market for a phone, but this one caught my attention for some of the reasons you mentioned in the OP.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: VeeDubb
I may give SkyDrive a shot. What do you like about it specifically?


I posted my answer here:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=3109952&#Post3109952

 

[rshaw125]

I would not want any phone bigger than the iphone. They're plenty big. The iphone 5 is regarded by a lot of people as the best phone especially for international business travelers. Years ago Blackberry was the one for business travelers now the ones I know all have iphone 5's.

 

[VeeDubb]

Originally Posted By: rshaw125
I would not want any phone bigger than the iphone. They're plenty big. The iphone 5 is regarded by a lot of people as the best phone especially for international business travelers. Years ago Blackberry was the one for business travelers now the ones I know all have iphone 5's.


What makes the iPhone 5 the "best" international business travel phone? When I travel internationally, most of my colleagues iPhones don't work locally.

 

[rshaw125]

iphone 5 is the world phone of choice. Can work on a long list of frequencies. Comes with unlocked sim slot.
Use a local sim or call over wifi.