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Tech News & Commentary
Ismail is in Saudi Arabia calling in via the FREE app: “In your opinion, which is best – iOS or Android?”
Well Ismail, this is a very tough and controversial debate both have a very different approach for the user experience, it’s not an easy choice to make.
iOS is made by Apple, and they control it entirely, they don’t let anyone outside of their company mess around with the software, including cell phone carriers. The design of the Operating System is very streamlined, consisting of icons, buttons, a keyboard, and other design elements that are made by Apple and that developers use to make the overall experience feel familiar around the entire system.
Android however is A LOT more open, in fact the software itself is what we call “Open-Source” meaning that anyone, with programming knowledge, can tap in, modify, customize and install their own ‘Flavor’ of android. That’s why when Google releases an update of Android, the manufacturers and carriers have to apply their customization to the new version, and that can take some time.
Overall both operating systems have the same features, but the approach to the user experience is different. They both have their own app stores with paid and free applications and they are both getting more and more cloud connectected.
At the end of the day it all depends on what you prefer, if you want customization, widgets and ‘freedom’ then Android is the way to go. On the other hand if simple design and ease of use is what you are looking for the iOS is the obvious choice.
We recommend that you try out both systems side by side if you can, try doing the same tasks on both OS’s and see what you like most.
Mark shared: “Since I appear to be the iOS apologist these days, let me just say this. I have far less trouble with Android than I do with how it reaches you. When you buy an iPhone, it has iOS on it. When Apple releases an update to add features or fix bugs, you are allowed to download it. Right then. With no interference from your wireless carrier. When I was using Android, I had a Droid 4 from Motorola on Verizon. It came with a version of Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Then Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich came out, and it was good. But could I have it? No. Not for more than a year after it came out. And why? Because before I could have it, Motorola had to get it and add their custom skin to it, THEN it had to go to Verizon and have their bundled apps burned in to it so that I could never delete them to recover the memory space, and then FINALLY it came to me. By the time my Droid 4 had Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean was out. As an early adopter gadget loving geek, it drives me totally insane to think that politics and marketing dollars are keeping me from having the latest and greatest. If I ever go back to an Android device, it will be a Nexus. Because Nexus devices have pure Android on them, and when a new version is available you can download it. Right then. But! Nexus didn’t work on Verizon and I love Verizon LTE coverage, and so here we are. I have an iPhone 5 on Verizon and I’m very happy with it. Hopefully you Android robots are as happy as this Apple zombie, and too many cooks haven’t spoiled your Google soup. ”
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Consumer Reports Feature With Donna Tapellini
Smart phones can contain a lot of information that its owner would probably rather keep private. However, about 40 percent of us don’t even take the most basic steps to secure that personal data in our phones – that’s according to a Consumer Reports survey. Senior Editor Donna Tapellini is here to give a few tips on how to keep your smart phone safe.
The “Into Tomorrow” team discussed the latest apps that they have been playing with recently.
• Dan in Fort Lauderdale: BoatUS – Andoid
- “Assists you if you need to have your boat towed while on the water. Hmmm, do ya think he owns that company? That’s OK. Happy to help promote for you!”
• Mark recommends: FREEdi Player for Youtube, FREE
- “FREEdi Player for Youtube. I’ve actually featured this app once before, long long ago in a segment far far away, but I use it so often that it’s time to feature it again. FREEdi Player for Youtube allows you to play YouTube playlists. Now that sounds ridiculously simple, but if you have an iPhone, try putting a playlist of your favorite music videos on, and have it shuffle them, repeating when it reaches the end of the playlist. That’s impossible right there with the regular YouTube app. Now try locking your screen. The YouTube app stops playing immediately. Not FREEdi Player for Youtube. It will shuffle playlists, auto-repeat playlists, and keeps playing even when the phone is locked and the screen is off. You can choose between playlists from your own account if you sign in, or public playlists off any other channel just by entering the channel name. This free app, if you are a YouTube junkie like me and have an iPhone or iPad, is a MUST get. FREEdi Player for Youtube, free in the iTunes App Store.” — Mark
• Marly recommends: LiveSafe, FREE
- “An unreleased app for reporting emergencies being developed by Virgina Tech survivors, it’s still in Beta”
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What are your favorite Apps? Let us know at 800-899-INTO and we’ll feature them in this segment!
Tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast for more details
John H. Iasiuolo, President – Outlook Foundation
Mike in Montgomery, Alabama listens via iHeartRadio asked: “How can I use my android phone to give Internet to my laptop?”
Mike, what you’re looking to do depends a little on the capabilities of your particular phone. On many Android smartphones you’ll find an app or settings option to turn on a personal hotspot. That should do what you need, if you have a plan that will allow it.
If your phone doesn’t allow it, it can usually be done by rooting it, though that has it’s own downsides. And try to make sure your carrier is allowing you to do it, otherwise you might face some unexpected charges at the end of the month, or even a full cancellation of your contract.
There are some apps that may let you tether even without rooting, they’re a little hit and miss, but you can give them a try, the most popular ones are PDAnet, BarnacleWiFi and EasyTether.
Most of the new “shared data” wireless plans, such as the Family Share plans from Verizon and AT&T, include wireless tethering at no additional charge. So for those users, a smartphone hotspot makes perfect sense.
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
Wireless Update with Chuck Hamby
Just when you thought it was down to Apple and Android slugging it out for smartphone superiority, Windows and Blackberry both are back to make a play for prominence. Let’s hear how Chuck Heavyweight Hamby calls this technology tussle.
Lloyd in Durham, North Carolina listens on “News Radio” WPTF 680 AM and is calling in via the App asked: “I was cleaning out my garage and I found a bunch of old cassette tapes, I’m trying to find a way to transfer those cassettes to my MP3 player. I have a Sandisk Fuze MP3 player, any help you can give me, I’d appreciate it.”
Mike, what you’re looking to do depends a little on the capabilities of your particular phone. On many Android smartphones you’ll find an app or settings option to turn on a personal hotspot. That should do what you need, if you have a plan that will allow it.
If your phone doesn’t allow it, it can usually be done by rooting it, though that has it’s own downsides. And try to make sure your carrier is allowing you to do it, otherwise you might face some unexpected charges at the end of the month, or even a full cancellation of your contract.
There are some apps that may let you tether even without rooting, they’re a little hit and miss, but you can give them a try, the most popular ones are PDAnet, BarnacleWiFi and EasyTether.
Most of the new “shared data” wireless plans, such as the Family Share plans from Verizon and AT&T, include wireless tethering at no additional charge. So for those users, a smartphone hotspot makes perfect sense.
For more information tune in to Hour 1 of our podcast.
This Week’s Prizes for Our Listeners
Audiofly: AF33 in-ear headphones
Covington Creations: Earbud yo-yo — Now with Dave’s face on them! — A clever solution to tangled earbuds.
iolo: Copies of: Drive Scrubber – Erase data so it can NEVER be recovered.
Touchfire: iPad Keyboards – The world’s thinnest, lightest iPad keyboard.