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Why would they, since they've been relying on Apple, and others, for their R&D, from day one? ;)

Let me fix this for you:

I don't know anything about MS's history. I have no idea, even though many people have posted about this before, about their R&D department.

Do we need further prove of your confirmation bias?
 
This is a difficult one. Comparing Android apps to iPhone apps it depends on the functions it benefits from, for example, a few superior Android apps IMO:

Last.fm/spotify/Pandrora - All superior on Android due to multitasking. Running these apps on an iPhone leaves you with no ability to use any other functions whilst it is open. No browsing and streaming, no realtime scrobbling of what music you're playing. No quickly answering that SMS you just received without closing the app and replying. Hopefully the next update will give some kind of multitasking to alleviate this issue

AndFTP - As Android has full access to the SD card filesystem, you can upload and download files at will to any FTP source. I have ANDftp installed on my Hero and can upload or download pictures, music, video and documents at will to my iMac as I have it set up with FTP access.

Gensoid/NESoid/SNESoid (et al) Emulators - Apple just wouldn't allow you to use Emulators with unauthorized roms so naturally, classic machine Emulation is better on Android and with the hardware in the Droid/Nexus One, the older generation of consoles will perform better than they ever have. Jailbreaking solves the emulator problem but there is a lot of negativity (especially on these forums) about jailbroken iPhones.

Things that are better on the iPhone? Stuff that doesn't need multitasking to function better and games. As Android hasn't supported 3d hardware acceleration as well as Android 2.1 does now, the games have been lacking.

What the iPhone does, it does well and if you are as happy as you seem to bewith your 3GS, why bother switching? You also have issues with Google so not bothering with Android is a no-brainer IMO.

I moved away from iPhone OS as I do multitask on my devices (streaming music + browsing) and have been doing so since my first Symbian smartphone, many moons ago.

We haven't fully seen what the Nexus One is capable of yet so I'm looking forward to getting one and seeing where it goes.

The emulators are an absolute blast on the Droid, especially with the D-Pad.

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 1.6; en-us; Archos5 Build/Donut) AppleWebKit/528.5+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.1.2 Mobile Safari/525.20.1)

I never knew about Songbird syncing to Android devices on the mac. I'll have to give it a try on the Hero and if it works well I'll use it with the N1 when they arrive in the UK. Thanks!

THAT'S the one I was thinking of!! Couldn't think of the name. Gotta try it today.
 
i'm curious as to how this will sell

I think there is pent-up demand for "not an iPhone." If nothing else look toward jailbroken iPhones.

There is also a problem with service associated with Nexus. The hardware is fine, the carrier is fine if limited to urban areas, but the set-up and issue resolution system is "not ready for prime time."

To be fair iPhone had growing pains too, but more as a result of "too fast of take-up" than from "start system broken", (Except the first day of course, when everyone is broken).

Google has its hands in "too many pies" and that may come back to bite them, but if they also make buckets for collection of ad money faster than they do now it may not screw them that they are unfocused. All the business commentators worry they are FAR too unfocused.


My response to that is each crazy scheme needed a separate business unit. Want me to head the rocket one? I have rockets.

Rocketman

I'll own both.
 
ChazUK, thanks for reminding me of Songbird; I've got it installed on my MBP, and it syncs beautifully to my Droid. Really quite happy with it! Though it automatically pulls content from iTunes, I may just switch over to that completely now for my work MBP.
 
ChazUK, thanks for reminding me of Songbird; I've got it installed on my MBP, and it syncs beautifully to my Droid. Really quite happy with it! Though it automatically pulls content from iTunes, I may just switch over to that completely now for my work MBP.

Thanks, but you should be thanking gpatrick15 for this post! :D

He started the songbird talk. :p :cool:
 
Sorry to hear that.

Perhaps this will offer you some insight in regard to the direction of Microsoft's R&D:

Microsoft R&D hits all-time high, meaning what?

Meaning probably this: http://research.microsoft.com/apps/dp/pr/projects.aspx#p=1&ps=36&so=1&sb=&fr=&to=&fd=&td=&rt=&f=a&a=&pn=&pa=&pd=

from the article said:
My company, Alfresco, has a product that competes with SharePoint.

cool unbiased source bro. I suggest you read the comments on that article.

Of course, when you are looking for bad things, you'll only find bad things.
 

Ah, the Microsoft Projects Site - sponsored by their's truly; straight from their horses' mouths.

Unbiased source? Hardly. ;)

I suggest you read the comments on that article.

Agreed, quite insightful and revealing:

"Historically MS R&D has been mainly an academic exercise."

"I think the uptick on investment in this department means that MS is throwing as much crap to the wall as they can to see what sticks."

"After all, MS has shown 0 ability to understand that future of computing. For the past few years they have simply been following the trends without understanding why or how. I think this is their attempt to try and be relevant again."

Of course, when you are looking for bad things, you'll only find bad things.

Likewise, I'm sure, when you're in pursuit of a positive spin for 'bad things.'

Their track record for blatantly 'chasing' innovation success remains unprecedented:

Zune = iPod knockoff
Bing = Google
Microsoft Store = Apple Store, and their locations
Marketplac = App Store
Soapbox (RIP) = YouTube
MyPhone = MobileMe
Xbox = we want in on PlayStation. (360 hardware design = Dell Optiplex, white)
Project Natal = we want in on Nintendo gaming. (great concept videos - live demoes, however, are a different story)
Slate PC = Rumored iSlate
DOS = acquisition
PowerPoint = acquisition

The list goes on and on.

While I'm all for MS's Research Lab, and their related projects, I'm amazed by their vast endeavors of "Me too" mimicry within the consumer market place.

To this significant extent, their is no denial.
 
Fixed it for you

Zune = iPod knockoff. iPod=Creative Nomad knockoff.
Bing = Google. Google=AltaVista.
Microsoft Store = Apple Store, and their locations. Apple Store=Starbucks.
Marketplac = App Store. App Store=Handango.
MyPhone = MobileMe. MobileMe=Stinking pile of dung.
Xbox = we want in on PlayStation. (360 hardware design = Dell Optiplex, white). PlayStation=we want in on Nintendo.
Slate PC = Rumored iSlate. Rumored iSlate=Tablet PC.
DOS = acquisition. OS X=acquisition.
PowerPoint = acquisition. Fingerworks=acquisition. BSD=Open source. etc.
 
Fixed it for you

Ahh hahah. I think I just had a deja vú. That very same list was posted by someone some time ago. And the same answer and all. Dmann et all can't bring anything new to the table, they just bring the old same arguments over and over again. They fail to realize the difference between an "opinion" and a "fact".

DMann said:
Unbiased source? Hardly

Hardly? A gentleman who has a product that competes directly with a MS product is writing an article about MS. Oh no... no bias at all.:p

Agreed, quite insightful and revealing:

<snip>

Again, you are just proving your tendency to look only for information/arguments/quotes that will prove your believes right, conveniently ignoring facts that go against your stance.

tl;dr: It is true that the business/consumer focus of MS is way too closed, and less innovating. As explained in one of the comments, MS R&D has more of an academic focus, that ends being more helpful the science. You can even see this as separate entities inside MS, only a few of those projects become consumer stuff.

No, I don't see MS itself bringing anything particularly interesting to the consumer world. However, some of the projects of MS R&D are very impressive.

Don't try too hard though. Your anti-MS bias will make you unable to understand or see any good in what I just said.

I'm amazed by their vast endeavors of "Me too" mimicry within the consumer market place.

ha, ok.... whatever you say buddy,

"A programming language for composable DNA circuits"
 
Fixed it for you

Zune = iPod knockoff. iPod=Creative Nomad knockoff. (sans the crappy OS, design)
Bing = Google. Google=AltaVista. (Google = algorithm based search which actually works)
Microsoft Store = Apple Store, and their locations. Apple Store=Starbucks. :) (no resemblance whatsoever)
Marketplac = App Store. App Store=Handango. (in concept, not design)
MyPhone = MobileMe. MobileMe=Stinking pile of dung. (YMMV)
Xbox = we want in on PlayStation. (360 hardware design = Dell Optiplex, white). PlayStation=we want in on Nintendo. :p
Slate PC = Rumored iSlate. Rumored iSlate=Tablet PC. (hopefully, neither in concept, nor design)
DOS = acquisition. OS X=acquisition (from SJ's own company, no less)
PowerPoint = acquisition. Fingerworks=acquisition. BSD=Open source. etc. (PowerPoint is an actual product)

Ahh hahah. I think I just had a deja vú.

Not the same list. Ahh haha.

Hardly? A gentleman who has a product that competes directly with a MS product is writing an article about MS. Oh no... no bias at all.:p
No less biased than the very company trying to present and promote their own research projects.

Again, you are just proving your tendency to look only for information/arguments/quotes that will prove your believes right, conveniently ignoring facts that go against your stance.

They were endorsed by you. :p

tl;dr: It is true that the business/consumer focus of MS is way too closed, and less innovating. As explained in one of the comments, MS R&D has more of an academic focus, that ends being more helpful the science. You can even see this as separate entities inside MS, only a few of those projects become consumer stuff. No, I don't see MS itself bringing anything particularly interesting to the consumer world. However, some of the projects of MS R&D are very impressive.

I clearly addressed this and am speaking of the consumer market, specifically:

"While I'm all for MS's Research Lab, and their related projects, I'm amazed by their vast endeavors of "Me too" mimicry within the consumer market place."

Don't try too hard though.

If anyone's trying too hard here, it would be you.
 
Google phone - customers service ?

Hey Google, Anybody Home?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/technology/companies/13google.html

and now the other foot drops.

Here is where for vast majority of potential mainstream smart phone customers will find the Google's Nexus phones D.O.A.

Apple's extensive and experienced system of hands on customer support for the iPhone will just blow Google away here. I use plenty of googles' cloud products but they are not known for customer service, in fact they suck at customer service mostly because their customer service for all practical purposes does not exist. Whether or not the next generation iPhone will blow away the Nexus two in hardware specs, it will blow away whatever feeble attempt Google comes up with too late in customer service for their phones.
 
Apple's extensive and experienced system of hands on customer support for the iPhone will just blow Google away here. I use plenty of googles' cloud products but they are not known for customer service, in fact they suck at customer service mostly because their customer service for all practical purposes does not exist.

The other fact the Android fans refuse to concede is that Google also sucks at software design. They rule the search world - and I love their search tools - but their software tends to look (and feel) like something from the Windows 3.1 days. And consumers are finally reaching the point where mediocre software isn't going to be tolerated anymore (see Vista).
 
The other fact the Android fans refuse to concede is that Google also sucks at software design. They rule the search world - and I love their search tools - but their software tends to look (and feel) like something from the Windows 3.1 days. And consumers are finally reaching the point where mediocre software isn't going to be tolerated anymore (see Vista).

I think you mean UI design, not software design. Their software designs (at least where the source code is available for review) are actually very very good.
 
The other fact the Android fans refuse to concede is that Google also sucks at software design. They rule the search world - and I love their search tools - but their software tends to look (and feel) like something from the Windows 3.1 days. And consumers are finally reaching the point where mediocre software isn't going to be tolerated anymore (see Vista).

You have confused me Laguna! You posted earlier that the consumer doesn't care about hardware specifications regarding the Nexus Ones higher specs, but all of a sudden they care about software?

Surely these specification ignorant consumers are also unaware of mediocre software features/functions/design/UI? Or are you saying that the increased interest in Android is a blip which will have users scrambling to iPhone OS based devices once their year is up with their Android handset?

What exactly is "Windows 3.1" about Android? (genuine question, don't bite me for it!) :p
 
I think you mean UI design, not software design. Their software designs (at least where the source code is available for review) are actually very very good.

I mean software design from the consumer's perspective. The consumer couldn't care less about the underlying code.

You have confused me Laguna! You posted earlier that the consumer doesn't care about hardware specifications regarding the Nexus Ones higher specs, but all of a sudden they care about software?

Absolutely.

What exactly is "Windows 3.1" about Android? (genuine question, don't bite me for it!) :p

I don't have an Android device so I can't speak to that. Google Earth is pretty shoddy (from a customer experience perspective). Chrome appears to be an improvement.

Boy Genius Report had a pretty good article a few days ago about where Android falls flat.
 
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