SYNAPSE CIRCUIT ANDROID, iOS, MICROSOFT CYANOGENMOD: THE TRUTH!

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
ANDROID, iOS, MICROSOFT & CYANOGENMOD: THE TRUTH!

Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! How’s it going? It’s pouring down with rain here in London! I hope that all is well with you and yours! I also hope that you are making the most of your tech!

It seems that Google ought to brace itself for the coming attacks on the Android robots! Despite CEO, Larry Page stating that he’s not interested into Tech Wars it seems that the poor chap can’t avoid it no matter what he (and Google) does! Read on!

#Google #Android #Cyanogenmod #Microsoft #iOS #Tizen #OxygenOS #Motorola #Lollipop #OnePlus #OxygenOS

SPIDER-MAN 3
You are probably wondering, “Spider-Man 3??? What’s that got to do with Android, iOS, etc?” Well, right now Android is looking like Spider-Man in the Toby McGuire franchise – the third movie! Android is the Amazing Spider-Man and facing a number of foes: iOS could be Green Goblin; Microsoft – Sandman and Cyanogenmod is very much like Venom! Hahaha! All of a sudden it looks as though Peter Parker (Google) has a brought untold trouble to himself with his alter-ego, Spider-Man (Android). Will Spider-Man’s (Android) enemies reveal his true identity?

It seems to me that many tech “journalists” (sic) are no better than cheap tabloid writers in that they seem to thrive on sensationalism and half-truths! The headlines are so silly that I can’t believe that people would actually put their names and photos to these ridiculous stories! Okay, there is some truth in the apparent animosity towards Google / Android. They (Cyanogenmod) don’t like the control that Google exerts over Android and they would like to develop the Cyanogenmod alternative to Android. Fighting talk, huh? But Google have every right to make certain stipulations with regards to how manufacturers use its operating system. So, why the drama? While you are thinking about it here’s something more to think about...


APPLE: RECORD SALES & PROFITS
Although Apple has made record sales the fact is that it hasn’t made a dent to the Android market! Again, iOS and Android are two different markets! The Android market is substantially bigger than that of iOS and therefore iOS cannot win. There are articles that state the iPhone 6 Plus is eating into the Galaxy Note 4 market but this is unlikely. Why? Glad you asked! I think you will find that the US and European marketplaces are pretty much set in their respective ways: there’s a huge demand for the Galaxy Note 4 and there is also a huge demand for the iPhone 6 Plus! But here’s the trick: iPhone fanatics have been crying out for a bigger screen ever since the first Samsung Galaxy Note! The demand was always there! Some iPhone fanatics may have been forced to go Android i.e. Galaxy Note as Apple back then preferred to release propaganda videos about “Hand Science”... “We found that the thumb can go from here to here and there to there comfortably... The iPhone is build around your hand...” I am paraphrasing but you get the gist! So, I would imagine that there would be quite a surge in the US & European markets for the iPhone 6 Plus. But if you listen to those who have bought themselves an iPhone 6 Plus they are complaining about the state of iOS 8 and that many apps do not yet take advantage of the 1080p screen. Once again (yawn), in London the computer exchange shops are full of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus handsets! Oh, the computer exchange shops have an abundant supply of iPhone 5Cs in many different colours! Could it be that this is happening in Europe and the US – people taking their iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to the computer exchange stores out of disappointment and / or frustration? Maybe!



 It could very well be that the Android folk turning iOS are actually former iPhone users coming back to the fold. I also think that there are a number of technology lovers that have both an iPhone 6 Plus and an Android handset! Why not? But I honestly cannot see dedicated Android people just going over to the iPhone just because of a larger screen size thus abandoning Android. It’s just something I wouldn’t do! Why? Because Apple only makes Android stronger!

Now if you look at where the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is selling well it is in China. China is pretty much untapped territory for Apple and I would imagine that the affluent Chinese market have gone for the latest iPhone models in the way that a country will go mad for having a McDonald’s opening up for the first time! China has a huge population hence the great sales record for Apple! And once the Chinese market catches on with regards to the bugs in iOS 8, the fact that many apps do not scale and that the camera is pretty much lacking in comparison to flagship Android handsets the fascination could well and truly be over already! It could be that Apple has shot itself in the foot with regards to the sales of the next iPhone models! We’ll see!


ANDROID SALES HAVE DIPPED?
I am not surprised that Android sales have dipped and it is for the following reasons:-

1. These cheap and not so cheerful below £90 handsets from the likes of ZTE aren’t really worth the effort. And we all know why, right? C’mon! Add “crap” to the following: CPU, RAM and internal storage. Non-technical people have finally understood that cheap does not mean good!

2. I reckon there were two handsets that were hotly anticipated towards the end of the 2014 and those were the Galaxy Note 4 (three if you include the Galaxy Note Edge variant) and the Nexus 6! We have pretty much seen what the other manufacturers have done and the Galaxy Note 4, Edge and Nexus 6 are what many waited for. As you know I have both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Nexus 6! I was planning on the Galaxy Note Edge but...

3. The Android market is holding out for 64-bit handsets! Yes, I was a tad disappointed that the Galaxy Note 4 and Nexus 6 aren’t sporting 64-bit CPUs but I know that the qualities of these phones are excellent! I, like the rest of the smartphone world, am waiting for the complete lowdown on the Samsung Galaxy S6!

So, don’t believe the hype! 2015 is Android’s year! People say that Android 5 Lollipop is “buggy” but I have yet to come across any issues on my Nexus 6! Touch wood! Lol! But I can imagine that there will be some issues on the masses of Android devices out there! Upgrading to another Android version is not as easy as we would like! I am quite positive that some components of the Android used on Project Ara will be absorbed by the mainstream Android 5 that should translate into Android 6 Mud Pie(?) that should make it even easier to upgrade in the future.



Here’s a link to Motorola’s blog that gives you an insight to the upgrading process: Lollipop Issues

One day my little Moto G 2014 will let me know when I can download and install Lollipop! By then I it is possible that I would have moved on to the LTE version being released in Brazil (it will have Lollipop installed on it) or one of the inexpensive offerings from ASUS such as the Zenfone 2 with a 64-bit CPU!

Come March 2015 we will see a sharp rise in Android handsets!

THE NEXUS 6 IS NO iPHONE 6 PLUS
Thank God for that! Google recently stated that they have trouble meeting the demands for the Nexus 6... Hmmmm... Should I believe that? Let’s see... There are over 1 Billion Android handsets out there and out of that 1 Billion-odd what is the percentage of Nexus 6 users? Whatever that percentage is Lollipop doesn’t seem to have made a blimp on the Android user charts! KitKat still dominates on the majority of handsets out there and even then some of them aren’t the latest version, 4.4.4! But the fact that there are over 1 Billion Android users out there just shows me that the likes of Apple have made way too much over “fragmentation”! The fact is iOS is more fragmented in that iOS 8 run on an iPhone 4S and that those who have installed iOS 8 wished that they hadn’t! You don’t hear Cook and co talking about that issue! Of course not! What matters to Apple is PROFIT!!!! Apple doesn’t care about its workers or the environment and the BBC TV current affairs programme, Panorama, has exposed Cook and co for not being honest! The most honest thing that has come out of Cook’s mouth was his Gay declaration! Instead of the customary rainbow flag Cook is waving a black flag where the environment is concerned...

Watch Canadian documentary on corporations here: The Corporation
Watch the BBC news clip regarding Apple workers in China: Apple Exposed
You will see that nothing has changed from when the documentary was made in 2003 until now. Try and watch the Panorama programme on BBC iPlayer and what Apple does to the environment is shocking to say the least! I can only hope that other manufacturers are proactive in looking after its workforce and the environment! Any manufacturer can have a policy but it is something else to act upon it – practise it!

But going back to the Nexus 6... Of course it is no iPhone 6 Plus! It could very well be that Apple is making out that the demand for the iPhone 6 Plus surpasses that for the superior Nexus 6, Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge just to give the impression that they are winning but they are not (as I have pointed out to you before). I can believe that there is a high demand for the Nexus 6 as it is the best Nexus ever!

1. Lollipop; there are many people out there like myself that want to experience Android as Google envisioned it.

2. The Motorola design surpasses that of the iPhone 6 Plus.

3. There’s a 5.96” quad-HD screen that’s great for everything you do on a phone!

4. The front-facing stereo speakers; they are wonderfully loud and makes video watching a great experience. Listening to music is also a wonderful experience!

5. The 13MP camera is arguably better than that on the iPhone 6 Plus. I say “arguably” because each camera has pros and cons but a strong argument is 4K video recording and playback, 13MP is better than 8MP and when you take the time to take a good photo the Nexus 6 shouldn’t let you down!

See the Synapse Circuit Nexus 6 review if you haven’t already! Here it is: Nexus 6 Review

When the Google Nexus 5 came out it sold out in the UK retail outlets on day one! So, I would imagine that the same phenomenon is happening with the Nexus 6!



SOLD!
There is a reason why Google isn’t interested into being a handset and tablet manufacturer. According to CEO, Larry Page, Google is already thinking beyond the smartphone and tablet. Hence the sale of Motorola to Lenovo! What has to be appreciated is that Google has made the smartphone accessible to just about everyone with the Moto range! This trend is already being continued by ASUS – I am so curious about the 64-bit, 4GB RAM Zenfone 2 at $199!!! Or it could be that ASUS has another configuration for the Zenfone 2 that is $199 that does not feature 4GB of RAM. We’ll see...

Many tech writers / journalists don’t seem to understand that Google is in for the long haul when it comes to making profits. Yes, they have to make the Android operating system the best that they can in order for people to keep using it and to start using it! Android is the pathway to YouTube & Google Ads. Click on my Google Ads! Lol! Just kiddin’! I know that there are some people out there who are concerned about others making money! That’s so sad! Never mind! Anyhoo...

If Google had wanted to sell handsets they would have done so from that start and not made Android open source! Simple!


IN CLOSING: CYANOGENMOD & MICROSOFT
Yes, Microsoft has invested $70 Million in Cyanogenmod’s bid to “take Android away from Google...” but you have only got to look at the situation with Amazon to understand that this is never going to be as straightforward as Cyanogenmod and Microsoft would like! Amazon can’t even give its Fire phone away! It will be interesting to see how Cyanogenmod and Microsoft pans out... If Cyanogenmod manages to succeed in creating its own forked version of Android it may be of interest to tech-heads! I don’t know about you but if I see an advantage in other technologies I will invest in them! A couple of my handsets are running Cyanogenmod and it’s a good alternative to the official Android as I am able to keep these old handsets updated. One of the important features of Cyanogenmod is privacy and their efforts to ensure user privacy may force Google to take issue of privacy in Android more seriously.

Cyanogenmod certainly has its work cut out for them! They haven’t forged an alliance with OnePlus as OnePlus is releasing its own forked Android, Oxygen OS pretty soonish – I think! I am quite sure that Oxygen OS will still rely on Google Play Store! We’ll just have to wait for more information on that!

TIZEN?
If you look at Samsung’s Tizen operating system it shows great promise and can utilize Android apps. So, I am right about Samsung wanting to express itself without Google’s interference. Samsung needs to develop its own innovations and Tizen is the way to do it. It’s obvious that Samsung still wants to work with Google otherwise Samsung wouldn’t have gone to considerable lengths to make Tizen compatible with Google Play Store. If a Tizen handset offered something that I couldn’t get anywhere else I’d buy into it!

The next coming years will certainly be interesting for Google’s Android ecosystem. From where I am sitting, Android looks pretty much unstoppable; 1 Billion-odd Android users is a tough factor to compete with! Microsoft’s motive for backing Cyanogenmod isn’t a good one! Windows handsets haven’t gone mainstream as Microsoft would have liked. And as you know, they produced some Android handsets under Nokia which have discontinued primarily because Microsoft’s own forked Android didn’t work! I had intended to purchase one and install a custom ROM on it! But they are no longer on the market as far as I can see! Microsoft seems to have a lot of money to waste! It’s bizarre watching Microsoft throw money in any direction to be seen as a technological innovator again! Get your HoloLen goggles on! It’s fun for all the family!

We’ll just have to watch to see how it all unravels for Cyanogenmod, Microsoft and Google!

The Future of the Nexus programme...

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A NEW SYNAPSE CIRCUIT WEBSITE IS ON THE WAY! 

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT SwannCloud HD WiFi

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
NEWS!

High-definition, Wi-Fi enabled SwannCloud HD™ security cameras enable remote viewing on iOS, PC and Android devices!

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers. As always I hope that all is well with you and yours! Not feeling secure where you are? Check out this bit of news…

#Swann #SwanSecure #Security

REMOTE VIEWING…
Gotta dodgy landlord that pops in knowing that you are out? Estate agent showing off your home? Read on…

London, UK (19th September 2014) – Swann Security, the global leader in security monitoring solutions, announces its latest line of network security cameras. The SwannCloud™ Plug & Play (SWADS-456CAM) security camera is packed with features for 24/7 home and business security. The user friendly SwannCloud HD™ Pan & Tilt (SWADS-446CAM) security camera is a HD remote viewing surveillance system with a powerful pan and tilt camera.

Both the Plug & Play and Pan & Tilt cameras record and save 720p HD video and 1280 x 720 HD pictures. Both cameras feature memory card slots (MicroSD for the Plug & Play and SD for the Pan & Tilt) so recordings can be easily transferred to computers and other devices. Additionally, images and video can be saved directly to your smartphone or tablet via the SwannCloud app. For added control, the 350 degree horizontal and 100 degree vertical motion of the Pan & Tilt camera can be remotely controlled by the user’s smartphone or tablet via the SwannCloud app.

           

By downloading the free SwannCloud app, smartphone and tablet users can stream live video or view recorded videos and photos via any iOS, PC or Android device.  Providing users with the peace of mind that their home or business is safe, the SwannCloud app also sends an e-mail notification when action detected by the cameras including facial detection, camera tampering and intrusion. Syncing the camera with your smartphone or tablet is made even easier with Swann latest SwannLink technology and setup in minutes using a unique QR code that comes with each system.

“The demand for easy-to-setup and easy-to-use security systems for homes and small businesses has been overwhelming,” said Jeremy Stewart, Swann’s VP Global Marketing. “With the new SwannCloud HD™ cameras, we are able to provide an easy and powerful security monitoring system paired with a user-friendly app so you have the tools you need to actively monitor and protect your home or office.”

For added night time picture and video quality, both cameras include on-board infrared LEDs. The Plug & Play has 12 light sensor-activated LED’s and the Pan & Tilt has eight. Both cameras include built-in microphones so you can hear every sound and conversation happening in real-time or during video playback. Additionally, the Pan & Tilt camera includes an audio input jack and speaker to communicate with intruders via your smartphone or tablet’s microphone.

In addition to the camera, ceiling/wall mounting hardware, theft deterrent stickers, a power adapter and network cable for stable network connectivity are included in the box.

Price & Availability:

The SwannCloud HD Pan & Tilt retails for £149.99 and the SwannCloud HD Plug & Play retails for£119.99. Both cameras are available at Makro, Screwfix & Maplin.

About Swann:

Swann is a global leader in consumer electronics, specializing in security monitoring and connected home solutions for consumers through retail channels.

The company’s products are innovative yet cost effective and mainly for do-it-yourself use. Swann’s backs its range with easy-to-follow ‘plug-and-play’ instructions, free after-sale 24/7 technical support and retail-friendly product packaging aimed at home, office and small-to-medium retail users.

For customers needing more high-tech solutions, Swann is at the forefront of the latest international trends including full HD 1080p surveillance & recording, Wi-Fi network video recording, live Smartphone connectivity, complete security for the Connected Home and more.

Swann was founded in 1987 and now has offices in the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, China, Hong Kong and Russia with distribution partners around the globe.

Swann’s reseller network includes some of the world’s largest retailers and distributors including Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Costco.com, Canadian Tire and Maplin Electronics.

Web: www.swann.com

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IS APPLE ON THE ROPES?

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT
APPLE ON THE ROPES?      

#Apple #Samsung #Android #Fragmentation #JellyBean #Cyanogenmod

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! I am so happy to say that we, in London, UK, are blessed with another day of wonderful weather! I hope the weather is equally as wonderful where you are!

Thank you so much for reading my last article on the differences between Apple and Samsung. I can see how much you have enjoyed it from the amount of readership recorded! It has been said that the article was biased towards Samsung but my argument is this: Samsung is the company that has produced the most innovation regarding mobile technology. I have acknowledged that fact and if that makes me biased then I am biased. I was very complimentary of what Apple have achieved but it is not down to me that they are hell bent on marring their wonderful achievements with their ‘feel sorry for us, the originator of the iPhone which now looks prehistoric compared to the competition’ adverts. It’s not down to me that they are not good sports when it comes to acknowledging what the competition has achieved. I wish that would change but I can’t do anything about it. So, I ask...

IS APPLE ON THE ROPES?
The reason why I am asking is because things do not appear to be going Apple’s way at the moment what with the loss of the eBook price fixing case. It looks like Apple has changed the world again – they have made eBooks more expensive. Wonderful!

Apple has lost some patent cases and won some against Samsung and others. They’ve recently dropped the suit over Amazon calling its app store, ‘App Store’. But it’s getting to a point whereby Apple comes off worse if they win (because what they are arguing over is so petty) and when they lose you get to see the grotesque face beneath the mask of smug coolness.

What makes Apple behave like a spoiled over privileged child? Do you ever ask yourself that?

DELUSIONAL?  
There’s is no doubt in my mind that Steve Jobs was not only very intelligent, driven, charismatic and a tyrant when it comes to willing his vision into being. Who isn’t like that when one has a gifted mind that can potentially change the world? Jobs reminds me of Captain Ahab with Android / Samsung as Moby Dick. Or David Cronenberg’s Seth Brundle who became genetically spliced with the genes of a fly; the “telepod” a metaphor for the iPhone that he is spliced with at the end of the movie.

We’ve seen how Jobs practically and singlehandedly take down Adobe by refusing Flash for the purpose of control over the App Store. Security issues was just a smokescreen to prevent talented developers from creating Flash based apps that could provide a revenue stream for Adobe. I did think that Adobe would have put up more of a fight on behalf of their once beloved Flash.

It became clear as to how delusional Jobs was not just because he was once pushed out of his own company but for wanting to go “thermonuclear” on Android and prepared to waste billions in taking down the most used mobile operating system on the planet. I am sure that had Jobs lived he would have been pushed out of the company again simply because he would have wasted so much time and energy into suing Google out of business for Android instead of coming up with more innovations / reinventions, iLetoff the digital kettle that senses when you might need a coffee or tea through transmitting your stress levels from the iPhone. Clever, huh?

PARTISAN
Apple is like one of those newfangled cult religions... The Church of Apple and the Spirit of Technology... I am a jealous God so therefore do not buy from the competition or thou shalt not buy from other Gods.

That’s how Apple comes across: only they can do technology! They inspire division rather than unity and I firmly believe that technology should unite us all. But like Jobs, Tim Cook comes as a false prophet.

“More people view the web on the iPhone and iOS devices than the other guys (meaning Android mainly and Windows, BlackBerry is secondary)...”

I am paraphrasing here, but when I heard those words uttered at this year’s WWDC I couldn’t believe it; Android is the most popular operating system in the world and people aren’t accessing the web from their devices? C’mon, who is he trying to fool? It has recently been reported that Samsung has taken over the iPhone for devices surfing the web. But common sense tells you that already.

“Just look at the situation here...” Or words to that effect describing the fragmentation of Android

Doesn’t Cook understand that Jelly Bean is quickly overcoming issues of fragmentation simply due to the fact that when consumers upgrade to the latest handsets they’ll get Jelly Bean, Android 4.2.2? Now Jelly Bean is the most widely used version of Android.

It is also brilliant that some handsets have been able to install the latest version due to rooting and developers such as Cyanogenmod.

Cook is finding himself eating Jelly Beans! Lol!

I guess this could be another reason to delay Key Lime Pie; Google wants to get every manufacturer up to speed with the latest version of Android before moving on. I do think that Google ought to standardize budget handsets so that manufacturers can stop using Gingerbread and Ice Cream Sandwich on their devices.

INNOVATION
There’s that word again, “innovation”.

Let me tell you right now: This article is not intended to hurt Fanboys and / or Fangirls. It’s about looking at the mentality behind Apple. It’s about acknowledging Android has brought about a consistent and most amazing innovations in mobile devices in comparison to the iPhone’s half an inch.

My Adorable Apple Friend defends Apple for the sake of it. I put to her this question: When a new movie is released and you want to see it would you prefer to see it on the TV screen or the cinema? “The cinema.” She answers. So, the big screen is better than the small screen? She can’t answer. And before you can say, “battery drain” I say, spare battery.

Apple can no longer claim “thinnest phone in the world”.  So, it seems like they are on the ropes. While technically the iPad has been surpassed by the Samsung Nexus 10, Android has yet to produce a convincing argument for expensive tablets. Don’t get me wrong, I love high end Android tablet but I don’t like the high price that comes with it. They (Android) are taking a lot of time in surpassing the iPad standard when it comes to decent apps; they are getting there. But at the same time I think the Nexus 7 is a great little half-way tablet. I am looking forward to seeing what the second generation Nexus 7 brings us. For me personally, I think the iPad is too costly. But I cannot and do not wish to take anything away from the great design and apps available for it.

If you love Apple and their iOS devices that’s great! Good for you. I am not interested in iOS vs. Android in the negative sense. I enjoy how Apple and Google strive to make their respective operating system the best.

IN AN IDEAL WORLD
Apart from the likes of the NSA catching terrorists, rapists, paedophiles, murderers, etc from snooping on mobile phone communications, I would like for Apple to come off its high horse and mingle with technology lovers and start looking at ways to share the wealth of knowledge.

Google bailed Apple out with their maps app. Google are making it possible for developers to develop games that can be played regardless of operating system. They also give iOS users an alternative browser in Chrome but iPhone users can’t make it their default browser.

It would be nice for Apple and the consumer to encourage app development for Android, Windows and BlackBerry users. I would love to be able to push Apple in that direction instead of being a bad sport.

Stranger things have been known to happen. Lol! Here’s to technological unity!

Let me know what you think!

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SHE’S AN iPHONE / MAC, I’M AN ANDROID / PC

SYNAPSE CIRCUIT:
MY ADORABLE FRIEND & ME: SHE’S AN iPHONE / MAC, I’M AN ANDROID / PC (KINDA RELUCTANTLY).

Good afternoon, Synapse Circuit Readers! I don’t know if you have read my blog that wonders if ‘Apple Brainwashes their users’, have you? I am now convinced that most Apple product users have been brainwashed... Yes, my Adorable Friend has started her mini-Apple campaign on me... Hee hee...

...iOS 7
Yes, my Adorable Friend and I had a little chat over the weekend via the Viber app... Sadly, we hardly find time to talk these days... She’s busy with her new business venture and I with my reviews, blogs, etc. But as always towards the end of our conversation she teased me about getting an iPhone and a Mac. She has just gotten wind of the forthcoming iOS 7 operating system and she was telling me how wonderful it is and how it is better than Android and that I should stop “deluding” myself. Lol! The she swiftly moves on to the subject of me getting a Mac... Lol!

I had to point out to my Adorable Friend that a lot of the “new” features such as multitasking, quick access to settings and advanced notifications have been enjoyed by Android users for at least a couple of years! Of course there is no comeback to the assertion of this fact. My Adorable Friend claims to “love” technology and admits to being a Star Trek fan yet she, like a lot of Apple users, does not seem to look beyond Apple where the love of technology is concerned. She should know more about what’s going on with other technologies.

As you know I LOVE technology big time and while I can’t profess to know every detail, trends, etc I do try to keep an eye and ear open to see what’s happening across the board... I can’t deny that there are times when I find it hard to keep up or understand certain concepts, but I do try. If anything my enthusiasm for all things tech opens up my mind a little more than the average person.

If you are a power Android user there’s no point in me going over the same things that you already know. This article is not necessarily aimed at the Android know-it-all-dork-geek.

WHY PC OVER MAC?
Despite the fact that I hate Microsoft for the inconsistencies in their Windows operating system I prefer a PC to a Mac any day of the week! When I see past my hate of Microsoft I do realize that they have a tougher time in that there are so many darn components for the Windows operating system to contend with... Ex amount of graphics cards, sound cards (even though sound is upon the motherboard these days), CPUs and what have you! I can see that it is not always easy to maintain a consistent support throughout. Not to mention the various bits of software that can cause a system shut down – oddly enough these instances came from Windows XP Pro and Internet Explorer 8! And do not get me started on these bloody service packs... Grrrrrrrrrr! The old adage that you get what you pay for rings true always! With a PC I have noticed that the more you spend on it the lesser the chance of something going irretrievably wrong! But that chance is there nonetheless!

I have two PCs... One I use for all manner of graphics / web design and general office duties and another for making music – not that I have time to make music lately! Lol! The design PC is pretty cheap and the darn thing can never perform an automatic upgrade for some reason I have yet to figure out. The music PC is able to auto upgrade but bloody constantly to the point where it’s around two to three or even four times a day! Jeez, gimmie a break! It’s annoying; why can’t the upgrades be performed one time? At least it is able to upgrade without reverting the changes. Small mercy!

The amount of money you can spend on a good Mac you’d be, probably, better off investing into a decent PC! If you have just joined me I will tell you briefly that I looked into buying a Mac once upon a time... I visited the Mac section of PC World and I tell you, I wanted to punch the Mac salesman out! Lol! I am not violent! Honest! Throughout his pitch one word came up too many times to count and that world was, “professional” (and the variant, “pro”). I’m standing there wondering if this guy thinks that the more he says “pro” or “professional” the more likely I am going to buy a Mac. I am looking at him thinking, “$@%£#*# idiot!”

HACKINTOSH?
Now this is where I think that these computer geeks have nothing else better to do... Some people would actually build the perfect PC just to run the Mac operating system on it. It is a complete waste of time in my humble opinion because once you have the perfect PC components you are then able to run the Adobe suite of software with ease! Most people who use a Mac tend to use Adobe stuff. I guess the only good thing about going to all that effort to build a Hackintosh is that one can complete the challenge. It’s like that guy who did a tightrope walk over a stretch of Grand Canyon without the aid of a safety net; what was the point? Well, no doubt everyone has a sense of what an achievement is but if I was going to achieve anything in the computer world I would love to put together a PC that runs on Android. That would be a worthwhile achievement. I still think the desktop has its place and Microsoft has squandered opportunities. Why, Microsoft? Why? I am considering Ubuntu. Funnily enough my brother has installed Ubuntu on his laptop after being fed up with Windows and a couple of years ago my brother was not very computer literate. Well done!

Look up on how to build a Hackintosh; you might find it amusing... All those wonderful components...

CHOICE
The main reason why I stick with the PC – for now – is that there is a vast range of choice when it comes to software. Just go into a store such as PC World and you’ll see that PC easily outnumbers what is available on the Mac.

When I was considering the Mac I was impressed by the iWork suite of software that came as part of a Mac mini. I was interested in web design and music making. Garageband looked really enticing and it reminded me a little of Magix music making software.

In the end, as you know, I stuck with the PC! For a couple of months now my Adorable Friend wishes to create her own website for her business, she owns a Mac and for all her one woman Mac campaign she is unable to create such as site. I told her that if she had a PC or a PC emulator then she could use a great range of excellent WYSIWYG web design software that can deliver professional results. I am tempted to pack up one of my PCs and go over to Sweden and get her site done; but time doesn’t permit. She now has a WordPress site which isn’t a bad compromise; it is what it is... ...a compromise... So much for the Mac as a creative tool... Of course, a person with some graphic design skills and experience with web design software for the Mac should have no problem in creating a site. 

The point is that the Mac is supposed to be easy enough for anyone to use at an entry level. My Adorable Friend claims that she can hack Facebook accounts and jailbreak (root) her iPhone but she can’t do any graphical design work let alone build a site. Well, I started out the opposite direction: I was largely self-taught as a graphic / web designer. Taught myself how to build a PC from scratch – it wasn’t as easy as it is now.  And I eventually learned a little about rooting my Android handsets. I would say “hack” my handsets to sound more clued up; however, it is not the case. I am still learning. The next stage of my technical evolution is to learn how to program... I will probably start by learning how to create apps for Android. How? At this moment in time I have not much of a clue!

As much as I have had some problems with Windows I do appreciate the great range of software available to me... From expensive Adobe software to inexpensive equivalents; oooh, not forgetting the amount of freeware! When it comes to music... My goodness... There are so many freebies out there for the PC owner in the name of music making: digital audio workstations, virtual synthesizers and effects... WOW!!!! Just take a look on the Synapse Circuit website for some freely available resources.

COMING ROUND...
I guess the more I think of the Samsung ATIV Q the more it makes sense... A dual boot Android and Windows 8 tablet... Hmmmm... I am just thinking of the amount of music making software I have amassed over the years...Sheesh! I’d be happy to replace my antiquated PCs... I think I’m starting a PC museum. If I told you how many PCs I have owned over the years and how many I have lying around doing absolutely nothing you’d probably wonder about the state of my mind. But seriously, I used to love tinkering with them... Taking them apart, swapping out components, etc. You have to love messing around with technology... You do get to learn quite a lot from it. The only thing I didn’t learn was that I should’ve gotten rid of the darn things earlier! Lol!

For all my frustrations it is truly a wonderful thing to be able to put together your own PC!

WINDOWS OPSYS UPGRADES: ASSISTANT
What many Mac folk don’t understand is how complex it is for Windows users to upgrade to the latest operating system. As discussed earlier, there are so many component incompatibles to consider that it’s a pain. There is the ‘Assistant’ software that scans to see if a PC / laptop can take on the upgrade.

Mac owners are lucky in one sense that Apple keeps a tight rein on their computer builds. Another thing that has been so annoying is that Windows operating system upgrades have been so bloody expensive! I think that the recent trends in smartphone and tablet technology have had a critical impact on the cost of Windows operating system upgrades. There may be some life in Windows yet! C’mon, Microsoft! Get your act together!

HYPNOTIC?
Check out this edited video below and tell me if Apple fans aren’t being hypnotized / brainwashed...

Let me also leave you with the rants of an iPhone fan... The following is real... 

"Android is a cheap knockoff.

Always has been and always will be.

If Apple borrows something, well that's just too bad -- that's the price you pay for being so "free" and "open". You know, those 'qualities' the robots are always bragging about.

And Apple will do it better anyway.

Leave your dirty 'droids at the door.

No one here wants to hear about them..."

This was in response to an article I posted in an Apple community to find out what they thought of the recent WWDC.

What do you reckon?

Thank you for reading! 

Take good care!

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