The downside to fragmentation (1 Viewer)

[RobertR]

Once again, Sam has trouble deciding if market share is worth paying attention to.

 

[Sam Posten]

Not really. I am fascinated by the fact that people spend hundreds of dollars for these devices including pricy data packages and then don't use em.

 

[RobertR]

If that's really the perspective you view this from, it's of no more interest than reading about people who connect a composite video cable to their HDTVs. It says nothing about the capability of the TV.

 

[Sam Posten]

We've danced around the discussion of the social stratification of Android vs. iPhone, but this sure paints an interesting picture. Sure to be controversial, but interesting:
http://daringfireball.net/linked/2013/06/20/twitter-map

Note that it fundamentally assumes that twitter use itself is equal across the board. I'm not so sure that's true. I'd be really intrigued to see that broken down into Samsung vs. everyone else on the Android side.

Also, this is taking fragmentation to new extremes:
http://allthingsd.com/20130620/cant-decide-between-windows-or-android-samsungs-ativ-q-convertible-does-both/?mod=tweet

 

[Sam Posten]

Really shocked at the Honeycomb percentages here:
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/06/20/apple-now-charting-app-store-ios-fragmentation-just-like-googles-android

That was the first major tablet release, right?

 

[DaveF]

We've danced around the discussion of the social stratification of Android vs. iPhone, but this sure paints an interesting picture. Sure to be controversial, but interesting:http://daringfireball.net/linked/2013/06/20/twitter-map Note that it fundamentally assumes that twitter use itself is equal across the board. I'm not so sure that's true. I'd be really intrigued to see that broken down into Samsung vs. everyone else on the Android side. Also, this is taking fragmentation to new extremes:http://allthingsd.com/20130620/cant-decide-between-windows-or-android-samsungs-ativ-q-convertible-does-both/?mod=tweet

the twitter mapping is neat, and I spent half an hour last night perusing my region (I wish streets were easier to read). Dulles pops out as an incredibly dense cloud of usage. And then my neighborhood, new with few homes, shows as a few points along the road.But I'd take care in drawing some conclusions. It looks to me like its drawing then Android points first, and the iPhone points second, causing the iPhone data to appear more prominent. You see this in cities which appear to be Apple only, until you zoom in, and then it's more varied. I could be wrong, but that's an impression I got. Still, the difference between city and suburbs was strong in places.

 

[Sam Posten]

Jeebus:

iOS 7 is not a public release, but multiple app developers have reported that they are seeing more people running iOS 7 than iOS 5 in their app logs. That could amount to hundreds of thousands or even millions of people running iOS 7 already

Now -that's- interesting fragmentation =)
http://bgr.com/2013/06/24/ios-7-beta-2-download-release-date/

 

[Sam Posten]

A 1000x this:

There are some compromises that sabotage the promise of the device. The ultrabook with an awkward and RSI-exacerbating keyboard. The tablet with a narrow field of view. The smartphone with a poor touch-screen.

These aren’t compromises, but rather flaws. They illustrate not only a damaged assessment of the choice that was made, but also a failure to grasp the product’s vision and intended usage scenarios. It’s an unforgivable sin, and we see it far too often. These constraints are terminal.

The most egregious example of a terminal constraint is the constraint of choice, and we see it in every electronics store. Devices littered with ports, switches and throwaway features. PC-Card slots, VGA connectors and modem ports can actually still be found. Internal optical drives, banks of USB ports, and ethernet jacks. Kickstands, and even a stylus. They look like choices for the user, but they’re actually choices that weren’t made by the designers.

http://mattgemmell.com/2013/07/15/constraints/

 

[Sam Posten]

Unabashed iPhone fanboy snob tries going Android only for a month, comes to unsuprising conclusions: he doesn't like it!

But! Mostly it's the carriers' faults, not Google's or the handset makers'.

Altogether I experienced the best and worst of Android—and I saw, up close, Android’s basic problem. I’d sum it up as follows. Google makes a fine mobile operating system. Some phone manufacturers make attractive, powerful Android handsets. These phones have the potential to be really wonderful machines, even as great as Apple’s flagship phone. But then, at the last second, the phone makers and the world’s cellular carriers snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. They ruin the phones’ potential with unnecessary features and apps that lower the devices’ battery life, uglify their home screens, and make everything you want to do extra annoying.

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2013/07/android_vs_iphone_why_apple_still_has_the_edge_over_google_s_operating_system.single.html

 

[DaveF]

I remain baffled why Slate hired as tech writer someone who dislikes / disdains tech as much as Farhad?

 

[Sam Posten]

Well shit dude if we are gonna go down that route we could be here all day listing the foibles of tech writers. I can list out the tech Journos I REALLY trust on one hand, and not a single one of them wouldn't be labeled an apple fanboy tho. Well, I guess Declann McCullough isn't....

 

[RobertR]

I can list out the tech Journos I REALLY trust on one hand, and not a single one of them wouldn't be labeled an apple fanboy tho.

You seem fond of quoting people you say you don't find trustworthy....

 

[Sam Posten]

Right, because quoting always = endorsement.

On another note, Samsung announces their own developers conference supporting the 4 OSes they use but do not in any way control. Whut?
http://appleinsider.com/articles/13/07/22/samsung-launches-its-own-wwdc-as-an-alternative-to-google-io

 

[RobertR]

Right, because quoting always = endorsement.

Still doesn't explain why you in essence say "hey everybody! read this untrustworthy piece here!". People typically post things they agree with or that make a point they consider sound.

 

[Sam Posten]

Because I find them interesting, if flawed? I guess that is what separates me from most people, they usually have their fingers in their ear saying "no no no I don't want to hear from your worldview which might make me have to either change my mind or expand my boundaries". Or as Mr. Whitman puts it: "“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes."

Sam

 

[DaveF]

Well shit dude if we are gonna go down that route we could be here all day listing the foibles of tech writers. I can list out the tech Journos I REALLY trust on one hand, and not a single one of them wouldn't be labeled an apple fanboy tho. Well, I guess Declann McCullough isn't....

I don't think Farhad Manjoo is a fanboy or an android or iPhone hater. I think he doesn't like technology, categorically. And I don't understand why slate hired home as their tech writer.Slate's marquee names have an apparent deep enthusiasm for their topics. Emily Bazelon is bonkers for the Supreme Court. John Dickerson is a nut for polls and loves all things politics. David Plotz...well...he hates pandas (I don't read Slate much currently, but regularly listen to the Gabfest)My first impression of Manjoo -- I read him enthusiastically when he first joined Slate -- was he suffered gadgets enough to write about them but didn't have any particular interest in tech as a topic. There's a place in tech writing for the curmudgeon, the everyman, the crank (i mean, i was reading over John Dvorak 20 years ago). But Manjoo brought no passion, or deep insights to balance that. And I wish Slate brought to tech the passion they bring to politics and news.I quit reading Farhad a couple years ago. I read your link, to see what his current stuff is. I didn't change my opinion (#confirmationbias #adhominem) In any case, I'm a crank when it comes to Farhad Manjoo, tech columnist

 

[Sam Posten]

I will take your word on it, I don't follow him closely enough to know his mindset other than what he posted in the article.

I promised to trade in my beloved iPhone 5 for an Android phone sometime in 2013.

Now, almost a month later, it’s time for me to get something off my chest: I’ve made a huge mistake. I’ve had the iPhone 5 for about a week and a half, and I’m still annoyed about the dock connector thing. But it’s a small problem, and in retrospect I was wrong to allow myself to become overwhelmed by dock-based frustration.


That’s because, in all other ways, the iPhone 5 is the best phone ever to grace the earth. It beats every single rival on just about every metric you can think of, including speed, battery life, and especially beauty and workmanship.

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I’ll go even further: When I pick up the iPhone 5 and examine it closely, I find it difficult to believe that this device actually exists. The iPhone 5 does not feel like a product that was mass produced. In a strange way, it doesn’t feel like it was built at all. This is a gadget that seems as if it fell into the box fully formed.

 

[Sam Posten]

An awesome, must read, even if you don't agree with me on fragmentation:
http://opensignal.com/reports/fragmentation-2013/

Some solid data and advice in there.

 

[Sam Posten]

Based on the above. The comments are pure gold:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/labs/why-were-not-doing-android-yet/

 

[Sam Posten]

Paul Stamatiou makes the case that Android is better (for alpha geeks who want to tweak everything and make changes to default apps at least).

http://paulstamatiou.com/android-is-better

But with 20 bajillion users, what Android lacks is a champion who will tell the hordes what talking points that they need to reinforce, cause that's what Gruber does, amirite? He's willing and ready!

The Android community lacks a champion. An evangelist that doesn't obsess over hardware specs and has a broader appeal. Someone that vividly illustrates how Android can fit into the ebb and flow of your daily life as it has mine. And sure, even someone to encourage budding developers to take their next idea to Android. Where is the Marco Arment or John Gruber of Android? We'll get there.
Android is better. Come take a look.

Oh and that fragmentation thing? Not a problem, responsive design has that nailed!

I tend to find purely flat design nauseating and a hindrance to usability. There's a sweet spot to be found and Android is close to it. The visual language is very no-frills, if a little basic at times. Like all Google products, Android appears to have been designed with form following function in mind. Take a look at this comparison of Android and iOS styles.
Responsive layouts are more popular among Android apps, but on the corollary they need to be:

Did we mention that he had to get the $650 no carrier crap deal to get all this wonderfulness? Among all the other gotchas and not-quite-there's he lists....