Choosing which phone to buy will be much easier next year!

A freind of mine recently admitted:

"I really appreciate you sharing your info on other smartphones.. Im really debating whether or not to get a new iPhone.. But in the end , I will probably get one.. There's just something about using it, I just bought an Imac too.. I'm just all into the beauty of their products.."

I responded with the following sentiments:

"No problem...

I understand completely; read the fine print (in yellow) at the end of my blog from last week:

(Previous blog posting: "The Easy choice is not the best choice")

For me, choosing a company that only makes one phone is a very tough choice in the first place. Especially, when they are also now, the sole dependancies for all of the development tools they allow utilized for the app publications on their one device. And these types of consideration have always effected my purchasing choices, when investing in personal technology or putting together the various software and hardware solution for a new animation studio. Fighting built-in-obsolescence, is no small feat! We are going to loose no matter what we choose. I just try to avoid as much pain as possible!

Mobile computing has WAY to much going for it for a company with just one phone in their product line and one development tool, to create the really broad reaching, impressive, significant advancements we will see the next 1-5 years yield. No two years contracts for me! ...on any device without some significant flexibility and freedom! I don't care how shiny or thin it is...

However, as far as the "experience" factor is concerned; I do suggest a high-tech user like yourself, go try a modern Android phone when you can. (Not a 1-2 year old model; walk in to a Verizon store and check out the "Incredible", not the Motorola Droid.) I think you'll find there is no significant "experience" difference at all; since, swiping, pinching and zooming, turns out to be the same as on all devices, as long as a capacitive / multi-touch / high-quality display is being used.

What makes all of these current devices "sing", are the App stores, or in other words the 3rd party development. So choose a platform that invites innovative development and the most profit for their respective developers. That will be the winning choice in the long run!

To beat the "dead horse":

The most troubling and latest restrictions within the iPhone ecosystem, is Apples latest move to both eliminate 3rd party development tools (meaning they will reject any app now developed with apps made with tools by company's such as Adobe, etc.); and Apples latest move to now prevent it's developers from using any advertising vehicle other than Apples untested or established internal offering adds insult to injury. This latest move prevents any developers who already have relationships with advertisers, (such as Google or a dozen others,) to continue pulling in revenue through these accounts they have had in place for years.

I too use Mac's for both business and personal purposes. My last personal workstation purchase was an 8 core Mac Pro; was a bugger however to get the quality, 3rd party, level of 3D graphics card I desired, chosen for OS-X! Can you believe a company that limits your choices even in the workstation side of their product line? But that is the only way Apple maintains their reputation, through a completely controlled, vacuum of limitations. It works GREAT under certain use-cases, and perhaps, personal scenarios. (...and I'm typing right now on my MacBook;) However, notice nothing about Mac's were mentioned at this years developer (WWDC) conference in Steve Job's Keynote! that was a FIRST!

Unfortunately, where mobile computing advancements are involved, (not the nuance of making a single device,) and as odd as it may sound to some, Apple is getting it wrong! RIGHT, on the short term (3 years ago), which is a catch 22, & apparently why their ego is now running the wrong way for the long term! They have one more year to catch on. By then, consumers would have been educated by the "mainstream" media and they better more profit capable developers would have moved to a less restrictive eco-system. (It took apple over a year to open an app store, for their 1st version of the iPhone, we'll see if they can course correct their current moves on their latest decisions, just as quick?)

Many folks also still compare Windows XP to a Mac with OS-X, despite the fact XP was released over 9 years ago. My own favorite combination is Windows 7 on my 8 core Mac Pro. A must try OS, for those who haven't yet. I throw at it some of those most advanced software available. It is impressive to see in action.

However, my favorite consumer electronics firm for Laptops is Sony, by a long shot! (After depending on 6 different brands over the course of the last 14 years.) No one can miniaturize and manufacture portable, laptop, computing equipment, better than them at this point. Go to the Sony style store in the Galleria for some locally stocked comparison that are fair. Fry's & Best Buy, don't stock the better products.

Perhaps, not a very fair competition, since most firms (such as Apple) don't have their own manufacturing facilities for the bulk of their products, they out source all of it, but provide their own in-house engineering. The challenge is expecting consumers to make their own comparison ahead of the "mainstream" media teaching them more about these choices."

Choosing which phone to buy will be much easier next year!