Android or Apple

[Speedy Gomez]

I read the CNET review of the LG G4 last night and it looks like the battery life is actually better with the S6. Of course you can always buy a 2nd battery for the G4 and put that issue to rest.

I hear you on the processors and longevity but I don't game on my cell phone. Most of my usage is based around fitness tracking, gps, text, pictures, ECU tracking (Torque), etc. If I want to game I bust out my tablet just because it has a bigger screen.

On the processor benchmarks the G4 wasn't all that impressive but the review stated that LG optimized the processor for the G4 and said that usage wise the apps were snappy compared to the other phones.

Adding the removable battery and microSD slot pretty much is the reason I went with the G4. But that is because it had everything I needed for how I use my phone. As always you should always buy the phone based on what you want out of it. I am particularly happy I can shoot in RAW format so I can really get the most out of that camera.

 

[Thai]

Now I never once said anyone was ignorant(go back and show me where I wrote that). My coworker is one of the smartest people I know and he likes his iPhone 6. He showed me some of the cool features it has for video editing and I was impressed. Not enough to want one but it does have nice features.

And sure both sides of the fence are going to pollute the gene pool equally. When it comes to touching up photos RAW is the preferred format. Does that mean I am ignorant because I want to try to take advantage of a feature that may or may not improve a shot? Have you seen a G4 and actually seen that it is garbage? Yes, we already discussed the
Iimitations of the hardware but I won't rule it put until I have seen it for myself. As far as mega-pixels who cares? How is this a constructive argument any more by trying to derogatory of features I find intriguing?

I am glad your iPhone suits you (as I said earlier). Sure it is nice to walk into a mall for customer service but since I have owned my first cell phone I have never needed to go to any outlet. As for apps, I have found the Google Play store more than adequate for what I want. Most of which are free.

My G2 has been reliable over the last 2 years and my wife is currently using it now as well until October when she can upgrade to what ever phone she wants (including an iPhone if that's what she wants). As for privacy, I am old school. Never put anything on your phone you don't mind sharing with the world. Any OS can be defeated and phones most easily of all. And yes, that includes iOS. I work in a secured facility that constantly deals with cyber espionage so am well versed in this area. That and I was a Computer Science major until I switched to EE.

Oh, and I never used Hangout or many of the other bloat ware apps. I have an app that constantly force stops all apps not on an approved list. Not the same as removing them but it keeps the memory free and is pretty effective. As secure as iOS. No but until M goes main stream it will have to do since rooting the G4 will permanently disable DRM in the kernel at this time in the US.

Again, cell phone cameras have tiny sensor and barely adequate lens. The cameras do good job for Facebook pics or maybe 4x6. It is like buying a Honda CR-V and saying that since it is a SUV, it can take on the Rubicon Trail...and thus pump it up with lifts and skidplates.

You are now relying on LG software. You may have rooted in the past, but now, you do not. So, making fun of iOS for having someone else think for you is disingenuous, no? And b/w LG software vs. iOS, i am pretty sure iOS is much better. Android skins (esp. LG and Samsung) tend to drag the processor resulting in lagging and stuttering.

You have apps to force stop rogue apps. Why do you have rogue apps in the first place? And you do not trust Android to do that? And isn't that stupid (of Android) to have owners needing apps to shut down other apps? Or anti-virus apps for that matter? And isn't it Android's main feature being multi-tasking with its RAM-galore phones? Yet, we all know that multi-tasking on Android results in processor being overwhelmed.

Do you use Gmail? Google this...Gmail hack and Chinese human rights activists. And this resulted in many activists in mainland China to be jailed and/or executed. The problem is that once Google/Gmail gets hacked, then the attacker sees EVERYTHING. No end-to-end encryption.

Even if Apple servers get hacked, then your email or texts are still encrypted. The key is with the users, not with Apple.

iCloud "hack" (Frappening) was due to phishing of celebrity's accounts. Thus, they got long videos from celeb's own laptop! No lawsuits against Apple...they did sue Google though. But even then, having photos on-line vs. having secrets divulge out to your enemies via your texts or emails...big difference there!

 

[Thai]

Did you burn your old Android phones? If not...then, well....

https://blog.avast.com/2014/07/08/tens-of-thousands-of-americans-sell-themselves-online-every-day/

Ok...kinda old post...and by anti-virus firm with maybe secondary objective, right?

How about this:

Flawed Android factory reset leaves crypto and login keys ripe for picking | Ars Technica

Android...and then you have Lollipop that cannot encrypt worth a damn without killing the processor.

 

[BettysNephew]

If anyone believes that their phone data is actually secure, they are living in a fools paradise whether it is Windows, Android or Apple. The NSA may have been deterred (maybe) from collecting all data on ALL electronic transmissions but I'll guaran darn tee that if they want your stuff, they will have it. There is a back door on every program ever written and linking hundreds of laptops together can crack security algorithms very quickly if the desire to do so is there. If you do not want something known, do not put it on any electronic device. And also remember that if two know a secret it is no longer secret. It really doesn't make a bit of difference which phone/OS you use, just use one that suits your needs and wants.

 

[Thai]

If anyone believes that their phone data is actually secure, they are living in a fools paradise whether it is Windows, Android or Apple. The NSA may have been deterred (maybe) from collecting all data on ALL electronic transmissions but I'll guaran darn tee that if they want your stuff, they will have it. There is a back door on every program ever written and linking hundreds of laptops together can crack security algorithms very quickly if the desire to do so is there. If you do not want something known, do not put it on any electronic device. And also remember that if two know a secret it is no longer secret. It really doesn't make a bit of difference which phone/OS you use, just use one that suits your needs and wants.

Giving NSA my data is fine (if indicated)...i don't have a huge problem. However, it is the OTHER people (hackers, scammers, 3rd party apps, etc.) that i have a problem with.

Any Android owner will remember the #1 Marketplace FLASHLIGHT app stealing info from your phone!

 

[cfranck1]

Like I always say!

 

[vanion2]

Lol. Too true.

 

[97BlackAckCL]

Had droids since they came out, have had iPhones at my last 2 jobs. Couldn't stand the iPhones

 

[vanion2]

Awesome new app for the iPhone.
https://www.facebook.com/364076033786842/videos/373421192852326/?pnref=story

 

[Brique]

Back in the day it was pc vs Mac. Now it's Apple vs android. As a pc devotee, I naturally gravitated toward android rather than Apple. There's something about the whole Apple cache that's always rubbed me the wrong way.

Love my galaxy s3 and when it's time to upgrade I'll probably get an s5. S6 broke the deal for me with the nonremovable battery and sd.

 

[stunner_runner]

iphone. easy to use and no random crashes.

 

[Thai]

These are from links on prior page:

"We purchased 20 used Android phones off eBay and used simple and easily available recovery software to restore deleted files. The amount of data we were able to retrieve was astonishing and proves that simply deleting is not enough.

Our analysts found the following:

More than 40,000 stored photosUsed Smartphones for Sale
More than 1,500 family photos of children
More than 750 photos of women in various stages of undress
More than 250 selfies of what appear to be the previous owner’s manhood
More than 1,000 Google searches
More than 750 emails and text messages
More than 250 contact names and email addresses
Four previous owners’ identities
One completed loan application"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beauty of Android and your privacy (or lack of). Factory reset on Android does not help erase your data....

 

[BlackWorksInc]

[MENTION=2]Thai[/MENTION]

But what about Apple? I would imagine it's similar if not harder to parse since Apple is such a closed system, they probably just copy your information without your knowledge regardless of what you select in your preferences (wouldn't be surprised if Android did the same.) I would suspect that with Apple they are more invasive in terms of how they obtain your information, I mean these are the guys that develop software updates to brick your jailbroken products. Hell I bet you'd find the same with most OS on computers as well since most people don't realize that "deleting" information on a HDD, or SSD simply means that the computer allocates that space as "erasable" and until new files are written in that spot it's still there.

 

[Thai]

[MENTION=2]Thai[/MENTION]

But what about Apple? I would imagine it's similar if not harder to parse since Apple is such a closed system, they probably just copy your information without your knowledge regardless of what you select in your preferences (wouldn't be surprised if Android did the same.) I would suspect that with Apple they are more invasive in terms of how they obtain your information, I mean these are the guys that develop software updates to brick your jailbroken products. Hell I bet you'd find the same with most OS on computers as well since most people don't realize that "deleting" information on a HDD, or SSD simply means that the computer allocates that space as "erasable" and until new files are written in that spot it's still there.

With Apple, as long as you turn on the passcode, the phone is automatically encrypted. And also with Apple, you have end to end encryption for ALL of its services.

 

[BlackWorksInc]

With Apple, as long as you turn on the passcode, the phone is automatically encrypted. And also with Apple, you have end to end encryption for ALL of its services.

So we're just talking about the fact that Apple allows you to encrypt your phone's data on the physical device. There's some decent encryption apps for Android you can get if I remember correctly; ideally it should be included in the Android OS; but then again Android tries to be a very open-source system with the idea that consumers "build" their own custom set-up. Something I've noticed is a common theme with Apple vs. Android.

Apple is extremely closed off, highly regulated, and borderline tyrannical about how their OS is played with; but they also tend to be "easier, friendlier, and (supposedly) more idiot-proof.)

Android tends to be more open-source, less regulated, and much more loose with how you tweak/modify the OS; but as a result there is much of the OS that people rarely understand, a larger need for figuring out/knowing what apps to supplement your OS with, and occasionally more difficult for the average consumer to use.

I sorta see Android as a much more open platform to work with, but as a result you need to understand that freedom comes with you requiring to put some effort with it.

 

[Thai]

[MENTION=2]Thai[/MENTION]

But what about Apple? I would imagine it's similar if not harder to parse since Apple is such a closed system, they probably just copy your information without your knowledge regardless of what you select in your preferences (wouldn't be surprised if Android did the same.) I would suspect that with Apple they are more invasive in terms of how they obtain your information, I mean these are the guys that develop software updates to brick your jailbroken products. Hell I bet you'd find the same with most OS on computers as well since most people don't realize that "deleting" information on a HDD, or SSD simply means that the computer allocates that space as "erasable" and until new files are written in that spot it's still there.

End to end encryption = what i write in an email or text can ONLY be read by me and the person receiving it. Although it passes thru Apple servers, Apple canNOT read it because it is encrypted.

Here is a good link to messaging apps security: https://www.eff.org/secure-messaging-scorecard

Hangout, for example, is crap. What you send can be fully read by Google and its employees. Gmail same. Now, your feelings can be mixed about this. You may not care that Google can read your emails, pics, videos, texts. And in fact, last year i think, Google aided the police in capturing a pedophile because Google intercepted one of his pics in his gmail mail. So, good things can happen for sure.

However, consider this...you send your parents a naked picture of your 2 year old butt running around the bathroom. It's cute and you send it via Gmail or Hangout. BUT, what if someone on Google's side saw it and started to make a profile you...would you feel comfortable that some idiot you don't know has labeled you as a potential pedophile and watch your every move on the net because you send that seemingly innocent picture to your parents?

Do i mind if NSA reads my stuff? Not at all. But, some Google employee doing it? I do mind.

Now, Google is very good with security in that it is extremely tough to break into Google servers. BUT, what if someone did? Then that person can SEE/READ everything about you...know every picture, text, etc. that you have ever send or receive.

As an example earlier...in 2009-2010, GMAIL was hacked by Chinese government. Chinese also hacked a bunch of others. Google denied that it was ever hacked, but Chinese human rights activists throughout the world noticed that their Gmail was hacked. GOOGLE it...fascinating...one professor in China was questioned by the government for something that he send in Gmail to another activist. No one else supposed to see it. In fact, little known outside China, but more than a few activists in mainland China got jailed/executed because their identity was found out thru the emails.

With Apple, there is end-to-end encryption in ALL of its services. Apple devices are encrypted fully as soon as you create a passcode. And Apple encrypt their devices via software and hardware.

This is why, along with carrier blacklisting stolen phones, if you steal my iPhone...the BEST that you could ever do is make it into an expensive iPod Touch. You will NEVER be able to see my data (pics, texts, emails stored on phone). NEVER. Activation LOCK works great.

With Lollipop, Android attempted to do encryption as default (like Apple). Unfortunately, this was software only...Qualcomm S800 series chips were not ready for encryption. So, as seen in Nexus 6, encryption via Lollipop made the phone as slow as a 2011 phone! Google had to backtrack and turn it OFF.

And as above noted, even AFTER you FACTORY reset your Android phone, your data is still there for the hacker to see!! The encryption key for Android is protected by your passcode!! LOL. So, if you can crack the passcode, then everything on phone is available!

This is pure fail by Android. Even if Apple is as backwards as Blackberry, then the facts above would make me avoid Android like the plague!

See my post #52 again...it is an eye-opener!

 

[vanion2]

You can recover data off any hard drive/SD if you do not perform a wipe/over write procedure. Where I work all data storage devices go through this before we get rid of any electronic device. In fact they even include a wipe program available to all employees to use for sensitive data they want to make sure gets deleted.

I am sure Apple does encrypt its phones as you say (I have never owned one) and Android does a poor job of idiot proofing its phones. It leaves it up to the individual to install after market apps to fill in the level of security they want and there are some great apps available to do so.

Example: Avast mobile security does antivirus, phone security, network filtering, app management, theft locking and it's free. Pay for the full version and if someone tried to unlock your phone you can even track down the phone's location and if they try to reset it the app will wipe all your data. And it doesn't slow down my phone or tablet to any degree I have noticed.

As for apps like Hangout, Google, and gmail or any other app for that matter I don't use most of them and the few that I do I use with the knowledge that it could very easily end up on the web. But then I do the same with Facebook and all other soft ware applications as well. If you were to find my face book page you would have the wrong name, see no pics of me or my immediate family, and very few posts. I do the same with my phone. I don't do selfies, any pics are usually of my family and we are always properly attired, and I store all photos to my removable SD card.

Its amazing how some simple common sense can make any device secure if you are willing to research what is out there and actually know what your phone is capable of. Sure, having all that built in is nice but in my experience as a CS/EE working in a high security government facility I know that anything you rely on to be secure is never secure as you think. Your best form of protection from intrusion is your mind and realizing that as soon as you put data on your phone you have to assume it's already out there.

Do you honestly think your government hasn't reversed engineered an iPhone and cracked its built in encryption? Sure, your safe from the average phone thief but as someone pointed out earlier they only steal iPhones. Us lowly Android users only lose ours. Lol.

And let's be honest, a guy taking selfies of his junk isn't going to be high on the food chain in the thinking department.

 

[LandCruiser]

Anyone have experience with the Oxygen OS?

Thought about installing it on my oneplus one because the Cyanogen mod 12/lollipop kinda sucks.

 

[JB.]

Lots of people with lots of needs = no universal best phone.

In my quest to avoid working in order to maximize wheeling and hiking, one of my needs is bang for the buck.

For $100 dollars I have two Nokia 635s (windows phone). The second phone gives me an extra OEM battery, car charger, instant backup phone, and separate charging station. I never worry about power or breaking the phone and am never forced to put the phone aside for charging.

For that price there are compromises, of course, but my iphone 6 owning friend tells me I have better notifications than he does. I'm also told that the downloadable offline maps are a distinguishing feature, as well.

 

[Thai]

You can recover data off any hard drive/SD if you do not perform a wipe/over write procedure. Where I work all data storage devices go through this before we get rid of any electronic device. In fact they even include a wipe program available to all employees to use for sensitive data they want to make sure gets deleted.

I am sure Apple does encrypt its phones as you say (I have never owned one) and Android does a poor job of idiot proofing its phones. It leaves it up to the individual to install after market apps to fill in the level of security they want and there are some great apps available to do so.

Example: Avast mobile security does antivirus, phone security, network filtering, app management, theft locking and it's free. Pay for the full version and if someone tried to unlock your phone you can even track down the phone's location and if they try to reset it the app will wipe all your data. And it doesn't slow down my phone or tablet to any degree I have noticed.

As for apps like Hangout, Google, and gmail or any other app for that matter I don't use most of them and the few that I do I use with the knowledge that it could very easily end up on the web. But then I do the same with Facebook and all other soft ware applications as well. If you were to find my face book page you would have the wrong name, see no pics of me or my immediate family, and very few posts. I do the same with my phone. I don't do selfies, any pics are usually of my family and we are always properly attired, and I store all photos to my removable SD card.

Its amazing how some simple common sense can make any device secure if you are willing to research what is out there and actually know what your phone is capable of. Sure, having all that built in is nice but in my experience as a CS/EE working in a high security government facility I know that anything you rely on to be secure is never secure as you think. Your best form of protection from intrusion is your mind and realizing that as soon as you put data on your phone you have to assume it's already out there.

Do you honestly think your government hasn't reversed engineered an iPhone and cracked its built in encryption? Sure, your safe from the average phone thief but as someone pointed out earlier they only steal iPhones. Us lowly Android users only lose ours. Lol.

And let's be honest, a guy taking selfies of his junk isn't going to be high on the food chain in the thinking department.

Excuses excuses...how many people are like you that have literally nothing on their phone? So, Google design a software that screws 99% of its customers out of privacy, but your excuse is that it is the fault of 99% of its customers for not installing MORE AND MORE aftermarket apps to make up for the lame security of Android?

Was it you or someone else earlier that said that you have to install aftermarket apps to close down rogue apps that you cannot delete from your phone?

As a security guy, how does this even make sense to you?

I am pretty sure that NSA can crack my phone encryption with enough time. That's OK. But i do not want a lame thief or a 3rd party to have easy access.

As for thief stealing only iPhones...well, that is because they have relatively high resale value, esp in Asia (e.g. China). The problem with Android is that the latest and greatest phone lasts about 2-4 months before something better comes out. Samsung is the biggest culprit of this...hey, lets kill our own S6 sales by releasing 10 billion S6 variants all within 4 months of each other!!! :crazy: And you wonder why resale value with Android stuff is worst than a GM car! Well, Samsung does remind me of GM...making a billion version of the same thing.