Andriod or IPhone

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kcobbva

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So I'll open this can of worms. Next month my Verizon account is finally OVER and I'm moving off. I have to make the choice between IPhone and Andriod. I had a previous android (R2D2) and it seemed to always die. I LOVE my Nokia ICON windows phone; but we just don't have apps. SO. What's the verdict here? What has the best Rocketry apps for it? I'm going to AT&T, that much is certain. Just don't know which platform. I own I-Nothing...but am finally willing to take the leap if the 6 is worth it.
 
My household is connected entirely by Apple. It's amazing how it can all work together. Girlfriends son was creating his first resume last night at home on the Mac, and I could see it and check it over from my iPhone at work, 55 miles away.
 
Apple: Intuitive and easy to use, lots of stuff. Doesn't support external GPS feeds or serial Bluetooth (a minus if you're going to be using it with trackers like the Eggfinder). Hardware quality is first class.

Android: A bit harder to use, but more flexible. Hardware is cheaper, but stay away from the real cheap ones (I've had a lot of hardware problems with HTC in particular). Samsung or Motorola are the best. Since Android is essentially unix-based, lots of device support (i.e. Bluetooth GPS, Rocket Locator for use with trackers).

We're an Apple family too, primarily because that's what we standardized on at my day job, but it's what the kids wanted too. Either way, it's best if you're all one or the other; I wouldn't want to have to troubleshoot my wife's phone issues if I didn't have one myself to look at first.
 
My work iPhone 4S is more durable than the Samsung Galaxy S6 Active that they bought to replace it. Dropped the S6 from about 3 feet and the screen went blank. I'm using the 4S again. I've dropped the iPhone 4S from about 4 to 5 feet and it still works like a top. Yes, I'm hard on phones. And they still won't buy insurance for my phone... :facepalm:
My personal phone is the iPhone 5s. Yep. I've dropped it too... Still works great. Some of the Apple stuff is hard to figure out (for me, anyhow), and most of the Android stuff was simpler. But I like the Apple better. I think there are more apps for the Androids, but I'm not a huge app user. I have the thrust curve app. Works great. My .02 or even .01

Adrian
 
cerving's summary is a good one.

We're all iPhone here, though I do have one 7 inch Asus Android tablet which I bought just to see what Android was about and to have the hardware if I ever get into Android-based tracking via Eggfinder or working with the Android version of the Altus Metrum software. My son in California just went back to iPhone after living with a Windows phone for a time (it was a Nokia first until that one died - not sure what he got as an insurance replacement).
 
I will lead the pack of Iphone Haters Anonymous....well not really, but I do prefer Androids after my two previous Iphones. I really dislike Apples Itunes software, and prefer the joy of accessing all my files on my Android without anything more than a current set of drivers and using Windows Explorer. I do still have my Iphone 3GS which I use as a alarm clock, my Iphone 5 died a hideous death reminiscent of many of my cellphones via blunt force trauma. I currently use a Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and absolutely it has so far been the best phone I have had ( I have had it since last Nov/Dec 2015, shortly after they came out). I have the Thrustcurve app, Rocket Locator App, Estes App, and at least one other rocket related app for it and they all seem to work fairly well.
 
cerving's summary is a good one.

We're all iPhone here, though I do have one 7 inch Asus Android tablet which I bought just to see what Android was about and to have the hardware if I ever get into Android-based tracking via Eggfinder or working with the Android version of the Altus Metrum software. My son in California just went back to iPhone after living with a Windows phone for a time (it was a Nokia first until that one died - not sure what he got as an insurance replacement).

Ya, I got a free 7" Android tablet from Verizon nearly two years ago for getting a new 5s for one of my kids. I don't really use it for tracking (I prefer to just plug the GPS coordinates into MotionX on my iPhone), but there's a lot of other apps for networking and the like that I do use. I got a Mooshmeter recently (a Bluetooth-connected multimeter, I highly recommend it if you need such an animal) and the relatively large display is a big plus vs. using it with a phone.
 
I prefer Android because it's mostly open and your device is yours, albeit with a little work sometimes. Google can offer you most of what Apple does in terms of sharing and cloud storage. You can also install pretty much any app from anywhere, so long as you trust it. If necessary, you can dig through you phone's file structure and dig things out. There's a little more hardware accessibility for developers.

I can't stand Apple's walled garden approach, App store only, iTunes mandatory for some functions, Facetime (requires Apple servers, patent issues and plain backing out)...

If it wasn't for HP pre-loading iTunes on all their consumer PCs in the early-mid 2000s and mostly the ability to STEAL thousands of MP3s, Apple might be trying to gun down Palm today.
 
I'm using iPhone 6plus...love it. I actually like the "walled garden approach".
 
Thanks all. I appreciate the responses. I do like the Iphone walled approach as we can somewhat control the apps that are available; e.g. not as buggy as they've gone through the process to be available. However, I'd not considered the GPS etc not being available with the Iphone. I'm not an ITunes fan. Much prefer the MP3. Windows Samsung was horrible; but worth looking into the Samsung Android I guess. My kids are all using Ipads; but I'm not parting with my Surface etc; That being said, I want to talk to my Chute Release and hate asking my daughter to keep borrowing her IPAD to do it. I like the security features of the Iphone..but didn't think about the GPS/Bluetooth that Cerving brought up. Hmm. One more month to consider my options, but I surely appreciate everyone weighing in. Honestly I'm sorry we never got apps for the Windows phone. Again the most stable platform I've used yet...but...sadly time to kick that cat.
 
I just purchased a Galaxy S7 today to replace my Galaxy S5. I really liked my S5, and will still use it as a wifi device.

The reasons I got the S7: Liked the S5. Can insert a microSD card for increased capacity (huge deal for me). 240fps camera. AMOLED screen. NOT locked into the Apple ecosystem.

Android can work just as well as i devices, it just takes a bit of research on the part of the user. Somebody mentioned being able to check a resume a family member was writing. This is easily done using DropBox, OneDrive, Google Cloud, and more. The trick is everybody has to have the same cloud app installed.

The Apple system is just more restrictive. That's why it works so well, because everybody HAS to use the same thing. And that is at the expense of choice and flexibility. The Android system can be a little more quirky, but that's the price you pay for being able to choose between dozens of different smartphones to find the one that has the features you want rather than just couple iPhone models.
 
I back for apple as well, instead of using the Itunes on the iphone I suggest going with a service such as spotify instead, much easier to work with and a massive collection of songs for about 10$ a month or less I think.
 
I have the Samsung note 4. I have had the iPhone before and I do not like iTunes. had the windows phone but like everybody says there is no apps.
 
I went back to the iPhone after having to suffer through weak/inconsistent wi-fi on my Samsung for nearly a year. The condition started after an Android OS upgrade and Samsung, Google and Verizon all knew and acknowledged the problem but none of them would take responsibility in fixing with just a bunch of finger pointing. Will never do Android again! At least with Apple you have one hardware/software platform and one "person" to blame so bugs are taken care of fairly consistently.
 
I currently use an android phone (an HTC One that I "inherited" from my brother), and I find it frustrating to use. I have an iPod Touch and an iPad, so I use iOS all the time. As soon as possible, I plan to switch to an iPhone SE just to get back to iOS. The main problem with android is compatibility. Like PC computers, lots of different hardware store are trying to get lumped into the same tent. An app that works with a Samsung might not work with another brand, and it seems to be a crap shoot as to what works where. Since all iOS devices are made by Apple, if you can run an app on one, you can run it on all (unless the hardware is old enough that it won't run later iOS versions). That is why I am moving to iOS as soon as I can - for me, iOS is also more intuitive to use while android is tedious. Just my opinion - your mileage may vary.
 
I'm an Android guy, through and through. However, I have an iPhone (6, replaced the 5s) for work, so I am very familiar with both platforms. They both work if your needs are straightforward. Both are well supported, though iOS market share has been declining for years.

While I don't use GPS telemetry (yet) for rocketry, knowing I have the option is great. But mostly, I absolutely hate the walled garden concept Apple espouses, and would never recommend it for anyone who wasn't already heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem. Frankly I find the UI confusing and annoying as well. Android just seems intuitive to me, and there is a lot more tinkering possible for the user interface to get it to work the way I want it to. And, since I'm heavily invested in the Googleverse, all my stuff works together seamlessly. Also iPhones don't support the use of micro-SD cards for expanded storage. That, and not being able to browse your files on an iPhone, would be deal-killers for me right there. Don't even get me started about iTunes. Ughh!

I've had Motorola phones, Samsung phones, and currently have an LG G3 which is a few years old model-wise but does everything I could want. Even just sticking to the few top brands such as those three, you can find a phone with the ideal form factor for you (size of screen, etc.).

@dixontj93060 - sorry to year of your wifi issue on a Sammy, and my S4 actually was a bit of a weak wifi receiver too. But that's hardware model specific, and I'm sad to hear that experience pushed you away from the Android OS.

One thing to consider is getting a good condition used phone on www.swappa.com. I have bought and sold probably a dozen phones that way. The site tests the IEMI number to make sure the phone isn't stolen/blacklisted. And definitely consider getting something that isn't the latest and greatest, because you'll save hundreds of dollars while still getting a very capable phone.

Good luck!

Marc
 
This is going to sound like an advertisement, but it is not meant to. Mike Westerfield wrote a book called "iPhone &iPad Electronic Projects." In it, the reader learns how to collect data and send it, process it, through your iPhone or iPad. With a Texas Instrument Sensor Tag and debugger, you can collect data from six sensors built into every iPad and iPhone starting with iPhone5. IPhones have accelerometers (three-axis), barometers, thermometers, magnetometer, and gyroscopes (3-axis) and I'm forgetting the last...Anyway, you put your iPhone in your rocket (I'm not crazy about that idea) along with the sensor tag, everything is running) and launch, sensor tag collects data from phone and sends it to your email because you wrote the program that makes it do all that. Impressive but risky. I'm financially challenged enough as it is, I have the book, the iPad, the sensor tag, but not the rocket nor the know how (at this time) to build the rocket capable of carrying all that stuff aloft. I am a lpr guy whose parachutes work 50% of the time. I have the will, but not the tolerance for loss. Maybe if financial situation changes, maybe so will my threshold for tolerance.
 


It is very much a personal choice based upon personal needs/desires.

For us it's iPhone, iPad, iPod all the way. My parents, who are in their 80's, tried an android and I was constantly on call to walk them through ..... (fill the in blank with everything that can go wrong that does go wrong). I took their androids away and gave them iPhones and I never hear from them because they can figure it out all on their own. PRICELESS.

Wayne and I picked up an android, no service plan, and use it ONLY for rocket locator with our Eggfinders. We connect via wi-fi and no issues. It works and I don't have to mess with it.

Some people have an issue with iTunes. Some people want to change various things in their smartphones and rebel against the proprietary nature of apple products. Fine for them, no worries. I have no patience at all and I just need to have a product that will take care of tasks that need to be done and then I can move along to playing with my rockets. It's just a tool, not a life style IMHO.

Which is why I have a iPhone :2:.
 
I'm not so sure.

Our entire family has iPhones except for one son who has an Android. He made the switch after breaking too many iPhones or otherwise having one component within the phone (microphone, speakers, various buttons, etc.) fail. He absolutely loves his Android and will probably never go back.

I like the iPhones except for two major issues which will likely make my next upgrade be a switch to an Android of some kind.

My two major issues with iPhones are:

1) in every phone used by everyone in our family (4, 4s, 5, 5s), battery life absolutely sucks. Each of us have one or two backup batteries that we tote with us if we will be out for the day, as well as chargers in every place that we sit down (kitchen, bedroom, work, car, etc.) When some of the Android advertising says that you can last two or three days on a charge (and sometimes I run out a charge in an hour if I'm busy), they definitely have my attention.

2) Form factor. Apple thinks that every time I want an upgrade I want a bigger phone. Honestly, I still expect my phone to be a phone and not a tablet or a brick. Bigger is not always better. If it doesn't fit on my pocket, or if it presents too large a target for me to smack something with it while I wear it on my belt, I'm really not interested. But if I upgrade and stay with Apple, I HAVE TO get a bigger phone that I don't want. Sorry, my phone is already as big as I care for it to be so when I upgrade, I'll get one that is the right size for me and not the size that Apple says I'm supposed to want.
 
I'm not so sure.

Our entire family has iPhones except for one son who has an Android. He made the switch after breaking too many iPhones or otherwise having one component within the phone (microphone, speakers, various buttons, etc.) fail. He absolutely loves his Android and will probably never go back.

I like the iPhones except for two major issues which will likely make my next upgrade be a switch to an Android of some kind.

My two major issues with iPhones are:

1) in every phone used by everyone in our family (4, 4s, 5, 5s), battery life absolutely sucks. Each of us have one or two backup batteries that we tote with us if we will be out for the day, as well as chargers in every place that we sit down (kitchen, bedroom, work, car, etc.) When some of the Android advertising says that you can last two or three days on a charge (and sometimes I run out a charge in an hour if I'm busy), they definitely have my attention.

2) Form factor. Apple thinks that every time I want an upgrade I want a bigger phone. Honestly, I still expect my phone to be a phone and not a tablet or a brick. Bigger is not always better. If it doesn't fit on my pocket, or if it presents too large a target for me to smack something with it while I wear it on my belt, I'm really not interested. But if I upgrade and stay with Apple, I HAVE TO get a bigger phone that I don't want. Sorry, my phone is already as big as I care for it to be so when I upgrade, I'll get one that is the right size for me and not the size that Apple says I'm supposed to want.

On point 1 - take advertised battery life with a grain of salt, please. If you are pulling an iPhone flat in an hour there's no way any Android device is going to run for days under the same conditions. There is only so much room for so much stored energy in a lithium-polymer cell, after all, regardless of the nameplate on the outside.....which leads to

On point 2 - bigger devices mean bigger cells. I have an iPhone 6+ and it runs a LONG time. I could go two days of light use with it if I chose to. But Apple just refreshed the relatively small iPhone 5 - the just introduced SE - so you have the capabilities of the current 6s family in the smaller package (but with room for a smaller cells only).

I don't really care for using iTunes for moving files around either.....but I'm reluctantly using that path to get sheet music (.pdfs) on my iPad Pro (which I got to serve as my music binder/archive) as it's less convoluted and much faster than the alternatives for moving relatively large volumes of data around. I also use it to move music files onto my phone or iPad. But for everything else, not so much. I really don't care for the current "Apple Music" either. But the music players (many choices) on the Android tablet I have are no great shakes either.....
 
I have an iPhone 4s that's showing its age now. It's been driving me nuts because the newer versions of iOS need more memory and some of my apps crash on a regular basis. I was ready to jump ship over to Android but there are a couple features that I don't think I can live without. We have 4 iPhones in the house, not me mention friends and family. First off is FindMyiPhone. We use it on a pretty regular basis to find my daughter's phone. We have used it at Universal Studios when my phone fell out of my pocket. We also use Facetime to talk to family and it's just plain easy to use. I'm sure that there are similar apps for Android, but i'm sure there are bigger issues having to go between iOS and Android.

I work at NVIDIA and for a while we were competing with Apple. I own Nexus 7 and Tegra Note 7 Android tablets too. They have also slowed down to the point that other than for rocketry (AltusDroid) we really don't use them anymore.

PearTree, take a look at the iPhone SE. It's about the same size as the iPhone 4.
 
#1 Get what works for YOU.

Probably don't want to go Windows Phone or Blackberry. Stick with the top two and you'll be fine.

In my opinion, Apple has become the "Evil Monopolistic Overlord Corporation" that they marketed themselves as not being. Everyone has THE SAME PHONE. Might as well all be wearing identical grey jumpsuits. You must accept the will of Lord Apple! Chanting
"Pie Apple Domine, Dona eis in idem."

OK sorry I went overboard, but I have fun with this. My mom is a big Mac fan and we would go back and forth back in the day.
 
...
In my opinion, Apple has become the "Evil Monopolistic Overlord Corporation" that they marketed themselves as not being. Everyone has THE SAME PHONE. Might as well all be wearing identical grey jumpsuits. You must accept the will of Lord Apple! Chanting
"Pie Apple Domine, Dona eis in idem."

+1 What He Said. It's remarkable how Apple used the idea that PC was conformist, and Mac was "freedom" when Jobs' entire ethos was about end-to-end control of the system, as opposed to the PC which was always an open system.
 
+1 What He Said. It's remarkable how Apple used the idea that PC was conformist, and Mac was "freedom" when Jobs' entire ethos was about end-to-end control of the system, as opposed to the PC which was always an open system.

Well, no. When the PC first came out it was not open at all. Until the bios was reverse engineered nobody other than IBM made PCs. It was closed and expensive.
 
Either is fine. Jolly Logic works with both. I think we have the only iPhone product (AltimeterThree) for Apple, because it's technically very difficult and expensive to do.

I think in many cases (depending on carrier) it may be a easier to keep your phone on the latest version with Apple than with Android. I think Apple requires that the carriers let you upgrade quickly. With some carriers and some phones you might have to wait a long time to be able to upgrade your Android.

There are more Android phones and sizes to choose from. Some are break-resistant and waterproof. Some have micro-SD storage. Some use the more universal micro-USB plug, so it's very easy to charge them and the cables are cheap.

For testing I own some of each. My daily driver is an iPhone 6 Plus.
 
Well, no. When the PC first came out it was not open at all. Until the bios was reverse engineered nobody other than IBM made PCs. It was closed and expensive.

Good point about the clones thing. I'd forgotten about that. Still there were slots, right? I had a mid-80's IBM PC that I used in grad school (I didn't own it, it was the lab's machine) and I recall we swapped out boards and stuff... there was even then a small ecosystem of graphic card upgrades and the like. Wow, fuzzy memory.

I also remember the brief stint where "PowerPC Mac Clones" were either made, or planned to be made then cancelled (early 90s?)?

But I stand by the main point that Jobs' mantra was to have a closed system, end to end control over the user experience. I think Jobs secretly wanted to be big brother himself!
 
Good point about the clones thing. I'd forgotten about that. Still there were slots, right? I had a mid-80's IBM PC that I used in grad school (I didn't own it, it was the lab's machine) and I recall we swapped out boards and stuff... there was even then a small ecosystem of graphic card upgrades and the like. Wow, fuzzy memory.

I also remember the brief stint where "PowerPC Mac Clones" were either made, or planned to be made then cancelled (early 90s?)?

But I stand by the main point that Jobs' mantra was to have a closed system, end to end control over the user experience. I think Jobs secretly wanted to be big brother himself!

Yeah, I remember the Apple clone; wasn't it the Apricot or some similar fruit name.
I agree; Jobs wanted control of his product line as much as possible. In some ways that has worked well, benefitting Apple customers and shareholders, but the tight controls on extending the hardware have also limited things. There's always a trade off. It's up to the customer to punish or reward the companies like Apple or IBM.
 
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