tedp88

Facebook browser?! What is wrong with people?

ugh, I typed up a whole reply and it disappeared at posting. I can't type it again. The short version; 

@Madan, thanks for reading and glad yours is working out. My comments were prefaced as based on my observations as a long time user and owner of many products. Not FUD. Apple's stuff is still pretty great but its not perfect and could stand some critique. Especially from it's longer supporters, whom I consider myself to be one of. Apple already has a target on them and DED's schadenfreude comes off as smug and elitist. 

• For my X; My voice cuts out on calls. Not every time and only when holding it as a regular phone in certain situations. Not when using speakerphone or BT. Best explanation I've found is it's suspected to be an issue with the multiple mics and noise cancellation functionality as to which mic gets priority or cancelled out. Is that HW or SW? Not sure because Apple says nothing and all the Genii do is offer to swap it out or blame my carrier. 
• For the XS and Max, there are well documented comments about poor WiFi and RF performance. The best read is here. Bottom line, after 10 years of production, baseline capabilities such as good RF, high quality voice calls and fast WiFi should not still be issues. 
• My 2012 rMBP; two LG screens replaced due to ghosting and Staingate. It wasn't until I insisted on a Samsung panel that the problems went away. The average user wouldn't know to ask for that. After 2 years the logic board died. Apple replaced it for free. I had graphics gremlins throughout my ownership but in the end, I still loved the laptop. 
• 2016 tbMBP, the battery quit charging after 6 mos. Entire top case (battery, keyboard, logic board) - all replaced. Now on the new parts, I get at least a 1x day freeze when waking from sleep. This was a wiped laptop when I got it back from Apple. No restore from Time Machine or anything. Last week I did a clean install for 10.14 and the problem is still there. Boot times have gone way up since getting the machine back. Only other clue I can find online is possible APFS / File Vault issue. Again, take it to Apple and all the HW passes diagnostics. 

I am tech savvy enough to get around all this but they are nagging, annoying issues. If I pay a premium, I *do* expect some level of perfection. Wouldn't you be upset if your BMW had trim rattles and motor issues regularly? Apple today feels focused on luxury and lifestyle. They put themselves on that pedestal. Why is DED compelled to defend them, throw stones and say everyone else's attempts are inferior the way he does?

Yes, Garmin will write to Apple Health. Not all fields will map but you do get most. I am no runner but did a quick jog last night to test;

• 3km as mapped in Google. AW logged 3.06, Garmin shows 2.89km. GPS rendering on post-run map still smoothes out corners on the AW where the Garmin plots better follow the road.
• AW shows 276 cal burned. Garmin 256. A quick online calc says it should be 253 cal.
• Elev gained; Google says it should be 24.99m. AW reports 8.53m, Garmin 17.06m.  (phone stayed home so no augmentation for AW. Garmin was calibrated when I first set it up) 
• Other stuff like avg pace and VO2 estimates were different. I won't embarrass myself by posting those but the reported pace varied by 30 seconds with Garmin reporting the slower time (interestingly steps per minute were the same). 
• Plenty of articles to cast doubt on wrist based VO2 estimates but what the devices report differs by 2mL in Garmin's favor. 

Some metrics fall in AW's favor and some for the Garmin (such as, I find it interesting Garmin reports a slower run pace but better VO2 max estimate). All in all, probably not enough distance to really gauge things. I am more of a biker and do more comparisons there. I think the AW4 is a great all around device and the casual user can't go wrong. Especially when coupled with some of the other smart watch features not present on a Garmin.

canukstorm said:

They're reaching MB pricing territory.

Is that MacBook or Mercedes Benz? Both are appropriate 

DanielEran said:

gatorguy said:

AppleInsider said:

Google's upcoming release of the next version of Android OS will abandon support for all Nexus-branded phones and its sole remaining tablet product, Pixel C, ending future updates for products that were sold two years ago. 

Not entirely accurate as they will still receive monthly security updates. They'll also receive continue to receive updates to the Google core apps. They won't receive the Android P operating system tho as you properly pointed out.  In fairness, and as the author likely knows, this is less impactful on an Android device than it would be on an iDevice not receiving an OS update as Google has increasingly separated new features announced with new OS versions as well as current security updates from needing a full OS update to receive them.

Of course it would still be better to receive the full OS, advantage Apple here to no surprise. The rumors of Google creating their own chips could certainly be due in part to Qualcomm and their reported lack of ongoing support for older processors.

It is entirely acccurate because software patches (if Google actually maintains them; it has a history of forgetting about hardware it sold that has serious security flaws) are not “future updates of products.”

Do you get paid to make excuses for Google, or are you just volunteering your time?

We've been hearing about Google potentially building its own chips, but how will it fund such a massive undertaking when it can barely sell 4.5m Pixel phones across two years, and can’t sell tablet despite a decade of trying?

Pull some magic answer out of your butt because there’s no rational answer in the real world. 

I'm new here and was hoping for a better experience than what's taken over Macrumors and the other tech sites. Maybe there's bad blood I'm not aware of but wow! Daniel, why the snark and insults? Nothing Gatorguy said seemed to be inciteful. In my brief time here, I've found your articles in-depth and informative but sprinkled with a little too much attitude, cynicism and a touch of superiority. Why all the hate? 

SpamSandwich said:

There’s the cost of the service, but then data is $10/GB... that seems a bit hefty.

up to 6GB only. You get data after that but the pricing is capped at $60. 

So 2 lines w/ "unlimited" data - runs you $95 mo. That's pretty competitive. If they threw in Google services like Music or YouTube or Play credits, it would probably get more people. 

No visual voicemail and not auto switching to another carrier (it will be TMO only) is the drawback for iOS folks. 

**** 
NM - I was wrong about this. The data cap scales based on # of lines. https://support.google.com/fi/answer/6201699/?hl=en&authuser=2 ;

2 lines = 10GB billing cap. $135 mo.