On the Techie side of life!

Most of my recent entries, of which there are more than usual, have been about food. I think it's time for a post about something technological. Samsung has just recently announced it's Samsung Galaxy Tab. This is a 7-inch tablet with the android operating system. The first real competitor to the iPad. In the coming year there will undoubtedly be a flood of tablets hitting the market. Many of these will use the Android operating system although there will be other operating systems as well. Samsung is looking to grab a chunk of the market as it will be releasing the Galaxy Tab through all of the top wireless providers in the USA as well as providers in Asia, Europe and elsewhere. The sad thing is many people will be getting tablets who have no idea what it is they are really getting.

What amazes me is the shear number of people who are getting Android phones who don't 'get' them. I mean they have an android phone but don't understand why (other than it's the newest, shiniest bobble in the store). I hear them bragging about "Apps? I don't need any apps. I just use it to make calls and sometimes message my kids/grandkids/chums/whoever" In that case why get a smartphone? I remember a few years ago, I had a lady in her late 40s or early 50s (in other words my age). She listed all of the things she didn't want in a phone: the web, email, messaging. This is another thing I don't understand, instead of listing what they want most people list what they don't want, very negative. Anyway, after listing everything she didn't want she said, "Can you show me the Blackberry's?" When I pointed out that they were everything she'd just said she didn't want she replied, "but aren't they the best phone there is?" The only thing I could say was no, they may be the best wireless device for some people if they want the web, email and messaging, but they aren't the best phone if you just mean making calls. 


I hear this type of comment a lot and it always makes me think of the used car salesman's proverbial little old lady who only used her Bugatti Veyron to drive half a mile to church on Sundays.

I have the original Motorola Droid, finally with Froyo and Flash.  I could easily live without it. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I have it and I use it and certain apps on it daily, but I'm not dependent on it. Okay, I might get the shakes if I have to go without my RSS feeds for a while, but I'd adjust. I might miss some shows without my TV Show Listings, but as my dad used to say they'll be on as reruns next summer. If I traveled more there are many more features I'd use and be glad to have. But even people who seem to understand what they're getting better still show little understanding of what to expect from the new smartphones. They set them to check for email, Twitter and Facebook updates every few minutes and wonder why their battery doesn't last several days like their old flip phone. They play games for hours and then explain that they hardly ever use the phone. They never close running apps and download the silliest most useless apps in the Market and ones which for some reason require constant access to their location, messaging, calls and other personal data when all they are is a wallpaper changer or some such trivial app.

This seems to be a rant which I really didn't intend so I think I'd better end it now and come back when I'm in a better mood or something. But since I've gone this far my biggest complaint about Android phone users is that they can't be bothered to understand that they have  to know their Google account info. The carriers cannot be responsible for their personal info. 

Well, maybe I'd better get something to eat, it's been about 7 hours, and then some sleep and maybe I'll be in a better frame of mind.