Saturday 30 April 2011

How I have cured my iPhone addiction

iPhone addiction is a common disease nowadays. Symptoms are easy to detect, even if they remain not disturbing in the short term: the affected patient has an iPhone on the hand and can't stop saying things like "Oh, it is wonderful, magic", "It has changed my life", "I cannot live without it", "How can you live with an other phone?", "It is much better, your are not fair", etc.
There is no real issue at short term (most of them are for the operator) except possibly a higher budget needed for your data plan and a kind of autism when playing with it.
At long term, things could be worse, a bit like that:






So, as I am an enthusiastic adventurer, I have tried to get rid of my iPhone... and I succeeded. Now, I wouldn't come back. I think it must be like for cigarette.
Why? Android offers me customisation with widgets and lock screen, notification bar is awesome and addictive (well, am I stupid?), Gmail archive button also, SmartDialing again (should I consult?), dedicated buttons (back, search, menu) are very convenient and save place on the screen, Turn by turn navigation is free and integrated with address book, screens are larger, I can boot it without a computer, I can save files on the SD card, diversity exists... I stop here. And yes, battery life maybe shorter, camera maybe weaker, integration with iTunes is at best clunky, AlloCine app is weaker and Avertinoo doesn't exist. But Firefox sync your passwords and favourites. And of course Navionics charts allowed me to save a regatta ;-)

But, this is not the point. My point is just to stop talking with such passion.


It is a bit like discussions between fans of Canon or Nikon, Porsche or Ferrari, BMW or Mercedes. One is not better than the other, it is different. Canon sensors are better while Nikon autofocus is better (please don't comment if you think I have really no clue about what I am talking)... As I have never driven nor a Porsche or Ferrari, I won't say anything about. Look at web forums, you will understand my point. Maybe it is even  like choosing between a Van or Convertible: it is different, and you won't compare it. Then comes the price, which is a personal matter also.

Above all, the issue is that iPhone has set a kind of standard in UI, and everybody is now used with it. So, it needs some efforts to go towards another system. It is like driving left side or right side. One is NOT better to another, but when you are used to one, iti is very difficult to change. But believe me, it IS possible to live with something else than an iPhone, and you can enjoy it ;-) No, I really love my Android, and when I take an iPhone, I am lost and find the interface strange!!!

I hope theses considerations have made you change a bit your mind or at least smile  ;-)

I will develop UI considerations in a next post.

PS: I have tried to cure my Windows PC addiction with a Mac, but I relapsed. For work, it is definitely not usable for me. But again, it is not a judgement, and believe me, I was in love during 15 days with my Mac, but I had to admit, it is not for me ;-)

1 comment:

  1. It's nice to see people waking up from "IPhone addiction":)And if you look for alternatives to Windows, the cure might be Linux...good luck!

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