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I am a captivate owner and I have nothing to complain about.
The line above is a single sentence summary of this post. If you have no interest in the opinions of others or prefer to complain about a developers hard work then you should probably stop reading now.
After the countless hours I have spent in the Samsung Captivate section I am beginning to feel there is a growing void in the area of captivate compliments. It's as if people are angered by Samsung's apparent failure to achieve perfection. A post of positivity or satisfaction with our magical devices only seems to appear amidst the rampant firings of Iphone vs Captivate battles fanboy raids.
I do not intend to claim that Samsung has achieved perfection. Through the development and production of this device we can see that some apparent flaws have been made, HOWEVER!, these flaws are not attached to every captivate experience. After initially reading through this forum I would assume I have been blessed by the phone gods for providing me with the only fully functional captivate produced. After digging for some time though, it can be seen that there are a few who have had an awesome and intended experience with this phone. I never had a problem with GPS or Battery and I couldn't even complain about lag.
Rom after rom, my opinion has grown more positive. Through research and understanding I have learned how to make my device work more effectively for me. I have learned that most errors and malfunctions are simply user error or misinformation. A good and verified Master Clear can work wonders for a properly flashed phone's performance.
To the developers out there gilding the lily daily. You are awesome! Always should you receive an error log, but never should you hear a complaint.
I will end this with some things that have been making me smile since captivate release:
1. SAMOLED
2. Speed
3. Multitasking like a MoFo (Last.FM + My Tracks + HD video recording, simultaneously)
Updating with more smile factors:
4. Sleek sturdy hardware design
5. Phone sound quality and reception
6. Device/screen size
7. 3D acceleration
+1 to this. I too love my phone, it is a learnign curve and we have so many wonderful developers working hard to make out phones better. I agree that a little bit of learning goes a long way, most of the complaints I read and problems that are experienced are caused by over enthusiastic new owners that do not go through the proper steps for clean flashing and often have bugs do to this. Too many people improperly installing ROMS, not knowing the difference between Recovery and Download mode. Mostly due to not reading enough and following the clearly outlines steps. We all make mistakes and have all been noobs, no device is perfect and I know I had to spend two weeks of constant reading to know how to properly flash my phone, use adb, and various other usefull tools. I am constantly learning about Android and the Captivate, I am happy with my device and my current setup. These aren't I-phones thank god and you have to spend time to set it up the way it works for you, depending on individual needs and preference.
I also thing we have a wonderful comunity and need to work together to make it a pleasent atmosphere for all. I am truly enjoying my phone and appreciate the hard work the developers put into this.
The compaining gets tiresome, but with a little patience and learning these are really great Android phones. If you want something to work with no need to tweek and hack then Android id probably not the device for you, imo.
Happy to say the same! (without typing it lol)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
+1 Thank you for the post.
Good Post
I feel the same right now about mine. Everyone that has watched any of the hd movies I have loaded says the same...WOW...OMG...that looks awesome..
Does the endless complaining and *****ing do any good..Yes..it does..and while you are quite right in saying this is a great phone..please don't try to silence those who do complain about theirs..they have every right to do so,provided what they are saying is truthfull.
I know many have a hardon for Samsung because of the GPS issue..and also the 3-button recovery fiasco..and people should be made aware of them prior to buying so they can do as I did and get one that works..but..with out all of those B&M'ng threads I most likely would have not known about it..so IMHO they do serve a purpose.
On the good side..I love how fast this phone is,and how great it works..I'll be (hopefully ) even happy when 2.2 or Gingerbread is released..I do recommend them to my friends wanting to get one..and let them know to come here and sign up so they too can learn all about them and all of the great developers work on all of the phones ..This is a great place..with lots of good people working hard to make things even better for us..
Mac
It is a great phone. My friends marvel at my resolution and then bend their heads and text on theirs.
Since rooting I feel freer. Ahhh.
Mac11700 said:
Does the endless complaining and *****ing do any good..Yes..it does..and while you are quite right in saying this is a great phone..please don't try to silence those who do complain about theirs..they have every right to do so,provided what they are saying is truthfull.
Mac
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I do not intend to silence those with complaints about their device or experiences. I myself have listed my concerns with the device here on XDA. It is a crucial part of how our community gains understanding and shares information. I just think the overwhelming count of negative to positive posts can be frightening to a newcomer or perspective android convert. I don't want to silence the negative but encourage the positive.
The above being said, some refrain should be practiced when posting to a developers thread. I am no developer but I think some people have a tendency to be more critical than helpful when complaining about freely developed and distributed software.
Otherwise, point taken and understood. Thanks for the contribution.
I absolutely love this phone. The GPS is abysmal, the Facebook app is in severe need of an update and the lack of convenient stable visual voicemail, but beyond that the phone is awesome.
I love swype and the amount of apps and I seem to be constantly blown away by the screen. Also, the battery life is great compared to my 3g.
I was skeptical at first but I'm glad I dove in.
Well.. I do not have this phone.. But, I actually 100% understand what you mean..
The best example I can think of is a PC.
When you buy a pc, what is the first thing most (even remotely knowledgable) users do with it?
Install a few programs. I always use ccleaner, to get clear out extra files, you delete the "extra" programs you don't want (if you didn't build the pc yourself). You make quite a few changes as soon as you get it.
If your going to get a phone.. and really want to get the most out of it.. your going to have to mod it.. That means Jailbreaking it on iphone, Rooting it on android and voiding your warranty eveywhere.
If your squeamish about voiding your warranty and just want a phone for email/internet browsing.. The iphone 4 is a great choice and you are welcome to use it, Actually so is blackberry, Symbian, and a slew of other phone's.
The truth is complaints shouldn't be addressed to the phone.. but, more the respective manufacturers and carriers that prevent rooting and void your warranty for doing so.
If you know what your buying, I can't feel bad when you come back and complain... If you don't know what your buying, I can't feel bad for you at all.. Why? if your going to get the most out of *ANYTHING* in life your going to have to know what your getting into and be fully aware of your actions.. Those who aren't, I can't pity.
With that said.. I'm not saying people shouldn't strive to push manufacturers to fix problems, and being able to read warnings is nice before you buy something.. My biggest problem when I read complaints is, people don't feel the need to warn, express this dislike or try to address their problems..
They want to just run in cry, whine, and then blast the phone as if it killed their children, ate their dog and laughed in their face.
if I could persuade my parents to cover the data plan.. (not happening, they wouldn't even let me pay for it).. Then I'd spring for capt full cash right now..
Loving this thread . . . not really as much as I love persistent positivity and gratuitous kindness in general, but almost as much as I love my endearingly imperfect Captivate.
Nice work, '84. I'm gonna go ahead and assume that you're way too nice a guy to have bludgeoned to death and buried 83 to earn that nickname.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=809471
People ask me about my phone(captivate), and if they should get an iphone or captivate. Simple answer, if your a simple person, and don't like customizing or if your not really tech savvy, then get an iphone. But if you're the complete opposite, then go with an android (this is of course not involving jail breaking)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Mac11700 said:
I feel the same right now about mine. Everyone that has watched any of the hd movies I have loaded says the same...WOW...OMG...that looks awesome..
Does the endless complaining and *****ing do any good..Yes..it does..and while you are quite right in saying this is a great phone..please don't try to silence those who do complain about theirs..they have every right to do so,provided what they are saying is truthfull.
I know many have a hardon for Samsung because of the GPS issue..and also the 3-button recovery fiasco..and people should be made aware of them prior to buying so they can do as I did and get one that works..but..with out all of those B&M'ng threads I most likely would have not known about it..so IMHO they do serve a purpose.
On the good side..I love how fast this phone is,and how great it works..I'll be (hopefully ) even happy when 2.2 or Gingerbread is released..I do recommend them to my friends wanting to get one..and let them know to come here and sign up so they too can learn all about them and all of the great developers work on all of the phones ..This is a great place..with lots of good people working hard to make things even better for us..
Mac
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They have every right to complain, sure. But does that mean we have to be audience to these continually barrages of people who don't realize they have the choice to get rid of the phone if it doesn't suit them? I understand that we can have concerns, but if they're not handled constructively (ie varying, gps, lag, battery) they're cries should fall on deaf ears because I frankly don't need to hear it. Its been rehashed too many times to merit new threads and is far from necessary.
I come to this forum to get help with minor issues or improvement of my phone which is one I already love over my old 9700. That is why I love reading these kinds of threads where someone instead of injecting negativity into the community is seeking to shine a positive light. So here's to threads that offer help or new ways to improve the experience. Thanks OP glad you're enjoying your phone!
Dankenstein said:
Loving this thread . . . not really as much as I love persistent positivity and gratuitous kindness in general, but almost as much as I love my endearingly imperfect Captivate.
Nice work, '84. I'm gonna go ahead and assume that you're way too nice a guy to have bludgeoned to death and buried 83 to earn that nickname.
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Most people are pleasant and inviting in person then go to the internet to become complete troll nobs. I prefer to be an a repulsive ass in person and make people on the internet believe I am a nice and well adjusted individual. This process makes life more spontaneous and brings a since of humor to Online Dating.
In truth though, it is an engine reference for a "1984 Harley Davidson Shovelhead".
I love my phone. I love it more now that i have angry birds. Would like inter-op words with friends, but there are alternatives. I do wish the "issue" that people complain about gets fixed, but it doesn't bother me. I would barely use it anyway. To much like a leash to me. Did I mention I love my phone.
Shovelhead84 said:
Most people are pleasant and inviting in person then go to the internet to become complete troll nobs. I prefer to be an a repulsive ass in person and make people on the internet believe I am a nice and well adjusted individual. This process makes life more spontaneous and brings a since of humor to Online Dating.
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That was the best laugh I've had all day!
I love my captivate. I admit to being a bit obsessed with it. I had GPS issues, but that was the ONLY thing I didn't like about the phone. I was hesitant to exchange it because I didn't want to end up with a different set of problems, but I did exchange it.
Now I love my Captivate AND I have a working GPS I use every day
Bob
+1
Coming from a jailbroken iPhone 3g, there is no comparison. This is my 1st Android phone and couldn't be happier with it. I've only had it about a month and i've learned a lot, mainly by reading these forums...hence why this is only my 4th post
this phone is so underrated. its as good as or better than any on the market today, yet all you hear is droid droid droid
chrisz5z said:
+1
Coming from a jailbroken iPhone 3g, there is no comparison. This is my 1st Android phone and couldn't be happier with it. I've only had it about a month and i've learned a lot, mainly by reading these forums...hence why this is only my 4th post
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Well, welcome to XDA and to your new mobile experience. Back in my WinMo days I spents weeks reading the Kaiser forums before my first few posts. All the new acronyms and software references can be a bit daunting, even for the savviest of geeks. Luckily I made a smooth transfer by running android ports on my winmo device before fully jumping in.
shadow65781 said:
this phone is so underrated. its as good as or better than any on the market today, yet all you hear is droid droid droid
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The annoying stab by the general uninformed public is an assumption that "Droid" is the correct term to reference all android devices. I blame Verizon and their conniving marketing department. The failed recognition of your device by a passing stranger does give you an opportunity to politely correct them with a showing of the wondrous features your technologically superior device is capable of.
At any given time there are roughly 10 working custom ROMs available to choose from in the development forum.
I have flashed, I think, 7 different ROMs thus far, giving them anywhere from same day changing to a week or so (I have only been at this for about 10-11 days, had my captivate since July) depending on how much or little I liked them.
So XDA brethren, would you say that the amount of development is a gift or a curse? Obviously it's great to have so many choices, with a big thanks going to the chefs, but it also sucks that every time you flash a new awesome ROM... another rolls out right behind it
DrDubzz said:
At any given time there are roughly 10 working custom ROMs available to choose from in the development forum.
I have flashed, I think, 7 different ROMs thus far, giving them anywhere from same day changing to a week or so (I have only been at this for about 10-11 days, had my captivate since July) depending on how much or little I liked them.
So XDA brethren, would you say that the amount of development is a gift or a curse? Obviously it's great to have so many choices, with a big thanks going to the chefs, but it also sucks that every time you flash a new awesome ROM... another rolls out right behind it
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That has the way it has always been and always will be, mainly with the way Android updates. Some roms even update on a nightly basis. That is the way of the modding world. Not for the faint of heart
zelendel said:
That has the way it has always been and always will be, mainly with the way Android updates. Some roms even update on a nightly basis. That is the way of the modding world. Not for the faint of heart
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And personally, this is the reason when I look at people's iPhones around me everyday I feel sad knowing how boring it becomes after a couple weeks ROMS FTW!!! Keep it coming guys
P.S. can anyone direct me to a resource to hook up the captivate to a robot/motor interface and also how to interface the HCS12 controller with it? I saw a youtube video controlling a copter and a RC vehicle but with no info.Would be great to control my current project with it and earn me bonus points for the upcoming coop
Most defiantly a gift...not a curse...to me...For those that have the addiction to having the latest and greatest...well that's a different story.. For me..normally I like to take my time and read all about them..sit back..and see if there has to be 1 update after another to make the rom work correctly..or if something was left out by mistake..Other times I have seen some good work of the developer..and elect to jump in and try something brand new out...run it hard for a few days and then decide if I want to stay with it..or move on..Having lots of choices makes the discovery process more enjoyable for me...
Mac
phonex1 said:
And personally, this is the reason when I look at people's iPhones around me everyday I feel sad knowing how boring it becomes after a couple weeks ROMS FTW!!! Keep it coming guys
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I almost went back to an iphone in november because I was really hating my phone for being so slow and generally unsupported (no froyo?)
But then I decided to take matters into my own hands and I could never go back. I love the support for this phone on here, I guess it's good that there hasn't really been any android competition just yet on AT&T
Lots of ROMs? That's a good problem to have ;-)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
Are you kidding me?! It is the greatest of greatest gifts. If there are approx a dozen working ROMS, its the perfect amount. If you were to check in on the Samsung Epic forum, they have more then that. If you have too many, its overwhelming and you dont get to fully test them. If you have too few of Roms, you lose interest, or your market lacks.
Where we sit with the amount of chef's cooking up their roms, and the support we have in the forums, we are looking good. There is enough variety out there currently to keep us going and to keep it fresh. Still waiting for that one chef to come along and blow us out of the water with something radically different.
Also, this flashing thing, is addictive. You will soon be whoring your handset out to the latest and greatest roms. And when someone complains that you are too involved, you should say that you could be addicted to something worse!
Flash hard, flash often.
The amount and QUALITY of ROMs available here is a divine gift.
The number of ROMs available here is a divine curse. Head is spinning.....
Too much choice = mental overload and constant flashing, resulting in raised eyebrows from the spouse
Must....not.....flash
Mac11700 said:
Most defiantly a gift...not a curse...to me...For those that have the addiction to having the latest and greatest...well that's a different story.. For me..normally I like to take my time and read all about them..sit back..and see if there has to be 1 update after another to make the rom work correctly..or if something was left out by mistake..Other times I have seen some good work of the developer..and elect to jump in and try something brand new out...run it hard for a few days and then decide if I want to stay with it..or move on..Having lots of choices makes the discovery process more enjoyable for me...
Mac
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Quit making fun of me Mac
adamholden85 said:
Quit making fun of me Mac
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I'm not making fun of you Bro...but **** does happen from time to time...even with the best of them...and sometimes the most prudent thing is to let others test the water first so to speak... I've had 4 Captivates...you had how many....7...8...? I'm not a developer...and so I am just a little more hesitant to try everything, than you are with my only phone
Other times..hell...I'll jump right in...all depends on what my gut tells me..after looking closely at the progress that has been made along the way with them..
Mac
It is most definitely a gift. But I will admit, everytime I think I'm happy with a ROM, another one posts that I "have to try"... It has been monopolizing quite a bit of my time!
falcon_bob said:
It is most definitely a gift. But I will admit, everytime I think I'm happy with a ROM, another one posts that I "have to try"... It has been monopolizing quite a bit of my time!
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this is all I meant by curse, I love the choices, it's just hard to make my mind
and really? someone rated this 1-star?
So... I'm winding down from my day, drinking a couple beers and checking XDA for anything I've missed throughout the day. Keep in mind this is my first Android, coming from crapberry... I know it hasn't been out long and there are issues with ril(which I don't know anything about)... I feel like some of the things I have found here I really like have slowed down, if not stopped. Before I get flamed, I understand there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into every Rom and theme we see. I just hope to see that at some point, this phone gets to the point we all hope it will. I'm trying to learn as much as I can and help anyone with questions my limited Android knowledge can accomplish. Feel free to use this thread to vent and rant... Let's get it all out here. Many thanks to the devs still holding strong... I'm just looking for thoughts on how far the development will go with this phoned compared to the EVO's I'm compared to everyday at work.
3 things to keep in mind:
1) CM7 is damn near stable and they're working hard on it. That said, [nearly] everybody who isn't working on CM7 is essentially waiting on the CM7 team to finish since [nearly] everybody wants an AOSP-based ROM. So why would they keep pouring tons of time into their current ROMs since they'll very soon be thrown away?
2) Google I/O. Quite a few of our favorite devs are being distracted by either attending or closely following this event.
3) End of the school year. A lot of our favorite devs are either high school or college students. And many of those who aren't have children. As such, this is a rough time of year for them.
Look at all of this and you shouldn't be all that surprised that things have slowed down for a bit. But I promise you, the TBolt will be one of the main platforms that people will be hacking for a while. We'll have CM7, we'll have MIUI, and we'll have many other custom ROMs and kernels. Just be patient while they get the RIL stable. This is the FIRST phone that has supported LTE and this is also the first phone (that I'm aware of) that has supported eHRPD - there are definitely some lessons that need to be learned, and that takes time.
bking_soda said:
So... I'm winding down from my day, drinking a couple beers and checking XDA for anything I've missed throughout the day. Keep in mind this is my first Android, coming from crapberry... I know it hasn't been out long and there are issues with ril(which I don't know anything about)... I feel like some of the things I have found here I really like have slowed down, if not stopped. Before I get flamed, I understand there is a tremendous amount of work that goes into every Rom and theme we see. I just hope to see that at some point, this phone gets to the point we all hope it will. I'm trying to learn as much as I can and help anyone with questions my limited Android knowledge can accomplish. Feel free to use this thread to vent and rant... Let's get it all out here. Many thanks to the devs still holding strong... I'm just looking for thoughts on how far the development will go with this phoned compared to the EVO's I'm compared to everyday at work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A good amount of stuff has came out with the RIL still not completed, once the RIL is completed, the flood gates will open and you will see a large amount of ROMs made.
bking_soda said:
I'm just looking for thoughts on how far the development will go with this phoned compared to the EVO's I'm compared to everyday at work.
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... so this is about getting compared to the EVO? You guys have pork sword fights at work too?
Hey now... Pork sword fights are saved for after work. Haha. Not comparing to the EVO, just stating that its been out much longer and had more dev time.
In addition, once 2.3 leaks, the floodgates will open again.
Hey B Soda,
I'm in the same boat as you. I loved my BB Bold dearly. So easy to pimp them girls on it. Just the simplicity of the keyboard, being able to connect with other people.
However now being on my first android, i felt that I made the switch at the right time.
With BlackBerry I felt i could write a good email and msg friends all day, but I could never ever use the browser or attempt to download anything because it really was useless.
Tbolt on the other hand, I was able to do everything that i couldn't do on my blackberry, Msging still sucks on the Tbolt, But it is way way better then trying to browse on a blackberry.
With that said, there is still something i miss about the blackberry, but honestly i couldn't be happier.
One more thing, When i first got into android i was completely loss. I have no idea what to do. It was hours and hours of mindless surfing on many different android websites. Hours of reading on root and roms.
Anyhow Android is the future. Long live Google!!!
I see it like this: the Thunderbolt is still an infant--it eats, sleeps, cries, pukes, and poops. When it gets more mature, it can crawl, walk, talk, and more! It just needs some TLC and patience!
It hasn't even been 2 months. It took a whole month if not more I believe to root the Incredible if I remember correctly. Learn some patience people.
You can't compare this phone to the EVO, the EVO has been out for almost a year now.
I gotta agree with the OP.
Development seems to be at a stand still. I understand most developers are waiting for the ril to be completed. But, while we're waiting other phones will be released and developers will start to look towards that phone for development support. I think we'll be left behind. And it really does seem like only 2 developers are working on getting the ril, but when the G2 was rooted it seemed like all of team douche was working to get the ASOP ROM up and running. With the Thunderbolt it's more like team Slayer. Progress was made quickly with the G2 and other devices. Quickly even with team douche building for all devices at once.
I'm not slapping other developers in the face. I'm currently running adrynalyne build, and I like. Great battery life. But I want the speed and stability other devices have with CM7. I really do appreciate the having the support we currently have. And I've donated to the developers of my choice in support of their work.
Coming from the OG Droid, I noticed that many ROMs are based on CM. So we WILL see many more roms.
I can assure you we will get 2.3.4 sometime in the future especially since HTC "promised" that we'll get some kind of 2.3 version. 3.1 was announced at Google I/O, but that probably won't happen until mid next year for us (if we are lucky).
This is the first Verizon 4g phone. The ril is brand new to all. The phone will take off when the ril is polished and released.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA App
I would pay money just to get a virus rom update
i can't wait til they send me my sim card for the tbolt
While I don't have a Thunderbolt and I'm still rocking an OG Droid, I do believe I can say something about this.
I suspect that a lot of people share in these sentiments, myself included. But I believe the reason why is because so many people were amazed at the community that developed after the Droid 1 was released. The Motorola Droid really revolutionized the Android ecosystem. With Android 2.0, Android changed big-time. The Droid (and Android 2.0) was leaps and bounds over anything that had predated it in the Android world, and there was all sorts of development options that opened up with the creation of that new phone.
Unfortunately, I believe that the days of new findings and developments like in the days and weeks in November and December '09 are gone for good, and won't be matched by anything in the near future in the Android world. New phones will come and go, the Thunderbolt included. There will be big-time phones (again, like the Thunderbolt) that people will naturally be attracted to, and those will be the centers of development for the community for a good period of time. But I don't believe you will ever again see a surge in development like you saw for the Motorola Droid.
There is definitely still plenty of development going on in a community like this. It just doesn't seem like as much as there was in the Android community in the past, and it definitely wasn't as much. But I don't think we can ever match those numbers again, so don't let that comparison get you down.
Smok3d said:
A good amount of stuff has came out with the RIL still not completed, once the RIL is completed, the flood gates will open and you will see a large amount of ROMs made.
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I fully agree with what you said. So far there has been some really good to great stuff but I feel personally this is only the beginning of what potential lies within what could be done with ROMs on the Thunderbolt. I can't wait for the RIL to be finished.
I got my OG Droid in Nov. 09 and I personally do not think ROM development was the golden age like you are so fondly remembering. Verizon's first android phone brought a lot of new people to android. It still took quite awhile for community to evolve.
People seem spoiled now ... TB is new tech, we need to give it time. The Devs are bringing out some very Nice sense based ROMs and AOSP will follow... give it time.
"Is dinner ready yet?!" No. "Is it ready yet?!" No. "How about now?!" No. *shoe to the head* "Ow! What the hell was that for?!"
You get the picture. This is exactly what you guys are doing here but it won't be a shoe that you'll get to the side of your head, you'll have pushed a good developer or two away and then you'll really be crying.
Btw, first paragraph is a true story. Actually happened to me a few times.
Sent from my ADR6400L using XDA Premium App
jab476 said:
I would pay money just to get a virus rom update
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Cheers, I'm thinking the same thing...
ddgarcia05 said:
I gotta agree with the OP.
Development seems to be at a stand still. I understand most developers are waiting for the ril to be completed. But, while we're waiting other phones will be released and developers will start to look towards that phone for development support. I think we'll be left behind.
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So how, exactly, do you expect other LTE devices to leave us left behind? EVERY SINGLE Verizon LTE device will build upon what is done for the RIL with the Thunderbolt. If anything, add'l LTE devices coming will actually HELP the Thunderbolt community! At some point, yeah, we'll move past the Thunderbolt. But that won't be until multi-core phones blow single-core phones away. And we're not close to there yet. Perhaps Ice Cream Sandwich will make that a reality (we hope) and that's still 7(?) months away!
Reading the other forums for similar HTC devices, ie incredible s, sensation and evo 3d makes me realise how lucky we are. Those devices and therefore forums may be more popular than this one.
But, I find it quite surprising how many of those people that bother to respond to threads on the other device forums, respond with attitude and negativity. Without intentionally bashing other members, by comparison we seen a more considerate bunch, with less "know it alls". Lets keep it that way.
I think that we are very lucky in that sense and should endeavour to continue the good spirit and sense of community.
on the same note do remember that there is a search button which should always be used prior to posting new threads, also remember that when creating a new thread if the tags added aren't any good then it will never be found by others when searching.
As another member says....peace and lets try to carry on the good attitude
Swyped from HTC Desire S using XDA Premium
DITTO. Other phones might have more ROMs, but no support. The sensation forum has so many posts, that one's question would be buried behind 50 others rather than 1 reply
I think it probably has a lot to do with the desire s not being a stand out when it comes to features, but what it does offer is a high quality handset with very reasonable performance.
But I will agree with the quality of posts in other forums, although this isn't an overly active forum, what it lacks in activeness it gains in quality.
I wouldn't worry about a lack of support as we have some great users (proxuser?) porting ROMs almost non stop, LBC for his fantasic ROM and the Virtuous team for their more in depth multi handset ROM.
I really have to agree here. This part of the forum is awsome. Every member gives a hand when needed, developers are close to users, and there is no extra off topic that drives me crazy.
I congratulate me everyday for picking this phone instead of Nexus S !
That, and the nexus s is basically a phone made of happy meal toy plastic ;-) as I have been saying to the three black sheep that are at school with me who all got one in a matter of a week .
zeekiz said:
I wouldn't worry about a lack of support as we have some great users (proxuser?) porting ROMs almost non stop, LBC for his fantasic ROM and the Virtuous team for their more in depth multi handset ROM.
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we mustn't forget superkid who seemed to start our ROM porting gold rush! madmax without whose super recovery EXT4 we would have very sore fingers and damaged volume buttoins along with everyone else Marylandcookie and many more I can't remember right now!!
yeah, superkid, proxuser, LBC, Virtuous Team, and others like ben_pyett (who has provided non-stop support in the genreal section) have made this forum what it is
I have a Desire S. My loyalty was tested when my sister recently gave me the Incredible S for my birthday. It was so tempting and I HEAVILY contemplated migrating to it. I went on youtube watching reviews, read reviews, checked out the development community over at xda. After a long struggle of choosing between the two, I gave away the Inc S. I had a choice, and at the end of the day my loyalty stays strong to the Desire S. I couldn't get away from its robustness and slender design. Aren't you all proud?
My point is what kept me clinging was this community of developers. To put it simply, I didn't wanna leave you guys for the very same reasons stated by ben. The Inc S had more ROMs but most of them were abandoned. I stuck around because I am a fan of LBC and have great hopes and belief for it.
And Ben, you're one of the most active members on this development I've seen so the props go to you mate.
Seriously, this device is so underrated. The Inc S may be bigger and slightly better but I feel most comfortable with the DS. It's so adequate, perfect and extremely well designed. I just love the look and feel of it in my hand. Everything is just the right amount.
In terms of size, 3.7" is perfect for me. 4" is tolerable. But 4.3", Jesus Christ. Who else is not diggin' the new trend for smartphones getting bigger and bigger? Not me. Unless its gonna do my laundry for me, I don't a mini tablet as a phone.
"Who else is not diggin' the new trend for smartphones getting bigger and bigger? Not me. Unless its gonna do my laundry for me, I don't a mini tablet as a phone."
Totally agree mate and yeah Ben deserves major Kudos ,he helped me a lot at the start when I thought I had bricked my Desire S and getting the LBC rom
THANKS
Many Thanks gentlemen, but, stop it you're making me blush.
Honestly I didn't create this thread for praise, just simply to point out the differnce between this and the majority of previously listed forums attitudes, just try reading some of the posts from the other forums for yourselves and you'll see exactly what I mean.
I try to put in as much as I can, as I too am only a beginner, this being my first Android device and I figure sooner or later I'll need some real help. I also benefit from the time and effort that's put in by the various ROM cooks and figure that this is the only way that I can give back.
Not escaping the fact that I'm ultimately a bit of a geek who likes this stuff and is always keen to learn (Even at my ripe old age).
shrome99 said:
yeah, superkid, proxuser, LBC, Virtuous Team, and others like ben_pyett (who has provided non-stop support in the genreal section) have made this forum what it is
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+1,i totally agree
this forum & all the members are really great
& the community is also getting really big now,thanks to all the hard work of the devs
& also a BIG thanks to Ben for spending so much time here on the forum, helping all of us
edit:
ben_pyett said:
I try to put in as much as I can
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that is what we are thanking you for
This really is a live and warm forum ....
Thank you very much ben_pyett
Indeed this really is a live and warm forum
I got responses and advises here and there throughout the threads within.
Thank you all and keep it rolling
The phone (I call it a Disaster S now) is one of the worst I have ever experienced. I won't bore you with the details, just that I'm with all those who moan some of its even basic features are unpredictable and unreliable at best.
So I too like this forum. I just come here for therapy now ;-)
WibblyW said:
The phone (I call it a Disaster S now) is one of the worst I have ever experienced. I won't bore you with the details, just that I'm with all those who moan some of its even basic features are unpredictable and unreliable at best.
So I too like this forum. I just come here for therapy now ;-)
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LOL
<cut n paste from our other thread>
I believe that either you have a massive dud unit, or it's about time that you took the chance and moved to a custom ROM!
I've has this phone since April and have the exact opposite opinion! I've used LBC Mod since it was first available after I S-OFF'd and rooted my phone, I have tried the other ROMS all of which offer different things, depending on what you're looking for, but, for me coming from a WM Sense background I'm very happy with a "working" close to stock ROM that's stable reliable and ideal for daily use.
I'm also on T-mobile UK. Happy to point you in the right direction - if needed.
Well, I don't want to brick my phone (even reports of frying internals just by removal/reinsertion of battery!) or have warranty problems. Already had motherboard replaced once...
Let me count the ways... Some are these things may be Android platform related, some the Disaster S (hardware), some the stock firmware, or network incompatibility.
- Before the motherboard was replaced, phone would spontaneously reboot seeming triggered by being in poor reception areas when it was going in/out of coverage. It also managed to crash my car radio (and itself) when connected to the car radio via Bluetooth (no other phone has done that)
- Now it randomly fails to tell me about market updates, randomly stops notifying of incoming SMSs properly, some settings in some (standard/built in) apps seem to revert for no reason, it occasionally refuses accept an incoming call when there's indicated coverage. I recently had random emails delayed by over an hour (but I wasn't told by the market there was a GMail update)... yada yada
My all-time record up time before doing a restart to (temporarily) fix one thing or another is about 10 days. Normally it's 5 or less. The worst thing is it's unpredictable. I never know when something's going to break and I'll miss calls, emails or txts, or it will get stuck in a syncing loop draining battery (Exchange contacts sync in the HTC Email app gets turned on somehow, even though I keep deselecting it).
It's just a toy really. Something to show your mates down the pub. Not really fit for purpose. And I'm fed up of looking for workarounds or apps to replace in-built functionality that's supposed to work. Blackberry may not be so pretty, but in my experience they tend to do 'exactly what they say on the tin'. I will prob be back to RIM when I can...
wrong thread.
WibblyW said:
Well, I don't want to brick my phone (even reports of frying internals just by removal/reinsertion of battery!) or have warranty problems. Already had motherboard replaced once...
Let me count the ways... Some are these things may be Android platform related, some the Disaster S (hardware), some the stock firmware, or network incompatibility.
- Before the motherboard was replaced, phone would spontaneously reboot seeming triggered by being in poor reception areas when it was going in/out of coverage. It also managed to crash my car radio (and itself) when connected to the car radio via Bluetooth (no other phone has done that)
- Now it randomly fails to tell me about market updates, randomly stops notifying of incoming SMSs properly, some settings in some (standard/built in) apps seem to revert for no reason, it occasionally refuses accept an incoming call when there's indicated coverage. I recently had random emails delayed by over an hour (but I wasn't told by the market there was a GMail update)... yada yada
My all-time record up time before doing a restart to (temporarily) fix one thing or another is about 10 days. Normally it's 5 or less. The worst thing is it's unpredictable. I never know when something's going to break and I'll miss calls, emails or txts, it will get stuck in a syncing loop draining battery (Exchange contact sync in the HTC Email app gets turned on somehow, even though I keep deselecting it).
It's just a toy really. Something to show your mates down the pub. Not really fit for purpose. And I'm fed up of looking for workarounds or apps to replace in-built functionality that's supposed to work. Blackberry may not be so pretty, but in my experience they tend to do 'exactly what they say on the tin'. I will prob be back to RIM when I can...
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Ouch...I feel your pain, although that sounds like you should get a replacement unit under warranty, or move back to something that you'll be happier with.
ben_pyett said:
Ouch...I feel your pain, although that sounds like you should get a replacement unit under warranty, or move back to something that you'll be happier with.
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Indeed. Hence my comment about RIM. Ironic that my main reason for going Android was the tighter integration with all things in the Google cloud, but in real world terms I've found RIM do that more reliably. Go figure?!?
I don't actually think it's a hardware problem with the Disaster insofar as the nature of the probs makes me think it's firmware and the way I use it. For example I use Exchange, 802.1x wireless authentication, 4 Google apps accounts, etc. I'm sure others do too but maybe not in the same combination. Whatever. Sadly I frequently seem to find what become confirmed bugs in products that others don't.
zeekiz said:
wrong thread.
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Yeah, sorry. Maybe we need a 'therapy' forum anyway lol. Or a new topic "Unlucky to have the Disaster S, lucky to have this forum"
Not everybody is lucky.
I really think that you've got a bad/defective unit. Everybody around here enjoys this phone and squeezes every bit of performance and eyecandy out of it.
Alright, so after reading a couple articles on a bunch of sites. I can sort of understand a vicious cycle that's going on in the mobile development world.
First off, let me begin, Mobile OEMs (as we all know) don't release updates very often. And as a general rule, when they do... it's usually a couple months late. Just look at HTC devices, most of the (somewhat) older devices (depending on what you're definition of older is) aren't getting the updates to ICS for while http://goo.gl/FjcMJ . And in some cases they just decide not to update them at all. (see the Desire HD and possibly the Thunderbolt http://goo.gl/BwZld )
Initially when Android started, this was a little different. And allow me to clarify by going far far back, to the first Android device. The HTC Dream.
It initially came out with Android 1.0 (Astro) it eventually got updated all the way to the software version 1.5 (Cupcake). If you look back then, that's two software updates! Astro to Bender to Cupcake.
Now let's look at just about any other Android device (not made my Samsung, for the most part they're a bad example... (of course then again, they have the head of Cyanogenmod Steve Kondik on their team).
We're going to look at Motorola, because despite the fact that it's owned by Google, not all of their devices have received updates. And the device I've chosen from them is the defy. Now if you look over at the development section of the forums you'll see that we have a working (and apparently a very smooth) port of Jelly Bean for the Defy. http://goo.gl/mE1Qy
But if you decide to see what Motorola's deciding to do to update it from Gingerbread, well... their development section is devoid of everything for the Defy... http://goo.gl/g8XN0
Now why does that matter to us happy go lucky developers and modders? Well let's look over this little scenario I've played out in my head more than once.
CEO#1 "Oh they want Jelly Bean?"
CEO#2 "Yeah they do..."
CEO#1 "So what are we going to do about it?"
CEO#2 *checks XDA* "Nothing, the ones who really care about it have a working ROM up already."
CEO#1 "Okay, sounds good to me. So are you ready to go make some more phones with high specs and outdated software?"
CEO#2 "Well if we start now, we should be able to get six new devices running ICS 4.0.3 out by mid December!"
CEO#1 "Ohh, not even having the latest version of ICS is really going to get them. Brilliant!"
This is a vicious cycle that just keeps going around, and around, and around. The problem is that there doesn't seem to be a way to stop it. While we need Superuser and rooting privileges, we also need updates to the latest version of Android OS to keep us going.
OEMs on the other hand see us as free labor for development and as the only people who really want/need the updates. The problem is that with their history of sending out updates we really can't stop working. And even when they do send out updates, sometimes they aren't even fully stable! (see Evo 3D http://goo.gl/VzCNM )
So the question is, how are we going to stop this?
Buy devices from the companies that keep things up to date. The Nexus gets direct pushes from Google so you know you're good there. Sony has a dedicated line to developers through their forums and even offers devices for temporary dev use and has reasonably priced unsubsidised phones.
Put your dollars in the right places if you want to make change happen. Those who want full access still aren't a large enough part of the market to shape everything. That said, people pushing for control have made sure that iDevices can be jailbroken and HTC is staggering hard because of mis-steps in marketing that have been worsened by lackluster updates and their decision to shun the dev community that was bolstering them.
They can't look at xda or whatever Android forum because there is a larger population of users who have no idea what rooting is, let alone custom ROMs. Those people depend on updates and if they won't get an official update, they won't get one at all.
Sent from my MB508 using xda premium
If you ask 10 Android users what version of Android they are on, 8 of them will have no clue, 1 will know because the sales rep used it as a selling point, and one of them will be running Jellybean (thanks to XDA!).
Consumer demand is not high enough to demand the cost of testing new software on dated phones. Sad but true.
thebeastglasser said:
OEMs on the other hand see us as free labor for development and as the only people who really want/need the updates.
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If they really saw us as free labor, they would release a phone with cyanogenmod or something and just kang whatever works for their next update. (Actually, this would be a very good idea.)
However, in actuality, they just don't care about the devs. Too busy trying to differentiate their products with custom skins and cause more work for everyone.
It is true that most people don't know much more than that they are are android or "droid", just like many people don't know much more than they have an Iphone. The vocal majority of phone users (online) however have quite a bit more knowledge which means they get much more feedback from the minority.
One of the main reasons (other than price) that I got a Nexus 7 was due to the fact that Google pushes updates immediately to their nexus devices. I see this as an additional "perk".
You can't buy a device Android or other from an OEM or carrier and expect to get the latest greatest updates a or mods any too quickly. Forums and sites like xda bring in developers and users who ate eager to offer mods and help that you will never find coming from the mainstream as quickly or with the same quality. I get the device I want and look to here to make it better quicker.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using xda app-developers app
But what I see is that there are a bunch of phones that could easily be running better software (like the Defy) but OEMs clearly see that anybody who seems to care enough about updates are doing it themselves. The problem is, there are relatives of mine who refuse to root and yet they know enough about phones to know what version they're running and know the difference between the two versions. The one they currently have, and the one they could have.
I feel like this is kind of unfair to the sed-mentioned people and on top of that, it makes uneducated users buy more phones, while it keeps people like us are at work.
I'd bet that it was a pain in the a** porting ICS to the Desire HD no thanks to HTC, and yet this is just one less job for HTC and a hell of a lot more work for us... That's just me.
And also, that idea for a "pre-kanged" phone or one running a version of Cyanogenmod is pretty good. It'd be a great idea...
Again, speak with your dollars. I have no doubt that Nexus sales will continue to climb not only because of devs, but because people who just end up with them will like seeing timely updates and devices that continue to get better and better. If you want to help the rise of affordable, quality devices then steer others toward them when you can and buy them yourself when it's time for something new.
Also, people on xda do not see development as a "work", they see it as a hobby...
So even if all the phones were on the latest android, the dev community here at Xda would still be hard at "work" to come up with something better...something which the OEM's and Google couldn't think of implementing even with such large resources at their disposal...
And let's face it, apart from games, the general public in large doesn't have "need" for BETTER phones...
I've seen the likes of HTC One X and Galaxy S3 go in the hands of people for whom multitasking would mean chatting on whatsapp while waiting for the fb app to load...
So the question would arise, if the public doesn't "need" better phones, how do we sell it to them?
The answer becomes clear, stop giving them updates...make them feel that their device is outdated...that they "need" a NEW and BETTER phone...
The ones who understand the capability of their phone would have the ability, or more importantly, the will to make the updates happen...
For the rest, well there's fancy advertising...
Hope this clears up...
- Via xda premium
Yeah, I suppose it makes sense. Thanks guys!
How many people are there using Android? About 60% of the market, which means hundred milion users How many members do we have here on XDA? Less than hundred thousands! It means that regular users dont know and dont care what OS they use or even dont know what the update is. Froyo, GB, ICS, JB sound like alien languages for most of regular users. For those who know wat they are using, they are already XDA members, the rest just doesnt care or they just simply buy an iCrapple. Therefore, there is no way you can stop that. Customers are always taken granted by companies.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda app-developers app
Extreemly well put. We all knew it but didn't say anything. I am awaiting the next nexus for this very reason. Props to thebeastglasser
MissionImprobable said:
Again, speak with your dollars. I have no doubt that Nexus sales will continue to climb
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The bundling is too strong with this market. When there are literally only one or two phone brands, usually otherwise sub-par, that are stock, the voting with dollars won't make much of a difference. It's like voting in an election where a lot of people who might prefer a pure candidate are given tons of reasons to go with more mainstream ones.
So how can change actually be effected? First and most obviously, google might dictate to motorola to make stock phones. Hopefully, that will happen and stock android will start getting a positive reputation for straightforward and automatic upgrades.
The other option starts at grassroots levels: this bundling leaves a gap in the market, and eventually someone should step in to fill that gap. I can imagine small start ups in third-world countries (where price is a real issue) revitalizing older brands with the highest supported cyanogenmod, then selling them at still relatively low prices for a profit. If there is enough demand for this, this "repackaging" business would be emulated all over and the OEMs might start to take a hint.
For the record there are over four million members on XDA...
thebeastglasser said:
For the record there are over four million members on XDA...
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Not currently active users though. Remember XDA used to make you register to download files so that jacked up the member rate.
thebobp said:
The bundling is too strong with this market. When there are literally only one or two phone brands, usually otherwise sub-par, that are stock, the voting with dollars won't make much of a difference. It's like voting in an election where a lot of people who might prefer a pure candidate are given tons of reasons to go with more mainstream ones.
So how can change actually be effected? First and most obviously, google might dictate to motorola to make stock phones. Hopefully, that will happen and stock android will start getting a positive reputation for straightforward and automatic upgrades.
The other option starts at grassroots levels: this bundling leaves a gap in the market, and eventually someone should step in to fill that gap. I can imagine small start ups in third-world countries (where price is a real issue) revitalizing older brands with the highest supported cyanogenmod, then selling them at still relatively low prices for a profit. If there is enough demand for this, this "repackaging" business would be emulated all over and the OEMs might start to take a hint.
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The Chinese market is already doing that, and with brand new phones that come both rooted and sometimes unlocked. Yes, there are other markets in which this can be done, but it doesn't make sense to talk on the one hand about voting with dollars not making a difference and then saying third-world resellers will change the game.
Google is marketing a clean, recognizable line in their Nexus devices, advertising intelligently, and making sure that they continue to stay on the latest firmware. Supporting them and other companies who do so will dictate what model corporations follow. Again, HTC is eating crow because their abandonment of the dev community and their decision to spread themselves thin, ala Motorola, who are also being dug out of a hole now by Google. I'd say both companies have paid the price for ignoring what the marketplace demands.
Moto had everyone hooked with the original Droid so there is no doubt that share is won or lost by how you approach relevancy for the long run. Go back and look at how many people loved their OG Droids in every way but have now moved on to other brands because of locked bootloaders and lack of firmware updates on the models that followed. Money makes the corporate world go round and every little bit helps.
Grassroots movements have done everything from keeping the iPhone legal to jailbreak to getting a man his goodies when a WP store tried to pull a fast one in regards to him winning the WP challenge to getting VZ to clarify that they wouldn't be doing anything to their Unlimited users. We may not be the majority, but we are far more organized and informed than the masses and as such what we do gets noticed and picked up on by tech, blog, and news coverage. The only ones who don't make change happen are the naysayers who sit by and do nothing. Support the brands that support the customers and devs.
MissionImprobable said:
The Chinese market is already doing that, and with brand new phones that come both rooted and sometimes unlocked. Yes, there are other markets in which this can be done, but it doesn't make sense to talk on the one hand about voting with dollars not making a difference and then saying third-world resellers will change the game.
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Sure voting makes sense.. if you're in another country where the election's not as rigged.
MissionImprobable said:
Again, HTC is eating crow because their abandonment of the dev community and their decision to spread themselves thin, ala Motorola, who are also being dug out of a hole now by Google. I'd say both companies have paid the price for ignoring what the marketplace demands.
Moto had everyone hooked with the original Droid so there is no doubt that share is won or lost by how you approach relevancy for the long run. Go back and look at how many people loved their OG Droids in every way but have now moved on to other brands because of locked bootloaders and lack of firmware updates on the models that followed. Money makes the corporate world go round and every little bit helps.
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I'm not really convinced that Motorola's and HTC's losses were due to locked bootloaders, or even lack of firmware updates. Rather, I think it's due to brand inertia: at some point, Samsung came up with a phone (the Galaxy S2) that was so far ahead of anything else on the market at the time, that they just grabbed market share and brand loyalty from many of the consumers on the market. This has little to do with the Galaxy Nexus, and indeed their "next big thing" has been the horribly backward (from a stock perspective) S3 and the Note.
It's been my perception that there is a strong correlation between developer support and whatever device I want to get next.
When I got my very first phone, it was the Samsung Captivate.
It had (Still has) great dev support. I decided not to wait a month to get the Moto Atrix because, there was no predicting what kind of dev support it would have despite having great specs. I find that (generally speaking) Samsung phones have had strong dev support.
I sort of hate to point this out.. But, if you think the "average consumer" cares about upgrades.. I would be inclined to disagree. A lot of people do care about upgrades.. Myself, my girlfriend, a lot of people who frequent forums in general.
Still, your average consumer is probably more concerned with the screen size than the software it's packing. Even if ICS is "nicer" and "more elegant" there are a lot of people who really don't know or even care what OS their phone is running. As long as they can text and check facebook, they aren't going to be bothered with the small details of "Jellybean" or "ICS"
I have to be completely honest when I admit, if I were a manufacturer.. I don't honestly know how inclined I would be to release OS updates. Not because I want to be an evil corporation and force you to upgrade to get the newest OS.. But, because putting it plain and simply.. It takes time, energy, and money to release an update. If *ANYTHING* goes wrong with the update and even a single person doesn't follow the instructions.. It becomes really hard to prove they are the one at fault. So you spend your time and energy making an update, potentially having more cost incurred due to possibly damaged hardware, and then finally.. wondering how many people really cared in the first place. A lot of people don't care and even won't upgrade their phone because, they perceive it as "a pointless endeavor."
thebobp said:
Sure voting makes sense.. if you're in another country where the election's not as rigged.
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What does this have to do with supporting companies that support us? Voting with your dollars is a metaphor; it doesn't mean that there is an election for phones.