Technology

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

Technology thread anyone?

I just ordered the Nexus 5. I've burned through a nexus 4, One X, Lumia and a bunch of other phones this year and I liked the nexus the best (apart from it's appalling camera). The 5 still only has a 8MP camera, though I suspect the claims that it's the 'same' camera as the 4 are untrue.

Looking forward to it!

[hunnish]

Had a galaxy nexus for a long while, really liked it. Didn't upgrade to the nexus 4 because the the plastic-y back was unappealing. But then I dropped my phone off of my bed and got an LG G2 to replace it. So far it's awesome. I've grown to like the buttons on the back and the camera upgrade is awesome. I do miss stock android though..

[thomaspaine]

A little surprised, going by your fits I would have figured you as more of an abacus kind of guy than a Nexus 5.

[rjbman]

Currently running an iPhone 4S, plan on switching to android come spring and contract renewal. Suggestions? Nexus 4 (5 perhaps by that time) and Moto X both are on my list.

Running off an old desktop (2008) that's been a bit upgraded with better PSU and GPU, but falls flat most places. Aim to custom build one once I can scrounge up the money for it, thinking between 1000-1200 including monitor and accessories. Solid state is a definite, along with probably 1TB. Will get the money before I start planning that out though, since things will change in a year or so.

Tried installing linux on my desktop, no go due to an inability to shrink the partition. Ended up installing Fedora on my laptop from pre-freshman year, handles it fairly well. I'd love to make the switch in full shortly.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

The nexus 5 is a slightly better G2 Hunnish, although it doesn't have the odd buttons. If you miss stock you can always slap on some cyanagenmod - I did with almost all my skinned phones. I'd wait for stable builds though because the nightlys can be irritating to deal with.

Thomas I'm a tech geek. Had a computer since I could speak and I was building custom 486 machines as soon as my motor skills developed. Back then I was most excited by what x speed your CD drive was (24x gave me a tech boner).

Rjb I don't bother with custom any more but I still love it. You have to go SSD - the difference is enormous. Re: Linux - I really like Ubuntu, and always have. Sad to see news on their phone is waning.

[ballast]

i still carry around a galaxy nexus which is starting to get slow. looking to upgrade but this looks pretty cool. motorola got the phonebloks guy and they're working together.

http://motorola-blog.blogspot.jp/2013/1 ... o-ara.html

this is what phonebloks are.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDAw7vW7H0c

also, check out that cat block in this picture, on the right-hand side.

[rjbman]

@bobbin: Yeah I had Ubuntu running a bit freshman year; it strikes me as an open-source Mac OSX, with the dock and the "App Center" or whatever they call it. My parents have an SSD Macbook Pro, the startup is unreal. I'm hoping I get one for Christmas, can toss in current desktop and run Linux on it.

What made you stop going custom?

@ballast: I saw the phonebloks thing a few weeks ago, think it'll be difficult to make work from a technical perspective; assuming they get that solved though I could see that becoming crazy popular, as people could build a custom phone tailored to their needs. Though to be fair with R&D it's probably gonna be $$$.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

MOTO X phone blocks wont happen - I'm pretty sure. The market forces are against it, although I'm happy that Google is using MOTO as another incubator for creativity. I'm disappointed that the nexus 5 wasn't a motorola phone considering the buyout, but they seem to have hit their stride with LG as a partner.

rjbman: I stopped going custom when I started uni. I got really tired of Windows and the constant performance decreases I'd see from about 5 mins after a format. I had a really intense uni course, and I figured a switch to mac would mean a more reliable experience-- and I was right. Back in the day I'd need to fiddle with something every few months, but once I bought my mac I literally did no maintenance for 5 years.

Since then I've had windows machines, and tested a bunch, but for my actual life of mostly research, writing, and some Creative Suite-ing my MBA works best. I've climbed a mountain with it on my back, travelled the world with it and it has only ever let me down once (while using a dodgy fake after market charger).

I've considered buying a Razer laptop after they started getting really good though. No gaming experience beats PC gaming and I don't fancy getting a desktop.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

Got my Nexus 5 and I can confirm that it is fucking great. Haven't had a good chance to check camera yet but everything else is bonerific. A nexus 5 on giffgaff is the smartest tech choice this AW13/14-SS14

What a great week! Got our sample fabric ready, going to the factory on friday and I have a new pair of boots arriving this week. Everything is coming up Bobbin!

[bels]

Should I upgrade from my N4 bobbinz.

The android ecosystem really annoys me because I'm insecure, so whenever I can't get an app and I know iOS has it I feel like I'm a second class person.

Plus all the cases for android phones look horrible.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

I don't use cases because they're all crappy. If I ever did I'd go full kawaii and get one of those massive rhinestone Hello Kitty ones.

I much prefer this N5 and I think they're cheap enough to upgrade yearly. Personally I really like the Android ecosystem and haven't had to make any concessions. If you really like Apple I'd just go for it though. In all honesty, there's so little difference - I just think the N5 is the best deal, as is GiffGaff. I'd never pay contract pricing or retail on an Apple handset.

[eli7]

i thought this was going to be a PKD thread

i just finished valis

[bels]

I love the Valis trilogy. Got me through some tough times and I think Valis was the best one out of the three.

[b4my]

Blade Runner is my favorite movie of all time and DADOES is brilliant as well, but whose idea was it to name a smartphone line after technology most famous for rebelling and killing humans?

[bels]

Errolson hugh (who else) turned me onto this

http://glitche.com/

iOS only though! Of course!

[sknss]

belz trapped inside the matrix

[schiaparelli]

non-smartphone user checking in:



desperately want a smartphone but with my phone plan now i'm paying next to nothing, and a smartphone would balloon my expenses like crazy. even without a data plan (which is fine because my life is an eternal hunt for free unlocked wifi)

[bels]

My phone made an "auto awesome" video so I uploaded it to youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rr5bsj- ... load_owner

It doesn't seem to embed.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

And now I know you like Mountain Goats. No Children is in my top 20 songs of all time.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

I have just been gifted a Galaxy Note 3 so I have to sell my Nexus 5. This is a good problem.

[germinal]

How far does a GB go on a phone? speaking in terms of both capacity and data plans. Finding it hard to judge whether it's worth paying for the extra space when i have no yardstick

[bels]

I have 500 meg and if I use the phone "heavily" then I go over by about 750megs.Heavily means a lot of time on instagram/the internet

I'd think a gig is sufficient for a month unless you want to stream a lot of data on the go.

[germinal]

thanks
what about in terms of hard drive capacity? how much room does one of them apps eat up? does anyone really need 64GB?

three questions

[ramseames]

I have 16 built in and an 8 card and I have loads of space. Really only would need 32 or more if you want all your music on it or TV shows or something.

[sknss]

on my 16Go iphone i've got:

music 1.89Go 213 songs
photos 144.2Mo 95 pics
apps 1.61Go 24 apps
data 66.8Mo
other 993.5Mo
8.88Go free

so yeah you don't need that much hard drive capacity, unless you find yourself away from a computer for long periods of time (to sync your pics etc)

[pips]

Okay, this is pretty embarrassing but anyone's input would be appreciated.

The phone I'm using right now is one of those call-text Nokia brick types. It even has a flashlight built in (which is pretty useful, I might add). A true third world phone. Some people find it laughable but it's functional and I'm not a big phone user anyway. I'm functioning semi-okay with it but I know the time will come when I will need to upgrade and that time is looming close.

Anyway, I'm planning to get a data plan in the first quarter of next year and I'd like to ask everyone's opinion on which smartphones have decent cameras? I know iPhones have shitty cameras, but what about Samsung/HTC/etc? Any experience with those?

Also I'm afraid that once I take the plunge into smartphone dependency I'll have a much harder time disconnecting from the internet.

[bels]

iPhones have pretty good cameras I think....

Everything bad you'v eheard about smartphone usage is true.

[Bobbin.Threadbare]

iphones have great cameras, my girlfrieds iPhone 4 camera outperformed the 3 androids I've had since meeting her. In the Android world my best experience has been with the HTC one X, although my current phone (Samsung galaxy note 3) is good too.

The Nexus 5 is really well priced and brilliant. Camera on it is okay, not amazing, but pretty good.

germinal: It depends how you use your phone. I can get away with an 8GB probably, because the only thing on my phone that uses space is photos (which I backup then delete from the device), podcasts (delete after listening to) and I stream radio, music and everything else. 16GB is what I've bought whenever I bought something myself. Then again I don't play any mobile games.

[bels]

I have 8gb and I have to worry about it. Get 16.

[can-]

I'm using 18 of 64 gigs, about half is music, other half is apps and video/photo. I use roughly 500mb bandwidth a day. I am pretty far at one end of the bell curve wrt cell phone use tho. I have a laptop but only use it about once a week

sometimes when I am browsing a forum on my laptop I will black out for a second and all of a sudden I am browsing the same site from my phone. that shits a little compulsive. i hear all the anxieties that cell phone use is keeping people from connecting but to me the challenge isn't about staying off your phones, it's about using technology to supplement your existing connections. I don't have issues with defaulting to my iPhone in company or at gatherings, except when the company is truly awful, in these cases I am so happy to have my phone.

deft and competent mobile device usage is an important skill for any modern human being