Well the day is looming that my renewal is due and I get to pick a new phone so I will update this with my questions as and when they occur. However my first one, which may be crucial to the whole thing is this:
At work our email is standard Microsoft Outlook run through an exchange? If that means something to folk? Anyway a couple of colleagues have recently got Blackberrys and to facilitate this the work had to get the necessary Blackberry things put onto the exchange.
If I went down the route of smartphone, either Iphone or Android , would I be able to get my work emails pinged to me the same as Blackberry does, would it involve further software costs etc on to our system?
I can access my email through webmail just now, even on my Nokia N95, but would prefer the Blackberry type set up that pings it straight to you.
(But for a variety of reasons, I don't want to get a Blackberry)
Thoughts? This is like a flow chart, depending on the answer to this will determine the next question..
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You have an Microsoft Exchange server. The blackberry uses a "push" technology, whereby email is pushed at you as it arrives, and they would have installed the blackberry enterprise function to your exchange server.
If you opt for Android or Iphone phones, both will "pull" email from the exchange server, albeit at intervals set by you.
You haven't mentioned shared calendars, is this a requirement?
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 29 Oct 10 at 13:13
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I sync my nokia calendar with my outlook calendar currently so yes, that would be required. If its relevant, I also sync all my contacts as well.
So when you say "pull" is there a setting that I would request this, say every 30 mins on weekdays, not at weekends etc or not as sophisticated as that?
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Zero was referring to shared calendars between colleagues and not just accessing yours.
The standard email clients will check periodically for mail - I don't think they would be able to do this only in work hours. I assume you will have access via VPN to the work network when away from the office? I cannot imagine them leaving the network ports open through firewalls to directly access the Exchange server(s).
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Rob, VPN? I access my email by going onto web, putting in one of the web type addresses that is only numbers and then put in my own sign in details when it asks for them.
Don't need or use shared calendar between colleagues.
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VPN
Virtual Private Network,
Its a secure tunnel through the internet, protected by encryption. It means only the two ends can see each other and use the data.
Usually used to connect a remote user to a closed intRAnet, or to connect two intRAnets together.
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Sorry Bobby, didn't see your second message.
Windows mobile always used to allow peak and off peak settings for how mail was collected. On the iPhone there is nothing so sophisticated, although it is trivial to change the settings on a whim. Don't know how Android handles this.
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Sorry Zero, your advice is wrong here. Exchange has supported full push email for a couple of years. Both iPhone and Android can allow full push or collection at set intervals from an Exchange server out of the box with no additional cost to anyone. That covers email, calendar and contacts. iPhone can support multiple exchange servers at once, so you could also have push email for your home account if you use Gmail or any other service that supports Activesync for mobile phones. On Gmail it's free.
On the iPhone the interval (push or set time) is easily switchable. I find full push very distracting, the phone pings every few minutes, so I generally have mine set to pick up every 15 or 30 minutes. However, it takes about 10 seconds to turn on push if I am waiting for a particular email or am in the middle of an active conversation.
A friend has recently discovered that Android 2.1 supports multiple exchange accounts, but can only support one calendar at present. This is being fixed in 2.2, which is due in the next couple of weeks, so I would not let it influence your decision. The iPhone is great, Android is very good. Currently the iPhone wins for me, give it six months and I would expect updates to Android (which a phone you buy would get) will reverse that.
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Android 2.2 has been out for months. It's just that some phones have yet to be upgraded to it (some older ones never will). HTC have got upgrades out for theirs and Google's Nexus One was upgraded a long time ago. Samsung has delayed the Froyo 2.2 update for Android in the UK to November on the Galaxy S.
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I stand corrected then, not used Exchange for a number of years, always been tied to a domino server before. Sounds like Iphone or Android will do as he wants.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 29 Oct 10 at 14:25
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Android or iPhone will work providing the device can access the server on his company network. Hence me wondering about VPN.
The web access is likely to be via an encrypted (HTTPS/SSL) connection so will be secure. For remote/web mail access to Exchange, our company issues staff with one of those SecurID type keyfobs to first create a secure connection. Then the webmail service and other web applications can be accessed.
The Blackberry solution purchased in is likely to have included installing components allowing remote access to the email servers.
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Don't you guys love my total lack of computer knowledge !! :)
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OK the reason for that question was that I want to be able to access work email better than I currently have. I could go the blackberry and get work to pay for it and then have the hassle of working out personal calls etc or carry 2 phones, but would rather just carry on with my own phone, my own tarriff, use for work but not charging the work as the minutes allowance would be enough to cover it.
So my requirements for a phone are:
1. To be able to send and receive work emails
2. To be able to sync diary, contacts with work's outlook
3. Different ringtones assignable to contacts or caller groups
4. To be able to send/receive emails on my blueyonder account
5. Fast web surfing, mostly news/sports/ facebook and here
6. Not interested in the slightest in gaming
7. Strongly prefer a GPS with free sat-nav (step by step instructions)
8. Good camera and flash
9. FM radio, plenty of space for music
10. I have something called Nokia sports tracker on my phone that, say I can do a run on my bike and it downloads my route, time etc to a website. Something similar to this would be good.
11. I will never be looking to program apps. I will probably use some apps though, to be brutally honest, anyone I know with iphones or androids full of apps will then sheepishly admit they very rarely use any of them! I have used a spirit level one though!
12. And this is maybe the most important, it needs to be sturdy and easy to use! I can pick up any Nokia and work it instantly as I have mostly always had Nokias so find their navigation system and menu functions easy.
13. And finally, decent battery life. If this requires features to be switched off to sustain, then the switching off to be easy to do!
So saying the above, and what has previously been mentioned, I believe the shortlist are iphone 3or 4, Galaxy S or HTC Desire? Will they all do all of the above?
Any pros/cons or definite reasons that would rule one out?
Once I know my shortlist I can try them out in shops and then see what the best deal my current provider (O2) will do compared to others. My renewal is beginning of Dec and I can renew one month early but if say the Galaxy is recommended, I could wait to the updated version comes out.
Many thanks in advance!
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>> 1. To be able to send and receive work emails
How this can be done depends on how your work email is setup. I asked about VPN for example. The Exchange server will not be directly accessible via the Internet - and if it is then it shouldn't be!
>> 2. To be able to sync diary, contacts with work's outlook
To sync with Outlook on an iPhone you'd need to use iTunes. But see my comment below about Android.... To sync with iTunes it's via USB only. You might be doing this via Bluetooth on your Nokia.
For Android, the sync with Outlook is not great. You can purchase some software to install on the PC and the Android phone to sort this. Samsung provide an application called KIES which ought to do this but it's not very good. HTC's solution is said to be better but I don't have an HTC.
Another option is to sync your details from the laptop to a Gmail account and then the Android (and iPhone probably) can sync with that. It seems to work well. I couldn't do that for my work laptop/Exchange account but you might be able to.
>> 3. Different ringtones assignable to contacts or caller groups
Both iPhone and Android can do this.
>> 4. To be able to send/receive emails on my blueyonder account
Both again can do this.
>> 5. Fast web surfing, mostly news/sports/ facebook and here
iPhone 4, and the latest Android phones are fast. No problems here.
>> 6. Not interested in the slightest in gaming
Oh go on. The GBA emulator seems good. Downloaded Angry Birds on my Android phone and it's fun in the same way Worms used to be. And on Android it's free.
>> 7. Strongly prefer a GPS with free sat-nav (step by step instructions)
No solution for free on iPhone if you are after turn by turn directions. Android comes with Google Navigation for free and it works well. Not as good as a TomTom or similar but well enough... but it needs access to Google for mapping. i.e. uses data. Plenty of proper GPS apps for iPhone and Android. I'd prefer TomTom and that is iPhone only at the moment. Navigon or CoPilot is on both. Yes it's not free but does not use data and can work without a data connection.
Although I have driven from Manchester to Nottingham using Google Navigator and it worked fine and used about 3Mb data (including me playing with Streetview and Satellite layers at the destination). I think it precached some maps when I was outside the house with a WiFi connection.
>> 8. Good camera and flash
Samsung Galaxy S camera is good. It does not have a flash. iPhone 4 has a flash I think but the iPhone 3GS didn't. The latter BTW can only have 8Gb memory and that is too small.
HTC Desire has a flash.... Google Nexus Two apparently due in a few weeks so might upset a few things. Said to be built by Samsung this time and not HTC.
>> 9. FM radio, plenty of space for music
iPhones do not have FM radio. The Android will. If you went for an iPhone you are limited to memory and it's not expandable. The Androids take Micro SD cards so you can swap and upgrade etc/
>> 10. I have something called Nokia sports tracker on my phone that, say I can do a run on
>> my bike and it downloads my route, time etc to a website. Something similar to this
>> would be good.
There are apps for this on iPhone and Android. Zero pointed out a very good one for iPhone recently.
>> 11. I will never be looking to program apps. I will probably use some apps though, to be
>> brutally honest, anyone I know with iphones or androids full of apps will then sheepishly
>> admit they very rarely use any of them! I have used a spirit level one though!
I have lots of apps and use quite a few. I did on the iPod touch too. Both Android and iPhone for example have a Sky+ app so you can schedule recordings from anywhere.
>> 12. And this is maybe the most important, it needs to be sturdy and easy to use! I can
>> pick up any Nokia and work it instantly as I have mostly always had Nokias so find their
>> navigation system and menu functions easy.
Nokias hide away important things though. Both Android and iPhone iOS are easy to use. If you don't want to tailor it though then iPhone might be best but you lose for example an FM radio.
Some Android phones add extra layers on top of the base system. HTC have the Sense UI and Samsung Galaxy S has a very iPod like layer. I like this a lot. But it's more customisable etc.
>> 13. And finally, decent battery life. If this requires features to be switched off to sustain, then the switching off to be easy to do!
You won't get brilliant battery life out of an iPhone or Android. They have dual core 1GHz CPUs, big bright displays etc. They will last a day easily.
Easy to turn on/off Wifi, GPS, BT etc. on my Samsung and as they say 'there's an app for that'. You can gets apps that turn off such features when you leave a location.
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I should have added Bobby, that accessing the email via web on the Android phones or iPhone is probably usable. The Android browser (Chrome lite) does reflowing of web content when you zoom in etc.
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RTJ has said it all really
7 - There IS a free turn by turn sat nav for Iphone - trying it out now.
8 - The Iphone camera is streets ahead of ANY on the droids - both still and video
13 - Battery life better on Iphone than HTC hero or desire.
I dont like the "layers" aspect of the droid phones,
And stop this harking back to nokia crap, they are dead you hear, DEAD, forget it.
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>> And stop this harking back to nokia crap, they are dead you hear, DEAD, forget it.
Agree Zero. They had such an advantage with Symbian and blew it over the years. Underneath the Nokia S60 GUI is still a very good operating system. Underneath both iPhone and Android is either Unix (Mac OS X based on BSD and Mach kernel) or Linux.
I cannot comment on how much better the iPhone camera might be in the iPhone 4. On the Samsung Galaxy S it is very good for still and video.
For me, the Android phones win because you can customise them as you want. The home screens on iOS 4 are either icons or folders. What about widgets.
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For me the iPhone just edges it because after 5 years of using Windows Mobile, I like the fact that everything just works with no faffing or waiting for updates. The GPS is especially good on the iPhone, locks in a couple of seconds even with no data connection and having flown 3500 miles since it was last used.
At the moment that works for me, so I got an iPhone. I'd try both out and see what you like, either is probably an equally good choice.
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>> For me, the Android phones win because you can customise them as you want. The
>> home screens on iOS 4 are either icons or folders. What about widgets.
What about them? useless pieces of garbage that take cycles, power and screen real estate.
Try and convince me, what widget I am really missing on the iphone?
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The only two things I have that are technically widgets are controls for a music player and a calendar. But how you arrange and access apps is different. Instead of having to put them all on the home screen, the apps are in the app screens and you can have as few or as many links to these across the screens.
As I say, if you want simplicity then go the the iPhone. But it lacks some useful things.
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So I don't need widgets. As I said Useless things.
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>> 7 - There IS a free turn by turn sat nav for Iphone - trying
>> it out now.
Which one are you trying, Zero?
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Ah, you got there in the end then. It's not bad for free is it?
Waze is pretty interesting for free too, but needs more people to really work well. It'll come in time.
You probably missed out on N-Drive? I was lucky to get that one just before it got pulled, but I think it beats Navfree in some areas.
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>> Ah, you got there in the end then. It's not bad for free is it?
Its never going to replace the TomTom. And here is why.
While very pretty, with some lovely graphical features its a little too small, fancy and cluttered for clarity.
The routing can vary between inspired and frankly bizzare, never seems to use the same route twice.
The touch screen (not a app fault but Iphone) is not optimized for a fat driving finger.
The speed limits on roads are almost always wrong.
ETA's are wildly off the pace, Adding thirty minutes to a trip, and insisting it was still 30 minutes when 5 miles from destination.
Usability ( a tomtom positive) is not on par.
And finally, any updates ( and there are lots) means a complete app reload from the Istore, and its big (for an Iphone app) and takes an age. That's an Iphone issue
Positives
The most up to date map I have seen.
Reroutes (for example when you divert off route) exceptionally quickly and does not resort to "turn around when possible"
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But how is TomTom on the iPhone? Must be close to having a dedicated unit. I've got a TomTom 720 and so probably wouldn't get an app for Android yet. I like TomTom too much anyway - but I might get TT for Android if it appeared. With a 4" screen it's not far off the size of the screen on the TT 720.
I tried N-Drive on Android and thought it was poor. Navigon might be worth a try.
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The tomtom, and any other dedicated sat navs, are optimized for drivers finger.
Great big icons, and a fair punch of the finger required somewhere in the vicinity of the icon.
Iphone, and Droids have much more sensitive and localised touch-screens designed to work 18 inches away from your face. Any app on the Iphone that requires a finger poke while driving is next to useless.
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Z, you have a point, but I think you exaggerate. I use TomTom all the time on my iPhone, and while you need to be more careful than with a dedicated unit because it is indeed quite sensitive, it's far from useless.
In fact, I would say the biggest irritation is not that, but the half second pause after you tap the screen before the initial menu swoops up - the slight delay is surprisingly disruptive.
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You're right about the speed limits, and that's what's nadging the etas. Don't know what they're thinking of there, as half the limits are 20 for some reason. Your other points are going to apply to most iPhone satnavs - it's just a bit too titchy. Be good on an iPad, but where are you going to mount one of those in the car?
The Garmins do a fast reroute (although not silent) without asking for turn arounds.
However, if you treat iPhone satnavs just as voice guidance with the occasional bit of user intervention it can stack up against a basic Tom Tom pretty well imho, and some have funky features Tomtom doesn't yet, like the new Lane Assistant Pro and Reality View Pro in the £22 Navigon app for example.
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>> Reality View Pro
Have that on my Android phone as standard. No need for additional software. It's called Layar. Not really tried it much though. And again it will need a data connection. So Navigon has an advantage there.
Google Navigator has some use though.... you can Google for somewhere, pull up images of it, get phone number/address, navigate, etc. This will be why the latest TomTom's have Google search capability.
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Navigon is available as Try & Buy. Might look at that though.
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>> Reality View Pro
Isn't that 'looking out of the window'? ;)
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Yes - using the phone as a camera to see what you see... except it overlays things (i.e. points of interest).
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2. No, if you can access the exchange server then there is no need for iTunes to sync with Outlook. You can do it over the air using exchange. You may need a VPN though, and I think you might need to jailbreak the phone to use that. That's a trivial thing to do, but you may not wish to do so.
9. Correct, no FM radio on the iPhone, and the iPod FM radio adapter doesn't work with the iPhone either.
Other than that, RTJ70 is bang on the money.
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I don't have a VPN to test, but the Androids support VPN and so do iPhones. Not got around to testing out (and first installing/enabling) VPN. Either on the iMac (it's there but needs turning on) or the NETGEAR ReadyNAS.
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Well the day has been reached that I can upgrade my phone.........
So have re-read this thread and the first eviction in the Big Mobile house is.......... the iphone!!
For one simple reason - it does not have a radio. Pure and simples!
I use my phone radio a lot - on the bike, in the gym, whilst standing on the sidelines at my son's training etc.
Must admit when I had first read through this it didn't jump out at me but it is now.
Which is a shame as I had found some relatively good deals today on them.
Oh well it looks like its going to be a Samsung Galaxy S vs whatever HTC is the best?
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Google's got a Nexus Two on the way with what is likely to be Gingerbread (Android 2.3 or maybe 3.0) and it will be made by Samsung.
Out of the HTC Desire's (standard, Z and HD) and Samsung Galaxy S - go to a shop and have a look. The HD is big (4.3" screen I think) and the Z has a keyboard. I think the Galaxy S has an excellent screen and the Swype system for inputting is good.
Also the HTC is likely to be Android 2.2 straight away. Upgrade to Android 2.2 for the Samsung begins on Friday (it has been delayed a few times).
I knew you'd dismiss the iPhone as soon as you said you wanted a radio.
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Nexus Two has been delayed apparently. And now rumours are saying it's not a Samsung phone. Ah well.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 8 Nov 10 at 22:00
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rtj, you know me too well! :)
So the Samsung upgrade - is it literally a case of plug into laptop and download latest version?
I have also heard of various issues that some people have problems with the Samsung updating being compatible with their computers?
Girl in the work has the Galaxy S and she swears by it. She showed me the swype system - don't know if I would like that!
Its a shame the iphone has been evicted so early, I remember when I was buying an mp3 I swithered due to it not having a radio - why not??? Ironically I went ahead and got an ipod classic as I knew I had a radio on my phone!
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What you know about the Galaxy Tab?
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I've not tried the update yet (you can fool the Samsung KIES software apparently and you could upgrade before now). It's meant to be a case of plug it in ensuring USB mode set to KIES on the phone and then upgrade it.
Swype is really easy and it deals with inaccuracies. It's faster than anything I've seen on a touch keyboard. It's as fast as typing on a real keyboard when you're used to it.
You might still prefer the iPhone 4 you know. It will just work. I got a different MP3 player for the Samsung because I wanted better than the standard one - the iPod one was what I was used to.
Is there not a radio add on for an iPhone for when you need it - zero would know. And with a good data plan, there's always online radio stations :-) Although remember the iPhone will never support Flash. But there is a BBC iPlayer.
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You see, its all this crap
oh froyos on the way
oooo not is not its Gingerbread
oh wait its cancelled
oh no you need 2.xx.03
ohh wait for the upgrade.
Its all geek bullsheet. Thats why I wont go for an Android phone, Its just like linux distro's all over again.
Pathetic.
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I agree the Android phones are better suited to technical people - otherwise the iPhone is much better. Because if you don't mess with the Android setup it will feel inferior to an iPhone.
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Z - I assume you'll be having to upgrade your iPhone soon though to fix the two flaws:
- Alarms went wrong when clocks went back didn't they - you had to delete 'em all and recreate them
- You can dial any number on an iPhone 4 even when it's locked. Select emergency call and then dial a false number like #### then quickly hit the lock button. Then you're into the phone to dial etc.
So there is an iOS 4.2 on the way. A bit like upgrade to Android then ;-)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 8 Nov 10 at 22:17
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Video of iPhone security being bypassed:
www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/10/iphone-snoop/
Sorry it's not in English but you get the idea.
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>> - Alarms went wrong when clocks went back didn't they - you had to delete
>> 'em all and recreate them
ONLY if you had recurring alarms in the first place, and all you had to delete was ONE recurring alarm and put back ONE recurring alarm
>> - You can dial any number on an iPhone 4 even when it's locked. Select
>> emergency call and then dial a false number like #### then quickly hit the lock
>> button. Then you're into the phone to dial etc.
No you cant - doesn't work
>> So there is an iOS 4.2 on the way. A bit like upgrade to Android
>> then ;-)
Its nothing like an android update, its ONE phone and ONE version at a time and it doesn't have stupid geeky names. Froyo. Anything that has anything to do with the lord of the rings needs to go down the crapper,.
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I tried the hash thing, don't work
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I've seen it reported on a few website. Not got an iPhone 4 to try it on though.
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>> Froyo. Anything that has anything to do with
>> the lord of the rings needs to go down the crapper,.
Come come, Zero, you need a kick up the Bombadil for that. There's no Froyo in LOTR. It's short for Frozen Yoghurt, as all the previous releases were geeky foods too.
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>> There's no Froyo
>> in LOTR.
You sure?
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>> >> There's no Froyo
>> >> in LOTR.
>>
>> You sure?
frodo's sister?
EDIT: eh? where's the swear word in that?
tinyurl.com/nhmcw
Corrected. Stems back to HJ days when someone thought it was funny to continually refer to Ford as Frod.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 9 Nov 10 at 10:11
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>> >> There's no Froyo
>> >> in LOTR.
>>
>> You sure?
Yes yes, come along, frodo has no siblings. The nearest he has in his generation is his cousin Daisy Baggins, who of course married the inestimable Griffo Boffin.
Sometimes I don't have an Inkling what Tolkien was on.
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 9 Nov 10 at 13:04
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>> Sometimes I don't have an Inkling what Tolkien was on.
An android phone I think
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If Tolkien was on the internet I bet he had all sorts of trouble with trolls.
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>> Sometimes I don't have an Inkling what Tolkien was on.
Or Google for the code names for their phone operating system:
- Cupcake (Android 1.5)
- Donut (Android 1.6)
- Eclair ( (Android 2.0 / 2.1)
- Froyo (frozen yoghurt aka (Android 2.2)
- Gingerbread (Android 2.3)
- Honeycomb (Android 3.0)
- Ice cream (Android 4.0?)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 9 Nov 10 at 11:12
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>> ONLY if you had recurring alarms in the first place, and all you had to
>> delete was ONE recurring alarm and put back ONE recurring alarm
I deleted them all and recreated a recurring alarm for weekdays. It rang an hour late. I've now got it set for an hour early.
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Ignore the question re Samsung Tab - its huge!!!
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So you would rather they didn't bother updating or maybe updating once every year? Nice to see you have got your spark back though, I bagan to think you had gone soft.
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Apple have done quite a few upgrades to iOS4 since the iPhone 4 came out. Think they are on the 3rd already.
And Bobby, the Samsung Galaxy Tab is a tablet (7" screen). Also a phone though. Because Google won't let Android 2.x onto anything larger than 7" in size and still allow access to the Android Marketplace for application.... see it's not only Apple that control things.
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This lot has given me a ruddy headache.
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Something Android 2.2 has (and Android 2.1 on the Galaxy S) is the ability to tether via USB or Wifi a computer to the Internet. The phone acts as a mobile wifi router basically.
The iPhone can do this as well but phone networks will charge you £15 for 1Gb each month. On Android it is included and works.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Mon 8 Nov 10 at 22:56
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I am on O2 just now and their deals either include 500mb or 750mb data typically.
T Mobile have what they call internet booster or some such thing that gives the impression that its unlimited but then in the small print it seems to indicate 1gb max.
How much data are you typically using Rob? And Rattle, do you have the same phone, how much data do you use?
Last edited by: BobbyG on Mon 8 Nov 10 at 23:02
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Not much at all about been using about 15mb a week but I use the WIFI connection at home. I haven't really been out much and not used public transport for a while so that is why. It hasn't really been a typical few weeks.
Nearly all that has been facebook too. I have set it so all the facebook updates come onto the home page but I have realised it is just another way facebook is eating into my life. It is addictive but wrong.
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Since getting the phone I spent two weeks in Greece in the first month and a lot of time at home since being back so it uses wifi.
Sunday I travel to Egham (or nearby anyway) for a course. We'll see how much I use. I'll test Google Navigation again too.
How much depends on you but your tariff is probably fine. Change it later if needs be.
When I got mine I was offered a package that was 'unlimited' data. I asked how much unlimited was and it was 500Mb. For a bit more I could get 1Gb 'unlimited'. So the other one was not unlimited then.
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Oh and I don't use Facebook at all! To invasive IMO. I did join and got an account to keep in touch with someone we met on holiday and they would only use Facebook to communicate.
I have got an email every now and then from Facebook about people I might like to be friends with. Not sure how they decide who to include but two are members on here, one a head master (ex actually) of the local comprehensive etc. Goodness knows what they're up-to if they have access to emails.
And up to know Facebook have had access to Gmail contacts of members - i.e. your Gmail private contacts.
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Facebook is a problem. Sometimes I don't want to tell certain mates I am going to xx but thanks to Facebook all my friends know what I am doing at any time even if I don't mention because somebody will always come on ask me if I am going to xx on Friday or something.
Facebook on a mobile just makes the situation ten times worse. At the same time how did I manage without it? How did I manage without a mobile? How did I manage without a car?
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>> Oh and I don't use Facebook at all! To invasive IMO.
>>
I am surprised that rtj70and Rattle - IT experts - do not seem to know their way around the privacy settings in Facebook.
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Its the whole facebook culture I don't like.
And you know you can set the settings as you wish, facebook will do what they like with the data.
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>> I am surprised that rtj70 and Rattle - IT experts - do not seem to know their way around the privacy settings in Facebook.
Like I say I don't actually use it but did make my profile as hidden as could be done. The emails will be linking me with people Facebook think I know. And most of them I do but not via Facebook.
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>> Like I say I don't actually use it but did make my profile as hidden
>> as could be done. The emails will be linking me with people Facebook think I
>> know. And most of them I do but not via Facebook.
>>
I thought the problem was with Gmail, not Facebook, and it is entirely up to you as a Facebook user to decide to use the feature to import contacts from your Gmail account.. Reportedly, Gmail are stopping use of this feature by facebook from now on, unless facebook do a quid-pro-quo.
www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/05/google_cuts_facebook_access_to_gmail_contacts_api/
As for Zero's comment on privacy, I think Facebook and Google/Gmail are in the same boat. If you use them, be very careful about your privacy. The danger with facebook is that even if you are not on it, there is nothing you can do about your photos and details being posted by other people. Google can be bypassed by Scroogle but that may not last very long.
www.theregister.co.uk/2010/11/04/scroogle_dead_again/
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But I can't hide what information is shared on my wall between friends. Only my friends can see my private information the problem is sometimes things may still be private but somebody else mentions it for all my friends to see.
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BobbyG, I'm taking delivery of a HTC Desire today.
Vodafone, 600mins, unlimited text, 500mb internet = £30 per month.
Will report back and let you know what I think!
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Any smartphone is lame without a proper data plan. Unfortunately network operators are mostly no longer offering a generous data plan.
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500 mb is ( i have found) sufficient for a months data. So its no problem.
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Depends on usage though. If you use it to check news sites and emails then fine. But you use your phone as Sat Nav (which often downloads map data on the fly) or upload large images on facebook, then it might fall short of limit.
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>> Depends on usage though. If you use it to check news sites and emails then
>> fine. But you use your phone as Sat Nav (which often downloads map data on
>> the fly)
I have a sat nav on the phone, , its has the map data already pre loaded.
or upload large images on facebook, then it might fall short of limit.
Upload speeds on mobile phones preclude uploading large images.
Really, 500mb is more than enough. If you need more, do it at home or other wifi hotspot. It faster.
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Ok I am struggling to get my head round the works email to an Android phone and currently have our IT scratching their heads.
I can access my works email through webmail, I put in a web address full of numbers (think that makes it an IP address ) followed by a /exchange. I then have to put my name and password in to access my mail.
Now I know the Blackberries just ping to the phone etc, I realise the Android won't do that (or will they).
Guess my question is can the Android work my works email better than I currently use through webmail and if so, is there additional costs involved or how would I actually set it up?
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And on the back of that, I take it Blackberries don't have the same apps/features etc that the iphone / androids do?
I have always said no to Blackberry due to the huge amount of miniscule buttons on them but I see they have some touch screen types out now.
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Blackberry V. iPhone - jury still out here - I liked certain features that the iPhone doesn't have..
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1. The Blackberry's flashing red light informing of a text or e-mail waiting.
2. The "silent" setting on the iPhone is a nice positive on off mechanical switch - dead easy. But why no silent icon on the screen.
3. The "push" e-mail on the B/b is second to none - no need to check the servers.
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To support Blackberry devices you need a Blackberry Enterprise Server to handle the communication with the phones. So somewhere your IT guys have one (or more) of these installed. So your Blackberry would talk to the Blackberry server and the server talks to the Exchange server.
To allow anything else to access Exchange and keep it secure (be it a PC, Mac, iPhone, iPod, Android, etc.) then there has to be a way to securely connect to the Exchange server across the Internet. The simplest way to do this would be to have a VPN connection. I did ask whether you had VPN before but you probably don't know enough about VPNs.
My employer uses Blackberrys, we all have VPN access for true connectivity through laptops (not just a simple VPN mind) and also we can request secure access to web based applications using a SecurID type keyfob (and there's full web access to Exchange).
So I think the options are Blackberry or figure out if you can connect via VPN to your company's network over the Internet.
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I have no IT guys it was a stand alone phone - worked just as well as my work ones did.
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But did you have access to work emails? Blackberrys talk to Blackberry Enterprise servers to access Exchange etc.
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No - it was my own phone - my own e-mails - I carried two BBs for a short period before I jumped ship though.
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Contacted our works IT consultant today re Samsung and email and he advises that he runs the Galaxy S and does his email through MS Exchange and it works a treat!
So I assume the HTC would be the same.
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Yes an HTC would work as well then.
Upgraded my Samsung to Android 2.2 today (it was available last Friday in the UK for unlocked devices) and it was never slow. But it's faster. And now has full Flash 10.1 support.
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Well you can all relax now :)
Have ordered a Samsung Galaxy S from O2.
Taking Rattle's advice from a previous thread, their best online deal was
18 months £99 for phone, £40pm
I got it for £14 for phone and £35pm. Well worth being put through to the "thinking of leaving dept". A saving, in effect of £175 although in reality I would have swapped to Vodafone or T Mobile who are offering similar deals.
That included unlimited texts, 600 mins and 500mb data.
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Still a bit higher than I am paying (£22 a month, 18 months, unlimited text and 500mb) but I think a lot of the time it is just pure luck and it depends on what time of day you ring e.g they need to make targets. Still the deal tyou got it is far cheaper than it would have been in the shops.
However I could no longer justify the £35+ bills and I just turned down every offer they offered me.
I am yet to recieve my bill though so I am a little worried about that. I am paying £10 a month insurance too which I know is high but they have already had to replace my first Galaxy S so it is been well worth it.
Just keep it well away from toilets, lakes, puddles or rivers!.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Wed 10 Nov 10 at 16:28
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And there I was about to extol the virtues of Vodafone and the Desire to you.....
Good luck with the Galaxy and O2!
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Zero we're wrong apparently :-)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11725411
Last edited by: Pugugly on Wed 10 Nov 10 at 22:09
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Google Android and Apple iOS will be the most popular mobile phone operating systems very soon, i.e. Symbian will lose even more ground.
Android is likely to overtake Apple for some fairly simple reasons - it runs on more devices with Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, HTC, Asus, Dell, etc are all using it.
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I'm surprised at how small HTC's market share is. My three previous phones were made by them, and almost every option that wasn't the Samsung Galaxy S or iPhone was this time round. Shows how a UK smartphone perspective still doesn't look anything like the world as a whole.
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>>Shows how a UK smartphone perspective still doesn't look anything like the
>> world as a whole.
>>
Yes, HTC have focussed very much on the smartphone market, a reasonable strategy given that that's where there's still some profit margin, and they'd never hope to compete with Nokia's huge logistics and manufacturing (internal and outsourced) capability.
On the infrastructure side It's always been sobering to think that a 'niche' product for the Chinese market might 'only' sell a million or so, about the same as most of Europe put together.
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>> I'm surprised at how small HTC market share is
Until fairly recently, HTC did not market their own phones - they manufactured phones sold by others like HP. Most if not all back then were Windows mobile and therefore a fairly small market. They still make phones for others but now market their own brand. For example to Google Nexus one is made by HTC and they made the T-Mobile G1 nd now the G2.
As said, they are doing Smartphones and whilst the market is fairly small percentage wise this is where the profit is.
But they do make more phones than you think - just don't put their name on them.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 11 Nov 10 at 09:47
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Bobby, can I ask how you find the Galaxy S? specifically tapping out the odd email, nice enough to use?
thanks
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In short its good.
I will write up a detailed report later on. What type of phone have you currently got?
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Using a Blackberry at the moment (something like 9000 Bold), Was looking for another with a keyboard, but it's limiting the choice available.
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Tomoco, the choice for me came down to the iphone, HTC Desire or Samsung Galaxy S. I discounted the iphone due to it not having a radio (why does it not???).
Our IT advisor at work had the Samsung and knew how to link it up to my work’s email system on Exchange server so that’s why I ended up with Samsung.
Have only had it for a few weeks so far, and was coming from a Nokia N95 8GB phone. I had always had Nokias and really liked their functionality but sadly, their new offering the N8 seems to be light years behind the androids and iphones.
The phone is big, it spends most of its life in a shirt pocket or lying on a surface. Yes you can fit it into your jeans pocket but you will know its there when you sit down in the car!
I had a few teething problems but thanks to rtj70 I was able to get these sorted.
I now have it synched to my home and work email accounts and these can be set to never check, check hourly etc or Push. However when you have it set up for regular auto checks it really eats battery life. Spare batteries are available on ebay etc which I believe is another benefit over the iphone?
I struggle to get a full day out of it with moderate use, I have an incar charger and it also charges from USB port of the computer so sometimes need to give it a top up if I am by my computer for a while. On email, it seems to have “frozen” a couple of times while trying to access email, I will keep an eye on that. It is also synching with my Outlook Calendar and contacts.
A good thing is that the texting isn’t as easy as the Nokia therefore I am simply not tempted to text behind the wheel. No I don’t mean at 70 mph but with the Nokia, on the way home from work, sitting at the traffic lights I could read a text and reply “ok” without really having to look at phone but with the Samsung that is just impossible so that’s a good thing.
It has a function called swype which means for texting and writing emails you just glide your finger over the qwerty keypad and it will either know what word you mean or give you a list of possibles. Strange at first but once you get the hang of it , its quite good. I have certainly used it for emails, ok not huge ones like this but its good enough for short notes.
Of course there are lots of apps you can download to your heart’s content, I have one that monitors your internet usage and keeps a running total of what you have used etc. Another that allows you to edit mp3s into ringtones.
The contacts layout is different to Nokia and I am still trying to get used to that.
It comes pre loaded with google maps sat-nav which is quite amusing as, instead of the normal TomTom “turn left in 20 yards” it says all the street names, which is quite good when you have roads like Sauchiehall Street, Saracen St etc.
Overall I like the phone, its good and I will learn more and more about it as time goes on (thanks rtj70). Battery life is crucial, need to always have a charger or access to a USB to hand and I am careful to switch Bluetooth , wifi etc off when not in use whereas with previous Nokia the Bluetooth stayed on permanently!
Any questions just give me a shout!
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And another point, not too impressed with the camera.
With the Nokia you pointed, you pressed the button on the top half way down to focus and then fully down and it would flash if required.
With Galaxy you need to press the middle of the screen to focus, then another button to take the photo, and it doesn't have a flash! It really isn't a user-friendly set up!
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>> With Galaxy you need to press the middle of the screen to focus, then another
>> button to take the photo, and it doesn't have a flash! It really isn't a
>> user-friendly set up!
Should have got the iphone then...
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>> The phone is big, it spends most of its life in a shirt pocket or
>> lying on a surface. Yes you can fit it into your jeans pocket but you
>> will know its there when you sit down in the car!
Should have got the Iphone
>> set up for regular auto checks it really eats battery life. Spare batteries are available
>> on ebay etc which I believe is another benefit over the iphone?
Not really the iphone lasts all day no problem. Dont need a spare battery.
>> I struggle to get a full day out of it with moderate use,
Should have got the iphone.
>> Overall I like the phone, its good and I will learn more and more about
>> it as time goes on (thanks rtj70). Battery life is crucial, need to always have
>> a charger or access to a USB to hand and I am careful to switch
>> Bluetooth , wifi etc off when not in use whereas with previous Nokia the Bluetooth
>> stayed on permanently!
Should have got the iphone......
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...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone....
That's you told.
And while we're at it, get rid of that rubbishy pc and get yourself an AppleMac. :)
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>> ...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone....
>>
>> That's you told.
>>
>> And while we're at it, get rid of that rubbishy pc and get yourself an
>> AppleMac. :)
>>
My daughter has just got a Mac and it is far from perfect... mumble mumble.
Getting an Iphone like your brother has ?
No! Why not? Because you cannot txt without looking at the screen.
An interesting response from not a teenager but a 30+ ?
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>> My daughter has just got a Mac and it is far from perfect... mumble mumble.
I can't stick steve jobs, but he makes a mean laptop. Ace battery life, ace screen, ace keyboard, ace trackpad with all the wee gestures that i miss elsewhere, ace wireless connectivity. Plus it runs a half decent OS that lets you get on with work properly.
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>> wireless connectivity. Plus it runs a half decent OS that lets you get on with
>> work properly.
Mostly because you are not distracted by proper commercial applications.
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>> Mostly because you are not distracted by proper commercial applications
The only app missing from the warrior toolkit is Excel (the mac version really didn't come over cleanly from windoze).
Balance that against a proper shell, pre-installed and sensibly configured scripting toolset (python for the learned, perl for my lesser colleagues), perfect SSH, and an X server.
It's a flying machine out of the box.
"Can you get a signal here? I have to go over there" *points outside comfy seated canteen area*
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>> Balance that against a proper shell, pre-installed and sensibly configured scripting toolset (python for the
>> learned, perl for my lesser colleagues), perfect SSH, and an X server.
Exactly, only fit for gay artists types or nerdy linux geeks.
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Bah. Enjoy wasting your CPU cycles on a virus scanner :-P
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>> ...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone....
>>
I find many iphone users are like that.
having to repeat themselves I mean, coz the damn signal is so poor with them..... ;-)
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>> >> ...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone...Should have got the iphone....
>> >>
>>
>> I find many iphone users are like that.
>> having to repeat themselves I mean, coz the damn signal is so poor with them.....
>> ;-)
Its because we have cut and paste on the phone. Unlike Windows phone users!
Plus we are always in a hurry, the alarm function keeps going TU!
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Step-son got his upgrade to an iPhone 4 just after Christmas. His mum phoned him and she couldn't hear him because of poor signal. It wasn't her phone at fault either.
iPhones are great media computers. Crap phones at times though. And you have to do everything the Apple (or is that Zero?) way ;-)
I find it brilliant that Zero likes his iPhone running MacOSX (called iOS4) and yet rubbishes Macs running the full version of the same operating system. If he enabled SSH he could connect to it from his PC with PuTTy.
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>> rubbishes Macs running the full version of the same operating system. If he enabled SSH
>> he could connect to it from his PC with PuTTy.
There you go talking geeky again. Why do I need to SSH?
Look at the end of the day, the mac os is only fit for phones.
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So there we have Z's opinion. BSD Unix is great on a phone. With Apple's know how to make it easy to use.
Z, when did you last use a Mac? Have you used a Mac running Mac OSX at all? Even an older PowerPC based one. Just curious. I hope you don't base your opinion on Mac OS9!
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 6 Jan 11 at 22:34
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>> So there we have Z's opinion. BSD Unix is great on a phone. With Apple's
>> know how to make it easy to use.
>>
>> Z, when did you last use a Mac? Have you used a Mac running Mac
>> OSX at all? Even an older PowerPC based one. Just curious. I hope you don't
>> base your opinion on Mac OS9!
Look there is nothing wrong with the mac os. its a nice front end for linux.
However, when are you numpties ging to realise you are being ripped off for sub standard and backwards hardware.
Only steve jobs could take his army of acolytes along a journey of fancy looking suits covering threadbare underwear and at Saville Row prices.
But if you are happy to hoot about being shafted? fine with me.
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MacOSX is not based on Linux though. It's BSD Unix.
Agree the Mac hardware is overpriced but part of that is paying for the operating system and applications. Just as the actual hardware of an iPhone 4 is slightly inferior to a Samsung Galaxy S (slower Samsung CPU, lower spec PowerVR GPU) but it makes up for it in the experience from the OS and included apps. The iPhone 4 is overprices hardware like the Apple laptops and desktops.
But I understand Zero knows this too but is happy to overpay for phones but not for a good computer experience on a laptop or desktop :-)
>> Only steve jobs could take his army of acolytes along a journey of fancy looking suits
>> covering threadbare underwear and at Saville Row prices.
Does this opinion not include the overhyped iPhones too? Surely not.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Thu 6 Jan 11 at 23:08
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>> MacOSX is not based on Linux though. It's BSD Unix.
And what is UNIX?
>> Agree the Mac hardware is overpriced but part of that is paying for the operating
>> system and applications.
>> But I understand Zero knows this too but is happy to overpay for phones but
>> not for a good computer experience on a laptop or desktop :-)
My iphone cost me, on contract, 200 quid down and 30 quid a month,
What would the HTC hero have cost me at the time? 125 quid down and 30 quid a month.
I cant deny the looks and useablity of the Iphone swung it for me.
Oh and BTW, why are you so obsessed with SSH'ing out of a phone? If i wanted to i would jailbreak it to do that, but thats far too geeky,
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Z I as pointing out you could SSH into your iPhone because it runs UNIX. And it is BSD based on not Linux.
If you'd wanted an iPhone 4 today on a contract it might cost you £200 but an Android 2.2 phone of similar spec would be free.
But I still like the idea that the MacOSX usability swung it for you on the phone. You'll buy a MacBook Air next ;-)
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>> Z I as pointing out you could SSH into your iPhone because it runs UNIX.
>> And it is BSD based on not Linux.
You keep saying that. Why do I need to do it?
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FWIW I am getting on quite well with my Sony Ericsson Xperia X10i, it came on Android 1.6 and I have upgraded to 2.1, even the battery life is OK.
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I wouldn't ssh in to a phone, never jail broke it either, was convinced it would be the first thing I did, never felt the need to. Although I do like the knowledge that I could if I ever wanted to in future for whatever reason.
Ssh out of the phone though... Yip, do that all the time. Super handy.
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>> What's 'ssh'?
The best thing since sliced bread :-)
At a basic level it allows you to set up an encrypted connection between 2 machines, you can use that connection for everything from telling a machine you want it to do X,Y,Z to transferring files, to securely connecting other applications between the 2 hosts to a poor mans VPN with it's socks proxy imitation. Couple in a parallel front end and you could be distributing and installing software on a couple of hundred machines in the time it takes to read this text.
It can also be used and abused in ways it was never intended, which makes it a proper Swiss army knife of the IT world. Real time saver.
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But can you phone people with it??? :)
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Ripped off for sub standard? Or paying a premium for a premium product?
If there was a cheaper way to get that touchpad, that battery life, that suspend to ram / disk, that wifi that's connected before I've fully opened the lid, in a cheaper product, my Scottish genes would wring my own neck for paying over the odds.
While it's possible to find another laptop that has a faster CPU for cheaper, or it has a better graphics card for cheaper, or it has a better battery life... It's not possible to find one that beats the MacBook pro in all of those for less money than it.
Or if there is... Linky and I will go give myself a stern talking to :-)
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>> While it's possible to find another laptop that has a faster CPU for cheaper, or
>> it has a better graphics card for cheaper, or it has a better battery life...
>> It's not possible to find one that beats the MacBook pro in all of those
>> for less money than it.
of course there is, loads of them.
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I have to agree with Zero, I've been arguing that there was no real difference between the two, but the iPhone 4 is a genuine all-day proposition, even with heavy use and push email turned on on three accounts.
Your experience sounds as bad as my old Windows mobiles, which would last until mid-afternoon if used much at all. Not good.
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So why won't Apple put radios on any of their iphones or ipods?
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There's an FM radio in my iPod nano.
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>> So why won't Apple put radios on any of their iphones or ipods?
Should have pout a small portable dab radio on your xmas wish list.
And got the iphone,
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I have nothing to base this on, but I have a suspicion that it is all around the user experience.
In my experience, an FM radio is great if you are outside and around town. Works well. However, on busses, trains or other non-optimal environments, it has never worked well for me. I suspect that the Jobs philosophy is to not do something at all rather than do it but have the experience not be that good for a fair proportion of the time.
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>> The phone is big, it spends most of its life in a shirt pocket or
>> lying on a surface. Yes you can fit it into your jeans pocket but you
>> will know its there when you sit down in the car!
Should have got a Nokia
>> set up for regular auto checks it really eats battery life. Spare batteries are available
>> on ebay etc which I believe is another benefit over the iphone?
Not really a Nokia lasts all day no problem. Dont need a spare battery.
>> I struggle to get a full day out of it with moderate use,
Should have got a Nokia
>> Overall I like the phone, its good and I will learn more and more about
>> it as time goes on (thanks rtj70). Battery life is crucial, need to always have
>> a charger or access to a USB to hand and I am careful to switch
>> Bluetooth , wifi etc off when not in use whereas with previous Nokia the Bluetooth
>> stayed on permanently!
Oh... and it has a built in radio!!
Should have got a Nokia, 3 days battery life WITH Bluetooth turned on is common ......
Last edited by: swiss tony on Tue 7 Dec 10 at 12:03
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iPhone apparently has radio reciever *and* transmitter hardware built in www.tomsguide.com/us/Apple-iPhone-iPod-FM-Receiver,news-4855.html
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It has a chip that has FM functionality, but it does not have the rest of the hardware that would enable it to act as an FM receiver
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Skoda, did you venture out today?
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>> Skoda, did you venture out today?
Learned my lesson after last night's trials :-(
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Mobile Phone advice - Zero
