tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post5010718035382960720..comments2024-03-28T15:07:28.751-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: Apple's new toys: hidden dangers and a yawnPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-70664012567671877912014-09-10T21:37:28.782-05:002014-09-10T21:37:28.782-05:00@Liam: I used the term 'fanboi' to describ...@Liam: I used the term 'fanboi' to describe the fanatically loyal followers of the Apple brand. It really is a cultural phenomenon, widely discussed on the Internet - the 'true believer' thing. It's not so much a pejorative term as a realistic description, as the Urban Dictionary definition of the word (to which I linked) points out.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-2066918692404945402014-09-10T21:17:16.137-05:002014-09-10T21:17:16.137-05:00Hi Peter
I'm not a watch wearer, but I found ...Hi Peter<br /><br />I'm not a watch wearer, but I found this observation interesting: http://www.hodinkee.com/blog/hodinkee-apple-watch-review<br /><br />Apparently $350 isn't expensive for watch wearers to spend on something that is just a watch - who knew? :-)<br /><br />On the 'fanboi' pejorative. I work in IT, and amongst the 200 or so people in my building a bunch have Apple products, a bunch have Android product, a bunch have Windows products. I know of 2 that make their decision based on 'this is the one true way' .<br /><br />Everyone else makes a choice based on the value equation. If I can buy product A for $250, and product B for 600 and product C for 700 then do I get $450 value from product C over product A etc.<br /><br />I can't personally can't afford to buy something that doesn't provide me with good value for my money. Sometimes that means buying the cheapest option and sometimes that means waiting and saving to buy a more expensive option. I have learnt that automatically buying the cheapest option without doing due diligence can cost me more in the long run with failures, or having to replace something early due to lack of functionality.<br /><br />Some of that may depend on what the rest of your environment is - if you use linux everywhere then a Apple phone if probably not as convenient as an Android. If one uses Macs as a desktop then maybe the integration Apple provides is of value. If you have all your data and services with google then an Android will provide the most seamless experience. And so on through the options.<br /><br />What I have never personally met is someone who bought a phone, be it Apple, Samsung, HTC or otherwise because they think it makes them look cool. I guess we just run in different circles.<br /><br />You have written a number of times on assessing the true value of a purchase, be it guns or shelves or other items and have on a number of occasions expressed why you felt that, for you, the value given by a more expensive option was worth the price premium.<br /><br />I am curious as to why you feel that making value assessments doesn't apply to purchases in the IT realm. Or is your view that some one who buys a, for example, 'Smith & Wesson' when there is a equivalent device at 1/3 the price from the Philippines is just a 'Smith & Wesson fanboi'? <br /><br />Cheers, LiamLiamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963482988358500101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-41081550812858070772014-09-10T15:28:41.567-05:002014-09-10T15:28:41.567-05:00Oh - I'm getting rid of my iPods, as i've ...Oh - I'm getting rid of my iPods, as i've finally sprung for a portable player that handles high resolution audio and has a fantastic DAC. Sadly it's android OS based, but since i don't let it connect to anything except firmware downloads and my mac for transferring files... <br /><br />I'm debating the idea of selling my iPad retina and moving to something smaller - while I have a few apps I'm not going to let that make the decision - the problem is android is Google and I am not a Google fan. Once again - it' stuck with iOS or Android or Windows - none of which are great alternatives. I can get linux to run on a Galaxy Tab but then I'll have to write my own eBook reader ..... hmm that's a thought...<br /><br />I sure wish the tech companies would climb out of the Big Brother, authoritarian cloud they've descended into. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00391535113209714025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-14189398337696914382014-09-10T14:27:03.977-05:002014-09-10T14:27:03.977-05:00It's sad really, Apple used to be amongst the ...It's sad really, Apple used to be amongst the more secure phones, and had as near as we can tell, not sold out to big brother. History.<br /><br />Android has long been a security risk, and I've never really considered a Microsoft phone - although given the unpopularity of the unit, I'm not sure why - maybe i've moved out of my underdog phase and more into the mainstream. Not that I think MS has any fewer security issues that iOS8. <br /><br />While I've got a plethora of apple products, I'm not a fanboy although I've known a few. And I can say this with a straight face while owning 2 iPads, 1 iPhone, 2 MacBook Pro's, 1 Mac Pro, and 3 iPods. Yep, sure looks like a fanboy... Yet, when asked "Should I buy a Mac?" my usual response is: "Why? what do you think it will do for you that your current computer won't?" The fact is, if you do what most folks do, a little email, and some web browsing, there's only a small advantage to a Mac - you don't need to keep spending money on antivirus software. You do have to pay up front for the hardware.<br /><br />I'm not a big fan of Windows 8, 7 I though was pretty good, maybe their best so far - maybe server 2012 - I haven't tried that yet.<br /><br />Linux is an excellent system for those who have the determination or the years of experience it takes to make it a workable system for daily use. Sadly, many of the applications I value are not available for the platform. I may eventually get there, as I'm pretty burned out on Adobe PS - CS6 is my last update of that seriously overpriced bundle of pain. I'll probably upgrade lightroom a few more times - we'll see <br /><br />I know for a fact that OS/X is more stable than Win7 or Win8. I know it's a much smaller target for virus makers, and there's limited malware, the hardware is rock solid, exceptionally functional, and painfully expensive. I keep a windows machine for games and I'll be adding a raw drive bay to enable easy swapping of boot devices for various flavors of linux. <br /><br />I've still got my 3GS, it still works, although I may need to put a new battery in it - if that doesn't work out, I might upgrade to a 6 with the big screen If that looks too costly, I'll probably replace it with a DUMB phone.<br /> Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00391535113209714025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-41063292572405124742014-09-10T12:21:03.653-05:002014-09-10T12:21:03.653-05:00I'm always hearing about these fanatical Apple...I'm always hearing about these fanatical Apple people, but I've never really met one in the wild. <br /><br />A phone is a phone, and they all work pretty well these days. I think that judging yourself worth because of the kind of phone you carry is silly, just as I think assuming that people use Device X for Reason Y is silly. <br /><br />I'm in the position of having access to both an older iPhone and Android phone through personal and a work cell with a very generous personal use policy. I could use either, but I frequently choose the idevice because it accomplishes the tasks I regularly perform in a superior way. John Balognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-4295632664883763532014-09-10T11:34:19.020-05:002014-09-10T11:34:19.020-05:00I paid $150 each for the Moto Gs I bought Milady a...I paid $150 each for the Moto Gs I bought Milady and the kids. They are crap. Cricket won't update to fix a bug where the volume goes down when you have it set on maximum, and the only work around is to LOWER the volume, and then raise it. Milady left hers outside on the table in the sun, and the little darling phone overheated, and wouldn't work until it had cooled off in the house.<br /><br />A good smartphone costs you $400 to $600, whether you pay for it out of pocket or finance it as part of your 2 year phone contract.<br /><br />Now, I happen to think $350 for a overpowered wristwatch is absurd, but I can see some people buying one of them and keeping their iPhone 5/5C/5S for a while. If you don't "need" a new phone, you can use the new gadget to get the new features.<br /><br />Apple standing in the middle of your bank accounts is more secure than stripe credit cards, since stripe credit cards really are about as secure as the old bank counter checks. It's interesting that Apple's supposedly getting ultra-profitable transaction rates out of both the banks and the vendors by agreeing to absorb all charge-back risk themselves. If that holds, then you keep accounts with time sensitivity out (you don't want to have to ask for a $2000 claw-back so your mortgage payment won't bounce, for example), but otherwise it doesn't seem that dangerous.<br /><br />However, I think the killer app will be iTunes credit: a parent can either give their kid an iTunes card, or allow a monthly allowance funded through iTunes, and they have access through their phone. Apple just became the trendiest pre-paid debit card provider in the US.Kentucky Packrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01444480982718107017noreply@blogger.com