smart phone survey

[cwbullet]

I owned an Android for years. Now I own an iPhone. Unless they stop making iPhones, I will never go back.

At work they give me a CrapBerry. It is a piece of junk.

 

[Rocket_Man]

Motorola Droid Razor here, had it for 3 years and still love it!!!!!!!!!!

 

[LW Bercini]

I'm rather surprised by the percentage of people who have responded with "no smart phone" -- especially among this population

 

[Marc_G]

I voted Android because that's what I have for personal use (a Samsung Galaxy S4, running SlimKat ROM). I also have an iPhone provided by work, which is used only for work tasks. I would never get an iPhone for personal use... I find it far too restrictive in customization, homescreen setup, and I've just never quite "gotten" the iOS appeal. Everything seems counterintuitive to me. Great hardware, but for someone like me the iOS system is far behind Android. And the hardware is more expensive than I think it is worth. Wife has an iPhone and is constantly frustrated with it.

One note to the OP: Since TRF is very heavily biased toward U.S. users, you should probably consider comparing the TRF user phone distribution against a U.S. market share plot. While anything other than Android is essentially "fringe" one the worldwide plot, in the US Apple has a much stronger share than it does worldwide. I think this is a good plot of it:

https://www.statista.com/statistics...by-smartphone-platforms-in-the-united-states/

Marc

 

[chris m]

Me working for a cell carrier and there technology support . Droid all the way . I use the HTC one M8 and it two year ahead of the iPhone 6 plus. All ios does not have an expandable data port I.e a Micro sd card slot . Also no thrird party app access.

 

[Rob Campbell]

Motorola Droid Razor here, had it for 3 years and still love it!!!!!!!!!!

I had one of those for 2 and 1/2 years and loved mine. The only reason I upgraded to the Turbo is the battery was worn out.

I have to admit, as good as the Razor was, the Turbo is far superior. It accesses 5.8 GHz WiFi's, has a study battery, almost 16 megapixel camera, and all of my apps work. Some of my apps, like MapQuest stopped working on my Razor because the version of Android it used was outdated and no longer being updated.

 

[The_Lone_Beagle]

Wait a minute...where are all the Windows phone users?

 

[jd2cylman]

Wait a minute...where are all the Windows phone users?

Still recovering from numerous crashes???


Adrian

 

[Hardline]

Wayne and I both have iPhones.

I bought iPhones for my parents and took away their androids that they couldn't figure out. All of us like the iPhone because to us they are intuitive to use, whereas the android was confusing. The upside to having all iPhones is that I can track my parents (well, I track their phones....) and since they are in their late 70's I feel more comfortable knowing where they are. The downside is that my parents text me. All.The.Time. Back in the android days they never could figure out how to text (I am not kidding) and now I get text pictures of what my mother is cooking for dinner, I get texts from my father while he is running marathons, etc. AND they expect me to respond Right Now .

I did break down recently and buy an android so I could run Rocket Locator with our Eggfinders (which you simply cannot do with an iPhone), but I set it up as wi-fi only and do not have a cell plan/minutes. The Android software has come a long ways, but I still prefer the interface of the iPhone and after all the apps I have purchased over the years I would not switch and have to repurchase them.

 

[Buckeye]

Can't get faxes on them.

Seriously? Who needs/uses faxes, anymore? I avoid companies that want them from me.

As for the poll, I think it is a function of income. I was surprised to see such market domination by Android, especially since most of my friends and colleagues carry iPhones. In my social circles, I am in the minority with my Android. However, they are all professionals and willing to spend the extra money for Apple stuff. Rocketry is an expensive hobby needing disposable (literally burnable) income, so you may find more iphone users here as well. The end result of your poll will be very interesting.

Edit: Ah Yes, the USA statistics are more like my observations. Huge difference - USA vs. global

 

[Marc_G]

Wait a minute...where are all the Windows phone users?

He's still hung over.

One other note: as more and more companies ditch their Blackberries, it seems the iPhone is becoming the corporate device of choice in the US. This is because it's easier to lock down an iPhone for security purposes. Also, the introduction of iPhones with decent-sized screens will eliminate that as a reason that some "platform agnostic" people use to buy Android by default. I've read reports suggesting that these two factors are expected to drive something like 5% of US market share toward iOS. However, competing pressures, primarily due to price, are likely to take share away from iOS, so in the balance we will probably see an overall more-or-less stable market with ~50-55% android and ~40% iOS over the next year or so.

I'm a techie and I notice what phone people carry. Smartphone demographics are interesting... it used to be that the "soccer mom" types would pull out an iPhone. More recently, it's a Samsung device, typically an S4 or S5, they pull out of their purse. Kids in school tend to have a lot of iPhones, a trend which seems to be continuing. But college age young adults tend to be shifting to Android, at least as far as my observation goes.

Marc

 

[zipstrip]

HTC One. Apple makes nice hardware, but I find that Android is more versatile for my needs (i.e. connectivity to other devices, specific applications / monitoring utilities.)

 

[FastCargo]

I'm rather surprised by the percentage of people who have responded with "no smart phone" -- especially among this population

Too low? Or too high?

Considering the average age and attitudes of this demographic, I'm surprised it isn't higher.

FC

 

[Gary Byrum]

Seriously? Who needs/uses faxes, anymore? I avoid companies that want them from me.

I'm a DBA (work at home) and the companies I do work for, are all trade show businesses. Most all of them still use fax machines to send me floor plan revisions and whatever other uses they may have for them. It's the reason I had to invest in one. FWIW, it's way more cost effective for them to fax me those changes rather than snapping a pic on their smart phone of said change, because now it's a photo that I have to print and it sucks my inks dry. I totally, will not accept camera ready revisions. So, owning a smart phone would be more of a luxury item for me, rather than any need for one.

 

[Salvage-1]

Having something like this on my Android Tablet would be really useful. The ability to save rockets and motors "offline" so people could use it in places with no internet access would be REALLY useful.

 

[molten_dragon]

My personal phone is an android (Droid Maxx). My office just replaced all of our cell phones with the iPhone 5s, so I have one of those now too. Besides e-mail and phone calls, I don't really do much of anything with it, so it's hard to compare it to my android phone. I don't like the small screen or the proprietary charger though.

 

[rocketsaway]

I'm curious of the smart phone market share of rocketry people differs from the overall market.

Wireless altimeter ?
Rob Dehate showed me his wireless setup. Whether its still beta or available, I forget.

 

[powderburner]

Me, I'm get a chuckle from remembering the charge that happened over the past couple decades to reduce the size of those first "mobile" phones from giant bricks (literally, the size of WW II walkie-talkies) down to more manageable sizes and finally down to the "handy" pocket sizes from about ten years ago.

Then the charge to make them bigger and bigger again, all so that children can see each other talk about whatever they did in class or after school last nite. And as big as they make the screens they are still pretty much useless for actually trying to watch anything serious.

The capper: we (the US of A) have progressively lost more and more of the RF spectrum from government and industry use, given over to AT&T so little girls can post pics of their purses and talk about the new boy in home room.

 

[USAFmissileer]

iPhone 5S. Had an Android and didn't like it. But, I have been an Apple guy for almost 25 years, so I am biased.

As for no third party apps, that keeps my iPhone relatively virus free (nothing computerized is 100% virus free). Apple products are generally elegant by design and by keeping everything proprietary, I know it and accessories will work nearly flawless out of the box.

And I will get a 6 in September if, for nothing else, Apple Pay. Bugs will be worked out by then.

 

[Peartree]

i
And I will get a 6 in September if, for nothing else, Apple Pay. Bugs will be worked out by then.

I think it's hilarious. Right after Apple gets hacked and tons of private photos stored on their servers appear on the internet, they have the audacious and unmitigated gall to ask people to trust them with their credit card information.

They are bold, I'll give them that.

My credit card will stay in my pocket.

 

[Buckeye]

The capper: we (the US of A) have progressively lost more and more of the RF spectrum from government and industry use, given over to AT&T so little girls can post pics of their purses and talk about the new boy in home room.

In case you didn't notice, the free flow of technology to the consumer is what makes the US of A the greatest economy and standard of living in the world. BTW, little girls have been using telephones in the manner you describe since their inception- nothing new there.

Too low? Or too high?

Considering the average age and attitudes of this demographic, I'm surprised it isn't higher.

Yep, plenty of old cranks on this forum to skew the results!

 

[Space Oddity]

I'm curious of the smart phone market share of rocketry people differs from the overall market.

Dear John,

Voted.

I'm curious to know why you asked the question and started a poll in the first place?

I'm sure you have a very good, rocket related reason for doing so?
I'm sure it's not related to the inane responses of most of us.
I'm fascinated to know what it is?

SO.

 

[LW Bercini]

Too low? Or too high?

Considering the average age and attitudes of this demographic, I'm surprised it isn't higher.

FC

Actually, it is higher than I expected. I perceive that this forum is heavier on the high-power end of the spectrum. And given the number of threads about the different electronics that implies, I expected most people to be gadget oriented.

 

[LW Bercini]

Yep, plenty of old cranks on this forum to skew the results!

Ageism is an ugly, ugly thing...

 

[Tronman]

I'm one of the few here who doesn't have or want a "smart" phone. My PC and laptop vastly outperform any "smart" phone with their tiny little screens on the market. I must be missing something because everyone else has one, but for the life of me, I can't imagine what that might be. :confused2:

 

[Gary Byrum]

I'm one of the few here who doesn't have or want a "smart" phone. My PC and laptop vastly outperform any "smart" phone with their tiny little screens on the market. I must be missing something because everyone else has one, but for the life of me, I can't imagine what that might be. :confused2:

I'm right along with ya there pal. I know there's quite a few folks out there that HAVE to have the latest and greatest big new thing, and these kinds of smart phone owners are no different that the people that will camp out at a day or two in advance, to get the latest Xbox. I never have understood the drive behind being the 1st, or one of the 1st to get something.

 

[JohnCoker]

I'm one of the few here who doesn't have or want a "smart" phone. My PC and laptop vastly outperform any "smart" phone with their tiny little screens on the market. I must be missing something because everyone else has one, but for the life of me, I can't imagine what that might be. :confused2:

I used to say that during my life there have been two revolutions that have changed nearly everyone's life: cell phones and the Internet. Smart phones are the evolution of the cell phone into a more versatile device that will merge these two revolutions into a single one: ubiquitous connection and communication between all humans.

 

[ksaves2]

$10.00 subscription phone. Ran it over once with car, got new one for $10.00. Use it for the few calls I make and pay $100.00 a year. Still have $400.00 credit on it. If I croak and my family doesn't use it I'll have paid $8.33 a month for cell phone use. Every place I go at work has a computer terminal and every place else has WiFi. Use a Nexus 7 2013 Flo (wifi only) for some rocket tracking, APRS tracking, ham radio apps and occasionally email. Can't see spending $100.00 a month for full access cell phone/data service for myself. Not worth it. I have internet access whenever I want at the places I'm at.
Now if someone's place of employment is covering the bill? Hey, why not? Just not for me. Kurt (old fuddy dud)
So Tronman, you're not the only one who's not falling for this gig.

 

[Tronman]

I used to say that during my life there have been two revolutions that have changed nearly everyone's life: cell phones and the Internet. Smart phones are the evolution of the cell phone into a more versatile device that will merge these two revolutions into a single one: ubiquitous connection and communication between all humans.

I kind of understand that. The internet has certainly changed my life. I've been online since I got my Amiga 500 and 2400 baud modem. But cell phones have had zero effect on my life. While I have a simple cell phone, it stays off except for very rare occasions because I really don't want people bothering me day and night. If someone wants to contact me, they can call my home phone and leave a message or send me an email. I'll reply in my own time.

 

[Buckeye]

I'm right along with ya there pal. I know there's quite a few folks out there that HAVE to have the latest and greatest big new thing, and these kinds of smart phone owners are no different that the people that will camp out at a day or two in advance, to get the latest Xbox. I never have understood the drive behind being the 1st, or one of the 1st to get something.

Umm, smartphones are not really "new." They date back to 1993 or so, and the modern version debuted in 2007. I think the purpose of the poll is to see who in the rocket community currently uses them and which flavor they prefer.