Jeremy J.

Are you Zuckerburg’s child? He said nothing about Google or Android. All he said is that he felt Facebook was overvalued. No one knows for sure because Facebook’s valuation depends mostly on whether or not users continue utilizing the service for years to come, and how they monetize those users. It’s fair to say it’s overvalued, mainly because we have seen these mighty companies come and go. I’m not saying it’s going to happen, but it could.

I’ve never really seen a Facebook fanboy, but you are it. I mean you act like Zuckerburg invented a cure for cancer or created a spaceship to Mars. Facebook might have smart people working for them, but not the smartest on the planet.

I suggest you get outside of your Facebook bubble and read a book about people that are making a real difference in our world. Heck, since you seem to be so into stock valuations, maybe read one of Michael Lewis’ books on the 2008 financial crisis. As a recent MBA grad with a concentration in Finance and Statistical Processes, I can tell you that your justification for why Facebook is worth more than Google is utterly ridiculous. But if you can provide logical, valid reasons as to why you believe Facebook should be worth $400 billion, I’m all ears.

It’s almost like, I’m trying to think of a better comparison, oh, the dot-com bubble all over again.

Oh and for everyone that hates reading comments more than 3 sentences (ironic there are so many of you on a site that is mostly words), I apologize for the long post. I’m surprised I wrote so much considering it was all from my tablet and I just finished writing a 40 page paper on quality management and statistical process control…I thought my brain would’ve shut down after that.

I agree, Apple should benefit from the work and money they’ve invested into touch-based input. Just like their glass trackpads in the MacBook line, Apple deserves protection for their work improving things. I understand the value of these patents because I would purchase a Windows notebook if they had a trackpad as good as Apple’s, but Synaptics decided to sit on their hands and refused to innovate, leaving me to use MacBooks until there’s a good alternative. Point is, these patents are important and I believe they should be protected if one company spends time and money to innovate. This is the whole purpose of the patent system, to protect those who create from being ripped off. It seems to me that most people in this debate pick stances that align with whatever side they’re on, with no basis in logic (i.e., “I like Android so these patents are ridiculous or I’m an iPhone user and every Apple patent should be valid.”) We need to take a rational approach to deciding what works and what doesn’t about the system.

Where I stand is I believe there should be protection for lines of code, aka software patents. Sure, you can’t patent the numbers or letters that make up the code, but much like a physical invention, new ways of utilizing raw goods (be it metals, letters, chemicals) should be granted a patent as long as they do represent a new and non-obvious way of doing things. I have no problem with Apple receiving patents on certain gestures because most of them (4 fingers swipe down to show all windows on OSX) aren’t obvious or natural ways of doing things. I do have a problem, however, with Apple receiving a patent on using an “object,” aka finger, to unlock the screen because there’s really no other way around unlocking a touch device without touching the screen. I also believe that using more than one finger to interact with a screen shouldn’t be patentable purely on the grounds that the way we interact with many things in the natural world requires more than one finger. For example, typing on a physical typewriter allows a user to begin typing (activating) the next letter before the previous letter has fully retracted. Similarly, it’s reasonable to expect on screen keyboards to act likewise, and recognize multiple keystrokes based on the order of input. Also, swiping from left to right or up and down to move content in the corresponding direction is simply an on-screen version of reality—-touching a piece of paper and sliding it across a table for example.

In the end, if a software event is truly unique and isn’t representative of something in the physical world, I have no problems with patents being granted because it takes work to develop these solutions. I just think we need a little common sense when it comes to patent laws, and I think it would be best if we could all set aside our biases and look at the issue objectively. As an Android user, I would be affected by some of these patents held by Apple, so I understand why people in Google’s camp say the system is broken. At the same time, even if the patents negatively impact my use of Android, Google shouldn’t benefit from Apple’s work and should instead focus on ways to innovate in ways that give the user a pleasant experience without infringing on Apple’s IP.

I just hope we can all keep an open mind on this and discuss solutions that protect those who innovate without preventing others from being able to compete (like if Apple were granted a patent on a phone with a pixel density above 100dpi). I think one part of the problem is that maybe it’s a somewhat one-sided battle. Since Android is open-source, Apple is free to “borrow” any innovative solutions developed by Google, such as the notification drawer.

One of the things I really hope we can move past is the “anyone who makes a capacitive touch screen phone with a desktop that has icons is copying the iPhone.” The reason I get so tired of this isn’t because the competition isn’t following Apple’s lead with capacitive phones, it’s because the competition didn’t have a choice. Once the iPhone set the standard for consumer expectations of a smartphone, competitors had to adapt to the changing needs of their customers. We don’t criticize new auto manufacturers like Honda for “stealing” Mercedes’ idea of a self propelled vehicle with four wheels,a round steering wheel that translates vertical movement into lateral movement, using an internal combustion engine, etc. because it doesn’t make sense for Honda to focus on making a new horse and buggy. Companies have to adapt or die, so hopefully we can stop this any phone post iPhone is a blatant ripoff, because that’s what the market demanded.

As a Galaxy Nexus owner, I completely agree that the sensor on the phone isn’t nearly as good as the one on the iPhone 4S. However, you specifically said it was unusable without any justification, that was the problem I had with your post. Maybe it was hyperbole, but I just have issues with people completely over-exaggerating the facts to support their opinion.

The camera is definitely sub-par when it comes to low light situations, but I think it’s perfectly acceptable most of the time, and I actually like the virtually zero shutter lag aspect more than I dislike the quality of some pictures. As a “semi” professional photographer (it’s not my living, but I do some work on the side), I couldn’t care less about amazing pictures on my phone’s camera because I know they will never compare to the D700 I use. I mainly use my phone’s camera for documenting life’s events when lugging around 30 pounds of camera equipment doesn’t make sense. I understand that not everyone has access to a professional camera to take great pictures, but I can’t ever see using a phone’s camera to substitute for even a quality point and shoot. The small form factor required of a phone means the sensor just can’t be as good as a device made specifically for shooting.

Not necessarily. If you want to do the legwork yourself, you can use a service like LegalZoom that will review, make suggestions, and give you guidance on your patent application for around $1000 plus filing fees. I’m not saying this a good avenue to pursue for a complex patent application, but it can be done for a lot less if a person really wants to. It takes a lot more work and a lot of studying up on creating a patent application, but it can be done.

If you actually had a useful idea to be patented, it wouldn’t take much to file. Filing costs a little over $100 on average, with issuing a patent costing around $800. It’s not free, but it’s not out of reach for the average person to apply for, and receive a patent, especially if it’s worth something to other companies.

Now defending your patent? That’s a completely different matter altogether.

That ignorance is a problem that exists in the legal system in general. Lawyers write the laws in ways that only lawyers can understand, individuals/companies have to hire lawyers to interpret the laws, lawyers are needed to utilize said laws, and it’s nearly a requirement to have a law degree to understand basic contracts. Talk about job security!

Some people just actually enjoy different things than you. I had the original iPhone, I loved how slick it was compared to the Samsung SCH-i730 I had previously. While the iPhone did the things it was designed to do beautifully, there were things I missed about my WinMo phone. Namely, a user accessible file system, iTunes-free music management, zero dropped calls (likely AT&T, but it affected my iPhone), and Microsoft Office on a mobile device. There were tradeoffs to using both devices and while the apps were nice, I found myself missing the power of a mobile OS that gave more control to the user. So I went back to Verizon and got the Samsung Omnia. Again, WinMo 6.5 was nowhere close to being as polished as iOS, but I loved the control I had over the phone. Now, with Android 4, I get that control but with a polished UI, it’s literally the best of both worlds.

My point is that while some of your friends might bemoan the lack of a few features here or there, they might like their device of choice overall compared to the iPhone. Just because the iPhone lacks certain things that my friends or family want from a smartphone, or they ask why they can’t view Flash sites or drag/drop music from any computer, doesn’t mean that any of my friends or family that have one are idiots or that they enjoy punishment.

As a fan of Android, I’ve always understood Apple’s (or any company for that matter) duty to protect innovation and profit through whatever laws are available to them. That means that if the U.S. patent system allows “ridiculous,” whatever that means, patents to be granted, then Apple has a duty to their shareholders to utilize that system. I’ve never faulted Apple for filing for patents or for taking action against companies they feel infringe on those patents.

The only problem I ever had with any of this was Steve Jobs’ emotional and hateful determination to destroy Android through litigation even if that meant using all of Apple’s cash reserves. I found his statement to be petty and representative of a man who did so much to change technology yet spent his time and energy worried about things that aren’t important in terms of how one’s life is measured. It saddens me that instead of reveling in the fact that he was integral to the creation of products that bring joy to millions of people, he spent so much time fostering this hatred of Google and Android specifically. He could have used that time to give back to the society that gave him so much, but instead he chose to focus on the negative. I suppose the biggest problem I have with all of this is not that Apple is protecting their IP, but it’s that Steve Jobs’ attitude towards Android has painted these patent disputes in such a spiteful way.

If that’s true, those customers will make a killing selling their phones on eBay :)

This is what I was wondering. But is it the data tapping generally infringing, or is it the specific code that Sense uses to accomplish this task? These are two completely separate issues when it comes to enforcing the patent, so I’m curious to know if it’s Sense that infringes, or if it’s any device (Windows, Linux, Android, etc.) that infringes. If so, I suppose that Microsoft Word is in violation since it can automatically launch an email address?

Android is open source. You could take the very code used in ICS for the notification drawer and put it on your phone if you wanted to. That’s why no one is getting sued. All of Android’s open sourced material is there for anyone to use or copy however they want.

That is the problem…with the major national carriers, only T-Mobile offers discounted monthly rates if you buy your device outright (although they now require a 2-year agreement so it’s almost identical to the others). It’s tough to justify paying 2 or 3 times as much for a device off-contract when you see no benefit on your monthly statement, especially if the carrier offers the exact phone you want with a contract. I realize this cycle will not change until the consumers do something about it, but that $400 “savings” carrot the carriers dangle in front of consumers is an extremely powerful motivator to maintain the status quo. And that’s exactly how the carriers like it.

An unusable camera? Somehow, I’ve taken 400 pictures with my “unusable camera” since I got mine in December. I really wish people could learn how to back up their opinions with actual reasons they hold those opinions. I’m not saying the camera is perfect, or even amazing, but I still don’t understand how it’s unusable.

I’m beginning to think you probably don’t own the device but just read buzzwords about PenTile and the 5MP camera and then spread those opinions as if they’re facts.

It is definitely a problem, and this seems to be a step in the right direction. I used to think that Google needed to use its GApps package to keep manufacturers from adding skins and to force faster updates, but Google is in a difficult situation. Even though Google has a lot of leverage with its GApps, if they push too hard, manufacturers might push back and either use Amazon’s appstore, or abandon Android all together.

I really think this strategy is an excellent move by Google because it gives the top phone manufacturers a chance at early access to the source code, but under the Nexus program it gives Google a lot more control over the direction of the specific phone. I think it’s a win-win because no one will be behind in development of their new devices.

I wouldn’t say lack of Google Wallet and preinstalling MyVerizon necessarily means the VZW Galaxy Nexus isn’t stock. Sure, Verizon got their way on a few things that I as a consumer wan’t happy about, but the core OS is still stock Android. It doesn’t have any skins, Blockbuster Mobile (and all of the other crap VZW puts on their other phones), or even the suite of Verizon apps that typically come with the other devices (VZ Navigator, Visual Voicemail, etc.).

Sure, technically the Galaxy Nexus LTE isn’t 100% Google-controlled, but practically, it is a stock Android device. Just look at the bootloader…Motorola said they wanted to allow an unencrypted bootloader on the RAZR but claimed Verizon wanted the device to be encrypted. Whether or not this is true, I don’t know, but Motorola used to be unapologetic about locking their bootloaders so I tend to believe they wanted to start pleasing their hardcore customer base.

Neilson meters. But they could just as easily develop a solution for internet viewership. If they worked with Aereo, they could get data on what people are watching. But they’ll just keep fighting the progress of the internet.

For some reason the entertainment industry (TV, music, movies) cannot figure out that we’re not going back to the 20th century where they controlled all media. They really need to learn how to adapt instead of wasting millions, if not billions, of dollars fighting evolution.

The problem is that they’ll be fast enough for today’s software, but software keeps changing to take advantage of newer hardware. Internet Explorer uses way more resources now than it did ten years ago.a

I would like to see a remote desktop solution that allows your tablet to run your home computer flawlessly. Basically to the point where it feels like it’s the native OS. I know this depends heavily on your network connection, but it would be nice to have the power of my x86 tower on my tablet. I know that I basically described cloud computing, but I like having all of my stuff on a local machine.

I think you meant billionaires, with a b :)

I’d say that the biggest problem is that there are no good alternatives. If you want good nationwide coverage, you have to be with one of these companies. I’ve checked Sprint, AT&T,, and T-Mobile, but their prices and coverage aren’t that compelling of a reason to switch from Verizon. It’s not that I love Verizon, but the other options are worse to me.

A random speed test proves that HSPA+ is faster than Verizon’s LTE? In the bay area I get over 50 mbps on my Galaxy Nexus. Anecdotal evidence in one location proves absolutely nothing.

I don’t really know if they had a touchscreen device in the works or not, and honestly it really doesn’t matter to me. I think your hypothesis makes sense, but it’s tough to prove one way or the other.

My main complaint is with these articles. I don’t mind hearing about the history of Android, but I’m so tired of the “it’s ‘quite clear that Android was being designed to a completely different target before the iPhone was released.’” These articles basically seem like a way to start an argument in the comments section with statements that make it seem like Android wouldn’t exist if Steve Jobs didn’t personally program the entire OS for Google. I honestly don’t care if Google saw a successful iPhone and then altered their strategy accordingly. People used to do business by fax and mail and then someone started using the internet to do business, so everyone else adapted, it’s called evolution. This paragraph isn’t really directed at you, it’s just these articles drive me insane because they always imply that Android is basically iOS. We get it already…

Plus, he lives in NYC. He’s at a major hub of culture, entertainment, business, technology, etc. I’d say it’s easier to go without those things where you have so many other ways to interact with the world around you.

Interestingly, I was building a cabin in the Sierra Nevada mountains last summer and I was almost worried about how I would live without any means of communication during the week (other than a random text that would go through). What was funny is that after the first couple weeks, I got used to turning my phone onto airplane mode monday morning and not having to check it all week other than the daily hike to find service to call my wife. I actually enjoyed being completely disconnected to the world for 5 days out of the week. Sure, I really missed reading my favorite websites, but I found that I was able to get most of my news from the radio and my business fix from Forbes, BusinessWeek, and other magazines. I’ve loved technology from the days when I first played Montezuma’s Revenge on an Apple II when I was five. I remember the first time I logged onto MSN and I loved being so connected, but there is something to be said for getting away from everything and disconnecting yourself from the world. I really think Paul should try moving somewhere less crowded in order to truly experience a “disconnected life.” But that’s just me.

Haha I love Community.

That’s the thing, they teach you to embellish as much as possible without crossing the line over to lying, but that line is in completely different places for some people. I had such a hard time taking things like my background in construction and turning it into “team-building activities” and “managing material procurement, employee relations, cost savings, etc.” because it seemed like lying. Technically it wasn’t, but I had never been one to sell myself. I would rather simply write down the facts: ran construction site from 2006-2009, read blueprints and instructed employees, etc. To me that seems way more meaningful than these stupid fluff words that were made up by some marketing department.

Oh, and don’t get me started on those stupid personal evaluations. “Ability to get along with others.” (scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest.) What happens is these stupid evaluations ask questions that everyone thinks they excel at so you feel like you should rank yourself high, otherwise they’ll ask why you don’t get along with anyone. But if you rank yourself high, they ask what makes you think you rank so high on all of these things. I really hate the balance of power in this current economy, the employer has so much power…

I don’t think the HR department for Yahoo peruses the comments section at The Verge to find applicants. But my guess is that Yahoo couldn’t have cared less about his education after his experience at PayPal since that’s a much better indicator of success than what you majored in.