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RationalBiker

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Everything posted by RationalBiker

  1. But this would be a rationalization. "Better" would mean that the user has less concern regardless of their surfing practices.
  2. Hence the word I used "suggests". Then again, two people telling me that Android has better apps isn't very good evidence either.
  3. Mine has yet to turn on accidentally, You either have to press the home button and hold it a second or so to activate SIRI, or you simply put the phone up to your ear and the proximity sensor will activate SIRI. My one complaint here, and it isn't really anything to do with SIRI, is that the proximity sensor doesn't always detect the first time. It doesn't happen a lot, but enough to notice. This may be something that can be adjusted by firmware or software.
  4. As far as better features, I'm haven't seen that established yet. Likewise, I'm not prepared to argue one way or the other as to which app store has better apps. I recognize that as your claim, but I'm not seeing the evidence. This article suggests otherwise at the current time. Additionally, there have been reports that Android phones are more susceptible to malware, viruses and hacking because of the open source nature.
  5. A gimmick? Rather than argue the many uses of having video recording capabilities (preferably with decent quality) handily present on a phone, let me provide a link to a clip shot with the 4S and you can judge if this is "gimmick" quality video. http://embed.shortform.com/oceanguy/techproducts/iphone-4s-raw-video-footage-1080p Be sure to set the player's resolution to 1080 and go full screen to get the full appreciation of the quality of this video. Fair enough, you can dismiss my anecdotal evidence.... but I don't have to. It's always difficult to accept someone else's experiences in place of you own.
  6. Would you elaborate on why that necessarily supports the claim? I'm thinking this offers a much simpler explanation for increased 3gs sales rather than the "status symbol" factor.
  7. Arguably, the 4S camera is also one of the best, if not the best, current phone camera. The 1080p video is also impressive. Other benefits beyond that depend on how much other Apple hardware you have in your overall tech ecosystem. Now, I don't know what the specs say on battery strength, but I've noticed that most of the people I see with Android phones where I work spend a considerable amount of time tethered to their power supply, more often than I need to be with my iPhone. Although a matter of preferences perhaps, some reviews suggest that iPhones are more intuitive to use versus the Android being more complex and flexible. So SIRI is not the sole benefit for owning an iPhone. The story of which phone is better to any given user is not solely determined by "the specs".
  8. Face Off was excellent, even the literal part of it.
  9. That was a general comment and not directed at you or anyone specifically. I only addressed your comments starting in the second paragraph when I mentioned you by name. Other than that, I think the point was self-explanatory. Well, the great job Apple did was buying the company that had already created SIRI. I think they had the "vision" to see how this could be used effectively and in a way that is integrated "seamlessly" into the operation of the phone. My larger point is that I think it one those things an individual should experience before they derive an opinion positive or negative. That is precisely because of what you said to begin with; many times such technology hasn't been implemented in a way that actually makes things easier which I think tends to cause skepticism about that next offering when it comes along with all its promises. Apple refers to SIRI as being in Beta, but it's pretty damn solid for a Beta implementation. Third quarter sales have put Samsung back on top, with Apple in second. Prior to that, Apple was in the number one spot. However, this does not include the sales of the new 4S, which was not introduced in time for 3rd quarter sales figures. We'll get to see the 4S' impact next quarter I suppose. Agreed. Speculating en masse who is or isn't making rational smartphone purchases requires an amount of data that simply isn't present.
  10. I'll mention that I may be particularly sensitive on this topic, perhaps Apple in general. For quite a while now, many people have argued the inferiority of Apple products while Apple has continued to increase sales in nearly all of its products. The iPhone was supposed to be a flop, the iPad was supposed to be a flop, etc. etc. Invariably, "tech heads" attribute this to Apple's marketing ability, NOT the idea that people are actually buying a product that they think best serves their uses. This gets old and Apple has (thus far) continued to show these folks the error of their thinking. Prometheus, you suggest that most people are concerned with hardware specs, but I'm not convinced. I contend that must people are concerned with interface, ease of use, ease of interoperability, and other things that don't require them to be ubergeeks in order to use their device. Specs are a consideration on a very rudimentary level, but in my experience, the only people who really examine the hardware specs are those who are technically inclined to an above average level (ubergeeks). I would offer that SIRI is potentially a game changer, if not in this iteration, then the next. It really is something you should experience before deciding its actual utility and practicality. The thing that distinguishes it from typical voice recognition/voice command is the presence of servers that "learn" or improve functionality over time as people use it more. The voice recognition is as accurate, if not moreso than any other I've seen and its ability to understand natural language is at times uncanny. Should SIRI catch on as much as I suspect, one article I read suggested that Android is probably two years out in catching up to SIRI technology. Consider one example, though I could give many. You are driving into a new area and you are interested in Chinese food. In one instance you can pull over (or attempt to continue driving) while pulling up the map app and typing in "chinese" or "chinese restaurant" and then hitting search. Alternatively, you can just put the iPhone up to your ear and say, "I wanna eat Chinese" and get the same result. The may seem simple at first but it is much easier (and safer). Yes, there is a small degree of learning your voice, but I've found it to be very accurate when I dictate text messages to it. I can Tweet and update my Facebook status verbally just like I was dictating a text. The only thing that makes it "difficult" is simply not doing it the way I'm used to... typing out things, in other words breaking a habit. This isn't even considering Apple's recent acquisition of mapping technology that may again separate it from its competitors.
  11. I disagree, but beside that particular point, the iPhone as a whole is sufficient to sustain market interest. Without being sarcastic, you have noticed that the last few iterations of the iPhone have done nothing but increase Apple's market presence in the mobile arena, right?
  12. My experience with SIRI thus far is that this is unequivocally untrue. There are quite a few things that are MUCH easier to perform with SIRI. Setting reminders, alarms, timers, notes, meetings, basic web searches, texting, searches for the type of data on wolfram alpha, searching for nearby locations .... ALL easier with SIRI. SIRI has changed the way I use my iPhone in a very practical sense and I expect it will only improve.
  13. Yes, he can think for himself. I've seen it on this board for years. Alternatively, can you explain your questions better so that perhaps you can get some meaningful answers? Many times on this board, when people ask questions, they have an answer in mind themselves and sharing that answer can frequently lead to more elaborate and productive discussion while potentially clearing up whatever confusion may be present. 2046 is earnestly trying to understand you and being rude in routine is not called for.
  14. Welcome to the forum. Objectivism really would frown on all that too. Yea, that too. What brought you to this forum?
  15. I'm thinking I just won't play "drop the phone".
  16. You might at least reference the other thread with a link because as you can see a lot of the same ground is going to be covered again if people don't know what's been covered before.
  17. I'm not sure why that would be a requirement. Why would that be necessary? If only one or two people of a minority race or ethnicity live in an area predominately populated by another race or ethnicity, they couldn't be the targets of racism? That makes no sense. It sounds like you don't care to take her at her word, let's say, just for the sake of argument. IF what she was saying was true, what advice would you give her to address her question? Is there something her posting history that causes you to question her character or veracity rather than considering that she's accurately relaying her experiences?
  18. Thanks Trebor, I'm going to check that out.
  19. Here are the studies I mentioned. The first, the Hurt report was (to my knowledge) the first comprehensive report done on motorcycle crashes and fatalities. It is a dated study and some factors have changed over time. This report from 2001 covers single vehicle motorcycle crashes. Here is a more recent European study but I have not reviewed it yet. Lastly, wikipedia gives a good overview of motorcycle safety in general, referencing the above reports at times as well as the various attitudes towards the danger element involved in riding. I think that section demonstrates (somewhat) who the determination of whether or not it is or isn't dangerous is somewhat subjective.
  20. I'm genuinely sorry to hear of the loss of your father, but I disagree that "motorcycles are dangerous. period." It is true there is a greater risk factor on bikes than in cars, but that doesn't make them "dangerous". I can understand why you might feel that way but even the statistics do not bear out that one is "cheating death" every time one rides any more than one who does anything is "cheating death" as long as they are alive.
  21. I may have said this before to you, but I tell everyone considering riding; Rider Safety Course! The people teaching the class are very experienced riders, they know their stuff and they will teach the fundamentals in a way you will probably not get if you self-teach or learn from a friend. It is not a "gimme" class, you will have to demonstrate the skills they teach you the way they teach you or they will not pass you. In many states, the Rider Safety Course is sufficient to satisfy DMV written and practical requirements to get your motorcycle class license AND some insurance companies will give you reduced rates.
  22. Riskier than cars, yes. There are a couple good motorcycle crash studies out there (if I find the one's I know of I'll provide links), as well as good rider training courses. I'm not sure if when say what I quoted above that you actually have looked at the statistics, but they aren't that absolute. I have several riding friends who have survived significant motorcycle accidents; some continued to ride, others stopped. But they did live. If you educate yourself, go through a rider safety course and heed what you learn, you reduce your chances of being involved in a motorcycle crash significantly. The idea is don't be the "average" rider. But yes, in the end, like most ventures in life, you have to decide whether the risk you are taking is worth the pay off. It is for me. You experience traveling in an entirely different way. For me it is a very visceral and sense heightening experience. You can't help but be more aware of things going on around than when you doing 70-80 mph on the highway with a car 5-6 feet to your side and NOTHING in between you but air. EDIT: PS - a point of clarification, some motorcycles do in fact have anti-locking brake systems, such as my Ultra Classic. And while cars are safer, they do have fatalities too, I've been to many.
  23. Nice bike Rain. I'm somewhat of an active rider, but not as my sole mode of transportation. I like distance/endurance rides like Iron Butt runs and such. This summer the wife and I rode from VA to Pass Christian MS on one trip and VA to Charleston SC on another trip. I'm riding an ''11 Ultra Classic now.
  24. But the two are not mutually exclusive... they may want to engage in deficit spending on purpose and are still stupid and irresponsible.
  25. Fair warning up front, this video is laden with profanity. That said, there is plenty of truth to it while his delivery is funny as heck, intentionally or otherwise. Rant.
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