So I swapped the iPhone out for a Droid...

nooshinjohn

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

3 - MyWi, app for my jailbroken iPhone that allws me to create a wife hotspot with the iphone and tether to it, there's one called android wifi tether, but does not yet work on my phone

What does the WIFE HOTSPOT App do exactly... It would be nice if it was able to warn of a multitude of things and provide correct answers for questions like "honey do I look fat in....":D:D:p

mdaudioguy

I'm on an iPhone 3G and have had my sights set on an iPhone 4 for some time now. My wife was just given a Motorola Droid (Verizon) for work. Anyone know how the Samsung Captivate compares with the Motorola Droid? I'd definitely be interested if it compares favorably.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Are you talking about the Motorola Droid X that just came out or an older model?

If you're talking about the original Droid, then the Captivate (and all the Galaxy S phones from Samsung) will own it, but then it's a newer device so you'd expect that.

If you're talking about the Droid X then it's much closer, and will depend somewhat on what you favor.

The Droid X has a better camera (at 8Mp and a flash), so if you're taking tons of pictures and video then you'll want to look at that phone. It also has an HDMI out I believe, which would be nice.

The Captivate has a better screen (the Droid X is slightly bigger and more resolution, but the picture is better on the AMOLED screen on the Captivate). The only real competitor to the Captivate right now on the screen IMO is the iPhone 4 with the Retina Display. So everything 'looks' better on the Captivate IMO. There are also some other technical advantages to the AMOLED technology, like the fact that displaying a black screen doesn't consume any backlight energy and there are some apps that can use that to save battery life.

The Captivate also has six axis sensor instead of the standard 3, so that's potentially a plus for gaming.

I don't know the specs of the Droid X, but the processing power and namely graphics capabilities of the Captivate are about the best you can get in an Android phone, based on what I've read. Here's a good video - http://sefanboy.com/2010/07/17/samsung-captivate-vs-motorola-droid-x-vs-htc-evo-4g-vs-google-nexus-one-benchmarks-and-graphicsgaming-test/

Overall, I prefer the Captivate over the other options out there, but then again the camera capabilities aren't a hugh priority for me, the camera that's on the Captivate is quite good in well-lit conditions and is plenty for anything I need.

mdaudioguy

Hers appears to be a standard Droid and I like it. The GPS issue you mentioned concerns me. I use my iPhone GPS quite a bit, so I'll keep my eyes open for info on that. Otherwise, looks like my iPhone 4 order is on hold until I check out the Captivate! Oh yeah, gotta look into an Android Squeezebox app too. I really appreciate your postings here - thanks!

exalted512

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

I made the switch over to Google Voice last night. I actually set up the account a while back, but then never played around with it. With Google Voice I actually now prefer the voicemail to that on the iPhone, which is not really a comparison between the phone since it'll install on either device.

If you actually get a google voice number, it works much better with a google phone than on the iphone.

With a google voice number, you can (but not limited too)

Have one number for your home, work, and cell.

Auto-forward calls to voice mail depending on the number that is calling you.

Have specific voice mail messages for specific numbers that call you.

Record incoming calls.

Listen in on people leaving a message, and answer it if you want to.

Will send your voice mails to you as SMS in a speech-text form (although its never very accurate, but it generally gives you a good idea).

Listen to your voicemail on your computer via your email.

Send text messages through your email.

Not get charged for text messages through your google voice number. (I've dropped texting from my account, it only saves me like $5, but hey, thats $5...)

Drawbacks:
You cannot receive MMS through your google voice number, but you can still receive it through your regular number.

For more:
http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html
-Cody

AsSiMiLaTeD

yep, that's what I'm doing

Demiurge

The pros and cons aren't quite that black and white. A more objective look:

Google Voice: 5 Reasons to Use It, 5 Reasons to Think Twice

Google is opening the gates to its long-awaited Google Voice phone management service this week. Here are some things to consider as you decide whether the service is right for you.

JR Raphael, PC World
Jun 25, 2009 8:00 pm

After weeks of anticipation, Google is finally accepting a limited number of new users into its Google Voice phone system. Google Voice allows you to unite all of your phones under a single number and then use a powerful set of controls to determine how calls are handled. It packs plenty of other impressive functionality, too, including voicemail-to-text transcribing and advanced call-screening.

(Check out PC World's review of Google Voice)

At the same time, though, adopting Google Voice as your communications commander introduces some potential negatives, ranging from privacy-related concerns to questions about reliability. Here's a breakdown of five pros and five cons to help you determine whether the service is right for you.
Google Voice: 5 Reasons to Use It

1. Routing power

Google Voice eliminates the problem of having multiple numbers for multiple purposes. Once you sign up and receive a phone number, you input all of your existing numbers--your cell phone, work phone, home phone, and anything else--into the control panel. Then, when you receive a call, all of your phones will ring (or a smaller subset, if you choose), and you can answer on whichever one is most convenient at the time.

The true power, though, comes with Google Voice's advanced routing options. You can set your preferences so that certain calls will ring only certain phones. If, for example, you wanted your spouse's calls to go straight through to your cell phone, or your mother's calls to ring only on your home phone, you could make those specifications. You could even set certain callers to be routed directly into your voicemail.

2. Screening power

Once a call comes through, you have a whole new set of options. When you pick up the call, and while the caller still hears ringing, you'll be presented with the person's name and four options: answer the call, send it to voicemail, send it to voicemail and listen in live, or answer and record the call.

Google Voice uses information from your address book to tell you who's calling. If the caller isn't in your contacts list, Google Voice can ask for their name and play it back for you when you pick up.

3. Voicemail power

As mentioned above, Google Voice's voicemail system allows you to listen in while someone is recording a message. If you decide to pick up midmessage, you simply press the star key and begin talking.

Google Voice's voicemail is fully accessible over the Web, too: You can listen to voicemail online, forward voice messages to other users, and even embed them on other Web sites. Google Voice also offers text transcriptions of your voice messages and the ability to receive them via e-mail or text message.

4. SMS power

SMS is fully integrated into Google Voice. If someone sends a message to your Google number, the service will route it to any mobile phones you have connected. You can reply to text messages from any phone as well, or via the Google Voice Web interface.

Google Voice can also store all of your text messages within its Web interface for permanent archiving. That means every text you've ever sent or received can be filed, searched, and kept forever--as if it were e-mail. Like Gmail, the Google Voice Web system displays back-and-forth messages as conversations to make following dialogues easier.

5. Midcall power

Google Voice gives you added power while you're in the middle of a call, too. You can start and stop recording calls with the touch of a single button, and then access those recordings online. You can also switch phones without having to interrupt the call: You simply press the star key while talking, and your other connected phones will begin to ring. At that point, you can pick any of them up, hang the original phone up, and go about your conversation as if nothing had happened.

Google Voice: 5 Reasons to Think Twice

1. Privacy

As is the case with many Google products, privacy is a hot topic within discussions of Google Voice. By using Google Voice to control all of your phone activity, you're exposing a vast amount of personal information to Google. Everything from whom you call to what you discuss--yes, even in hazy late-night text messages you yourself may not remember--is stored on Google's servers. Together with the other various data Google may have on you, all of that could create quite a portfolio.

Is Google suddenly going to publish your entire life on the Web? Of course not. Like other Google services, Google Voice is governed by a privacy policy that explains what can and can't happen with your data (and, I think it's safe to say, selling your 3 a.m. texts to Penthouse Forum is not one of the approved options).

Still, the data is in someone else's hands, and it could be used for certain purposes outside of your own personal perusal. Some privacy advocates have expressed concerns that Google Voice may lead to "increased profiling and tracking of users without safeguards." Whether that's a problem is largely up to you, and how comfortable you feel with the situation.

2. Advertisements

As of now, Google Voice is completely cost-free and ad-free. The ad-free part could easily change, however. Just this week, one analyst told the New York Times that he expected Google to use the system to "help accelerate [its] mobile penetration by creating a larger mobile ecosystem against which Google can sell/target/monetize advertisements."

What's more, the fact that Google has so much of your information could play a key role in any future monetization plan: Much as Gmail has used content from your messages to determine what ads show on the page, Google Voice could use data about your calling habits or the content of your texts to customize ads within the service.

3. Reliability

We like to think that Google will never fail us--but the fact is, technology is fallible, and things do go wrong. The world has certainly seen plenty of Google-related service outages over the years, including one last month that took almost all Google products offline for a large number of users. It's frustrating to be unable to access your e-mail or RSS feeds; but for many people, the risk of not being able to receive any calls or text messages may be far more troubling.

So what if Google Voice does go down? Even if it's a rare occasion, are you okay with it? The idea isn't completely far-fetched: During last month's Google outage, some users who were a part of early Google Voice testing say that their Google number did stop working. "My wife called my number and actually got throu gh to a stranger," one user told xconomy.com. "This has got to NEVER happen again."

Other users have reported some less extreme problems using the service, such as failed call recordings and other similar issues. All of that is important to consider before you commit to depending entirely on any new system.

4. Caller ID confusion

If you start using a Google Voice number as your primary number, be prepared for the fact that regular calls from your cell phone (or any other phone) will still show up as your old number. This may create confusion, as the number you give out won't match the number from which you actually call.

Notably, the service does offer a way to make calls that will show as coming from the Google Voice number: You can go through the Web interface and type in a number, and then have Google dial you to begin the call; or you can dial your Google Voice number directly and then place the call through it. Regardless, it's an extra step that could prove to be cumbersome.

5. Number-changing hassle

Aside from the caller ID confusion, you'll have to get people to start reaching you at a new number. Particularly with the often-permanent nature of cell phone numbers nowadays, that may prove to be easier said than done. You might have to reprint business cards or stationery, and you'd have to take the time to update your information anywhere you have a registered account (the cable company, doctors' offices, and so on).

Google says it hopes to offer the option to port an existing number into Google Voice in the future. That capability, if and when it's introduced, would cut down on some of the hassle. Until it is introduced, though, be sure to think carefully about what's involved before you decide to make the move to the new service.

So there you have it: ample food for thought as you determine whether Google Voice is right for you. Of course, you still have to get an official Google invitation first. Gauging by the number of people who signed up, that could take a while -- so you probably have plenty of time to think.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/167424/google_voice_5_reasons_to_use_it_5_reasons_to_think_twice.html

mole'

i have had the older Moto (DROID) for sometime now. so if you need help with it, LMK

AsSiMiLaTeD

#4 against is inaccurate, and #5 isn't really a compelling argument. The first 3 are legitimate concerns...

tcrossma

The first 3 are legitimate, but aren't they the same concerns one could have with their current provider? I've had Verizon outages before. And my guess is that Verizon maintains my text message and usage data somewhere. It's just one company vs. another here, no added concerns IMO.

bobman1235

Let me preface all of this with the fact that I am a Google Voice user.

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote:

#4 against is inaccurate

It seems pretty accurate to me. Having an iPhone, where Google Voice is very poorly integrated (read : not at all), there are times when I kind of forget and just call someone back directly from my iPhone, and the caller ID shows up as my non-Google number. It creates a lot of confusion, to the point where some people just refuse to ever call my Google Voice number. It's my fault, but it's my fault BECAUSE there's no clean / easy way to use Google Voice via the iPhone interface (Iv'e heard Android does a better job of this, for obvious reasons).

tcrossma wrote: »

The first 3 are legitimate, but aren't they the same concerns one could have with their current provider? I've had Verizon outages before. And my guess is that Verizon maintains my text message and usage data somewhere. It's just one company vs. another here, no added concerns IMO.

Not really. Google specifically uses information for advertising purposes, something almost no other company does. Verizon "has" your information, but they don't parse it to sell you advertisements. You don't send a text to your buddy about a beer and get junk mail the next week about that same beer. Keeping information on a server somewhere and actually parsing and USING that information are two TOTALLY different things. Now, personally Google's privacy policy doesn't bother me, as I think privacy in that context is a joke anyway, but it's a legitimate concern if that's the kind of thing you dislike.

AsSiMiLaTeD

I haven't tested on my iPhone, but on my new phone I have 3 options for handling outbound calls

1 - Always use Google Voice to dial
2 - Always use my phone number to dial
3 - Ask me which one I wanna do each time

I never used it on my iPhone because I liked the voicemail feature and never needed it

bobman1235

There's nothing to test on the iPhone. It has no concept of Google Voice or anything like it.

AsSiMiLaTeD

I thought there was a google voice app for the iphone?

danger boy

ok, so where would I go to browse what apps are available for the Samsung Captivate? is there a Droid apps store?

bobman1235

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

I thought there was a google voice app for the iphone?

There's a jailbreak-only app, but it isn't really integrated into anything - you HAVE to launch the app and make your calls from it. If you go into your contact list and click "dial" there's no option for "dial with google voice." See what I mean?

The only non-jailbreak "app" (since Apple rejected Google Voice from the App store) is a web app which is very functional and well-done, but still requires you to LAUNCH said app to make any calls. It's cumbersome considering how many ways you can call someone. Like if I got an email with a phone number in it, I could usually just click that phone number in the email and it would dial. But if I did that, it would dial from my normal number, and there's no way, other than copy and paste and going through the webapp, to route that through Google.

bobman1235

danger boy wrote: »

ok, so where would I go to browse what apps are available for the Samsung Captivate? is there a Droid apps store?

http://www.android.com/market/

Remember that Droid is the stupid marketing name Verizon gave to its Android phones. ANDROID is the platform you're using, so apps come from the Android Marketplace.

danger boy

cool bobman1235
thanks for clearing that up.

also what are these terms people are throwing out?

jail breaking? tethering? Google voice ? I know these might be basic terms to some, but I don't know what they mean.

bobman1235

I know you're mostly kidding, but just in case :

Google Voice is impossible to explain in one sentence but there's a good video explaining it here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4Q9MJdT5Ds

Jailbreak - Apple restricts what Apps you can install on your iPhone to things they approve. A group of developers have found ways to break this limitation, and they call it "jailbreaking" (in the Android world, this is called "rooting", FYI). Once you Jailbreak an iPhone, you can install any app onto it, including apps that have been denied by Apple and tweak things Apple would never otherwise allow you to tweak.

Tethering is using your cell phone's connection to the Internet for other devices. So if you had your laptop with you somewhere where there was no WiFi, you could plug it into your cell phone ("tethering" it) and use your phone's 3G connection or whatever as your Internet connection.

Demiurge

I signed up for Google Voice myself when it was widely available last month. After using it a bit, I decided to delete it. I came to the realization that hooking it up to my business (which I never did) could cause lots confusion for customers and vendors.

I also wasn't too keen on relying on something that could change for the worse down the line. There's a reason Google isn't charging for this service (for now). The biggest reason is that they're getting what they need from you and the people you communicate with.

That might not mean much to you personally, but it could mean a lot in a business relationship.

To the iPhone Vs. Droid issue...it's more AT & T Vs. Verizon for me....

I find myself in the position of getting ready to drop Verizon, whom I have been with for like 6 years or so and moving over to AT & T. I'm not anti-smart phone, I'm anti-ridiculous data plans these companies require because all of the dopes who have next to no practical use for such connectivity that have allowed a market for such expensive data plans.

AT & T seems to have tiered plans that don't require a $29.99 (+ fees and taxes, I'm sure) like Verizon does for any smart phone. Seems like I can get away with $15.00 (+ fees and taxes, I'm sure) extra per month with AT & T, which I find palatable. AT &T also has rollover minutes, which Verizon does not. That is a big deal to me since I never use all my minutes each month.

Am I missing anything there? If I go with AT & T I'll get the iPhone 4. If I stay with Verizon I'll stick with my old phone until Verizon removes their stupid $30/mo data plan requirement for their smart phones.

vc69

Demi - I believe Verizon is going to a tiered data plan pretty soon. Also, the lowest priced data plan ATT has to offer is $15/200mb.

bobman1235

I've heard rumblings for a while about Verizon going to a tiered data plan; I thought they officially announced something?

AsSiMiLaTeD

I actually like AT&T (yep, I'm the one). Their service here, and everywhere I've been, is great. I've been with them over ten years and have NEVER had a single problem with any facet of their service, except that they're more expensive than some other options.

One thing I would say is check into their service where you're at, because apparently in some parts of the country their service isn't as good.

Does Verizon still have that stupid thing where you can't talk and browse at the same time? That's dumb, and doesn't not exist as a limitation with AT&T. I'm told the technology that Verizon uses is better, but AT&T works fine for me.

You seem to like Apple IIRC, so I won't comment on your choice of phone other than the comments in the original post.

bobman1235

AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »

Does Verizon still have that stupid thing where you can't talk and browse at the same time? That's dumb, and doesn't not exist as a limitation with AT&T.

They do not. I asked the same question of a friend of mine who just bought an Incredible, and we tested it out (he called me on his phone, put me on speaker, and then went and did web stuff, and we had no problems).


I agree with you on AT&T though. I've been with them since it was CellularOne and haven't had a bit of problem.

Demiurge

Maybe I'll wait it out then to at least see what Verizon comes up with, as I have otherwise been mostly satisfied with them.

I have no preference of an iPhone Vs. an Android based phone at this time. I like the iPhone and I like several of the Android based phones Verizon offers.

The main reason I want to move to these new smart phones is so that I can have access to use various apps when I want them. I'm willing to pay a bit for access since several of them are very useful. Just wanting access to them, however, doesn't mean I will constantly be using them, because I won't be. Because of that, I just don't have any use for the more expensive data plan Verizon requires to justify the costs. That doesn't include text message, either, correct? I don't text message more than 2-3 times a month, so its not like it matters.

I know when it comes down to it I'm squabbling over $180/year when comparing the low end $15.00/mo at AT & T and the required $30/mo at Verizon, but still...

I really wish there were some way people could resist them more so that these plans would fall in line with reality. As I mentioned in another thread, with these data plans people's cell phone bills are almost equal to their home cable and internet. To me, there's something wrong with that. Maybe its just me.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Uh, I just found swype on my phones, it's completely badass. In just a few minutes I'm already finding it very intuitive

Ric5811

dorokusai wrote: »

I'm sure he's able to determine what's best for him.

That's funny coming from you...:rolleyes:

vc69

Having checked my data usage over the past six months, I discovered that I have never exceeded 150mb in a month. So yeah, why not save the $180?


To the OP: Good write-up. Thanks!

maggiefan

New gov't rules allow unapproved iPhone apps
Posted 7/26/2010 5:14 PM ET E-mail | Save | Print



By Joelle Tessler, AP Technology Writer
WASHINGTON — Owners of the iPhone will be able to legally unlock their devices so they can run software applications that haven't been approved by Apple Inc., according to new government rules announced Monday.
The decision to allow the practice commonly known as "jailbreaking" is one of a handful of new exemptions from a 1998 federal law that prohibits people from bypassing technical measures that companies put on their products to prevent unauthorized use of copyright-protected material. The Library of Congress, which oversees the Copyright Office, reviews and authorizes exemptions every three years to ensure that the law does not prevent certain non-infringing uses of copyright-protected works.

For iPhone jailbreakers, the new rules effectively legitimize a practice that has been operating in a legal gray area by exempting it from liability. Apple claims that jailbreaking is an unauthorized modification of its software.

Mario Ciabarra, founder of Rock Your Phone, which calls itself an "independent iPhone application store," said the rules mark the first step toward opening the iPhone app market to competition and removing the "handcuffs" that Apple imposes on developers that want to reach users of the wildly popular device.

Unless users unlock their handsets, they can only download apps from Apple's iTunes store. Software developers must get such apps pre-approved by Apple, which sometimes demands changes or rejects programs for what developers say are vague reasons.

Ciabarra noted that Google Inc. has taken a different approach with its Android operating system, which is emerging as the biggest competitor to the iPhone. Google allows users of Android phones to download applications from outside the Android Market.

Although Apple has never prosecuted anyone for jailbreaking, it does use software upgrades to disable jailbroken phones, and the new government rules won't put a stop to that. That means owners of such phones might not be able to take advantage of software improvements, and they still run the risk of voiding their warranty.

Apple spokesman Natalie Kerris said Monday that the company is concerned about jailbreaking because the practice can make an iPhone unstable and unreliable.

"Apple's goal has always been to ensure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone, and we know that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience," she said.

In addition to jailbreaking, other exemptions announced Monday would:

_ allow owners of used cell phones to break access controls on their phones in order to switch wireless carriers.

_ allow people to break technical protections on video games to investigate or correct security flaws.

_ allow college professors, film students, documentary filmmakers and producers of noncommercial videos to break copy-protection measures on DVDs so they can embed clips for educational purposes, criticism or commentary.

_ allow computer owners to bypass the need for external security devices called dongles if the dongle no longer works and cannot be replaced.

_ allow blind people to break locks on electronic books so that they can use them with read-aloud software and similar aides.

Although the jailbreaking exemption is new, all the others are similar to the last set of exemptions, which were announced in November 2006. The new rules take effect Tuesday and are expected to last a few years.

The exceptions are a big victory for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which had urged the Library of Congress to legalize several of them, including the two regarding cell phones.

Jennifer Stisa Granick, EFF's civil liberties director, said the rules are based on an important principle: Consumers should be allowed to use and modify the devices that they purchase the way they want. "If you bought it, you own it," she said.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Posted 7/26/2010 5:14 PM ET

bobman1235

Uh, you might want to recheck that DSkip. It's 200MB.