How to silence an iPhone fanboy

[phillevy]

I saw my friend today armed with his iPhone 3GS - we were in a restaurant with our families and on seeing my Hero he became quite defensive trying to imply that Android would be no better than Betamax or HD DVD and that Apple had already won the smartphone battle. I then started showing him some of our apps like shopsavvy and google skymap along with the SenseUI. His respose was to say "I bet you cant do this" - his iPhone then made a puny fart sound. The was no choice for me at this stage - I launched "Noble Fart" and activated a long wet one - his face dropped at the superiority of the sound and the iPhone got put back in his pocket. All I had to contend with then was the look on our wive's faces along with most of the table's occupants near to us!

 

[Archon810]

Lmao. I did not expect it to go that way. Nice twist.

For me, I haven't had a problem with iPhone fanboys. In fact, the iPhone users at my work are all wowed by the Hero and hate AT&T. One already gave up his iPhone 2G and bought the Hero. I am pretty sure there will be a few more converts soon.

Just talk about Android's openness, show the articles mentioning Android going for #2 spot soon.
Mention that Google hasn't failed with such huge bets before and is putting all of its power behind it.
Show how Google Voice is able to actually take over your native dialer - you won't find that with iPhone.
Mention that everyone besides Apple is getting on board with Adobe Flash - Hero already has it.
iPhone can't run multiple apps at the same time.

It's easy. iPhone loses in everything but amount of apps (so far) and UI speed (for now). Get creative.

 

[SDscorch]

long wet one

nice!ol




i got into an impromptu and unintended little face-off w/ an iphone owner teh other day

and yeah, the challenges and defensiveness were there too - and i really wasn't prepared (nor did i want to compare "sizes" or whatever)




but yeah.. the openness and not apple not playing nice w/ google (he really likes google - they use google gmail/talk/calendar heavily in their office) was a showstopper for him, he couldn't answer that - all he could do was show me a nifty little game

again, i wasn't really even trying - and i didn't even want to "win" (would rather keep good relations) - but i was startled how easy it was to shut'em down

 

[phillevy]

I think it's pointless trying to argue it out - they are so defensive and probably trying to reassure themselves (after all they may be stuck with it for another year or so if in a contract). My friend wasn't interested in the facts and just said that even assuming the Hero/Android is a superior device, that it is too late for it to make a difference. Sad it had to come down to a fart app to shut him up!

 

[WildWayz]

Hi all,

My wife and I are iPhone lovers (dont shoot us yet!). I've been playing around with several handsets to see how they compare to the iPhone and what feels 'natural'.

I've played with a Palm Pre, HTC Hero and next week a HTC HD2/Leo.

I didnt like the Pre at all. Felt cheap and nasty.
The HTC Hero, however, is a cracking phone! I love it!
It is SO easy to use - and is the closest feel to an iPhone of any handset I have tried!
I love everything about it, and would love to know what HTC are coming up with next on the Android front!

My wife is a phone newbie - but picked up my HTC Hero and straight away she could use it. She loves it too, and we are both seriously thinking about ditching the iPhone!

James

 

[i64X]

I've got an iPhone 3G and an HTC Hero sitting on my desk right now. I picked up the Hero this weekend and my wife picked up a Pre. She needed a new phone and putting her on my AT&T plan wasn't something we wanted to do. AT&T has 3G coverage in the city where I work, but not at our house. What I got for $129/mo was closer to $179/mo with AT&T as well as far as our plan goes.

I need to call and cancel the AT&T plan on Monday... I'm kinda reluctant though.

The HTC Hero is an awesome handset, and I've spent the better part of the entire weekend familiarizing myself with all of its features and searching for cool apps and whatnot online... but I'm not sure if I'll like it THAT much better than my iPhone. Some things it does are better, and some are worse. Some are WAY better, and some are WAY worse. I wouldn't classify the Hero as an iPhone killer - it may convert some people, but I doubt it'll convert even a considerable number of people. That being said I think it's as close as competition has ever come.

So far I really enjoy using it, but am constantly going back and forth on pros/cons between the two. Maybe I'm missing something?

 

[MartinS]

I ditched an iPhone 3G for a Hero and all I can say is that it is the best move that I could have made.

 

[dhole]

Ive had my Hero now for several months. I love it but the excitement is wearing off. I initialy thought there were loads of great apps and things could only get better. But the closer you look things are not quite as they seem.It does however seem that quality development of android apps is sadly lacking. Because it is open source ( which is great!) there is a saturation of poorly conceived and developed applications . Alot of these are repetitions on a theme and alot of them are solving problems with the operating system ( workarounds for bodges in the os ) Just look at new apps and I find it quite hard to see innovation or captivating content.

I really dont think that android is being taken seriously by developers. Its no suprise because outside of the web android promotion is almost non existant . I Saw a BBC web news article that whilst reporting on the rise of mobile phones as essentialy small computers and the application markets for them being similar, there wasnt a single mention of android ! ( or if I missed it and I dont think I did it was tiny .

I would love to see android take off as I hate to see monopolies like apple run the show. Im loosing the faith brothers !

 

[spenspuma]

I ditched an iPhone 3G for a Hero and all I can say is that it is the best move that I could have made.

Why?

 

[spenspuma]

Ive had my Hero now for several months. I love it but the excitement is wearing off. I initialy thought there were loads of great apps and things could only get better. But the closer you look things are not quite as they seem.It does however seem that quality development of android apps is sadly lacking. Because it is open source ( which is great!) there is a saturation of poorly conceived and developed applications . Alot of these are repetitions on a theme and alot of them are solving problems with the operating system ( workarounds for bodges in the os ) Just look at new apps and I find it quite hard to see innovation or captivating content.

I really dont think that android is being taken seriously by developers. Its no suprise because outside of the web android promotion is almost non existant . I Saw a BBC web news article that whilst reporting on the rise of mobile phones as essentialy small computers and the application markets for them being similar, there wasnt a single mention of android ! ( or if I missed it and I dont think I did it was tiny .

I would love to see android take off as I hate to see monopolies like apple run the show. Im loosing the faith brothers !

I tend to agree with you...id say without doubt my next phone will be the iPhone 3gs when it comes out on orange. I'm no sheep, but the only reason I chose the hero was because it was the best smartphone I could get on orange...and while I think its a good phone, I feel the 3gs just edges it.

 

[WildWayz]

Ive had my Hero now for several months. I love it but the excitement is wearing off. I initialy thought there were loads of great apps and things could only get better. But the closer you look things are not quite as they seem.It does however seem that quality development of android apps is sadly lacking. Because it is open source ( which is great!) there is a saturation of poorly conceived and developed applications . Alot of these are repetitions on a theme and alot of them are solving problems with the operating system ( workarounds for bodges in the os ) Just look at new apps and I find it quite hard to see innovation or captivating content.

I really dont think that android is being taken seriously by developers. Its no suprise because outside of the web android promotion is almost non existant . I Saw a BBC web news article that whilst reporting on the rise of mobile phones as essentialy small computers and the application markets for them being similar, there wasnt a single mention of android ! ( or if I missed it and I dont think I did it was tiny .

I would love to see android take off as I hate to see monopolies like apple run the show. Im loosing the faith brothers !

I know what you mean. Even though people object to Apple and their vetting process of applications, the general quality of the AppStore is far higher than that of the Android Marketplace.
I love seeing screenshots of the application I am about to buy...

As other people have said, there are some instances where the Hero is better than the iPhone and vice versa.

For me, the Hero is the closest I have come to with regards to an 'iPhone Experience'.

James

 

[dhole]

And not many decent apps... people always say skymap and err... layer and errrr. Look at the iphone apps.... loads of small innovative apps and large brands releasing content ... anyone trying to bust into the android market.... hmmm now where are they?....

 

[dhole]

ok dhole, please list what amazing apps YOU are talking about????

hello,,,anyone there,,,,,,,,

no thanks

 

[phillevy]

The point I was trying to make is that I'm quite happy to compare my phone with the iPhone or any new offering from another brand - if something improves what I have then that's the way it goes. However all my iPhone owning friends won't even pick up my Hero - they go on the defensive and act like their "sacred ground" has been desecrated in some way!

 

[dhole]

The point I was trying to make is that I'm quite happy to compare my phone with the iPhone or any new offering from another brand - if something improves what I have then that's the way it goes. However all my iPhone owning friends won't even pick up my Hero - they go on the defensive and act like their "sacred ground" has been desecrated in some way!

Yeah Ive had the same thing. Its quite amusing really. I cant say Im offended it just goes to prove that owning these things is quite alot to do with ego. These little machines that we carry around are used in the same way as jewlery or expensive clothes. Im happy that my phone works and does " cool " stuff , some of its usefull and it has great potential..... ( hmm why do I write this stuff )

 

[phillevy]

Yeah Ive had the same thing. Its quite amusing really. I cant say Im offended it just goes to prove that owning these things is quite alot to do with ego. These little machines that we carry around are used in the same way as jewlery or expensive clothes. Im happy that my phone works and does " cool " stuff , some of its usefull and it has great potential..... ( hmm why do I write this stuff )

I think it shows the extent that iPhones are seen as status symbols. If someone I knew in a few months time got a competing phone (like the Pre) I'd be eager to see how it compared and have a play.

 

[MartinS]

Why?

My reasons:

Not everyone has got one

It's almost infinitely customisable

It's well built (creaky plastic back on the 3G)

It has nice styling (is the iPhone really so good to look at - it's certainly not as nice as the 1st gen iPod touch.

There are loads of worthwhile Android apps which are free

It was the T3 - Gadget of the year!

etc etc

 

[Fake Name]

I see that a lot of people complain about Android's app's, well...its a phone not a toy like PSP, and NintendoDSi.

The phone came out not to long ago(like a week here) and not as many people know about this phone (Sprint dropped the ball ), how long has iphone been out? Exactly, so I would suggest to you people, is to wait, with time, once the word of this phone is spread, people will start making app's for it.

Since iphone has been out for a long time, most of the programmers got that phone, now that this phone is out, they just dont care about switching their phone company.

Hero is not a iphone killer, its THE ONLY phone that can actually compete with it.

 

[wuthton]

The iPhone has far superior games.

Android/hero provide a far superior communication device. I can sync Twitter, Facebook, email, gTalk, check my RSS feeds and hopefully gVoice soon all at the same time, no need to open any apps.

If you want to spend

 

[kabbie_mcfeely]

There are a few ways I shut down the icant fanboys.

The iphone is a phone that runs 1 app a time. The Android devices are"smart devices" that happen to also make phone calls, all while being able to multi task.
Like talking on speaker phone while looking up something on the net.

How many crapple phones are there ?
How many adndroid phones are there ? G1 - Mytouch on Tmo & Hero on sprint & many more on other carriers world wide.

Which phone let's you decide what you want for apps on your phone ? Appple decides what goes on their phones. The Android system let's you decide what apps you want. You can even make your own.

Can you customize the iphone ? Most of the people I talk to don't even know what this means. I show them a few thins and then they get it.

Bottom line... no the Android phones (not just the Hero) that are out now, will not kill or hurt Apple. What will hurt them is more and more Android devices. When the Android netbooks come out later this year (I hope) Android may get a few more converts.

 

[t1jordan]

My dad has an Iphone. we are always comparing devices. Since I purchased the Sprint Hero. When He noticed I was able to do what I wanted. He was amazed. Of course he remains a true Iphone lover. He know my phone is the future.

 

[Bunjiweb]

I am surrounded by iPhone totting morons at work, but when I ask them to list something that I can't do, it always resorts to some lame game, or chattering about iTunes, (which I HATE WITH A PASSION! STUPID BLOATWARE)... sorry, it just riles me hugely.

They then ask with an arrogant chuckle what is so much better about my "fisher price toy" and I start listing features such as the fully customisable interface, widgets, open source nature, removable battery & memory, better camera etc. and I usually get a nonsensical reply about how all of those features are redundant, or some kind of retort that my phone "doesn't have an app store" or the latest one "well you can't watch TV on yours" to witch my response is BBC iPlayer, better quality Youtube and other apps like Qik, but they just don't get it.

I tend to find that most iPhone users I encounter have never had a "smart phone" and so are generally wowed by the features of the iPhone, but are not technologically savvy enough to enjoy a phone such as the Hero, and so simply dismiss it as a lower form of device.

Lately I have just been using the reply, "Can two of the world's largest gadget and technology magazines (T3 & Stuff) really call this phone their Gadget of the year without any justification? Of course not!"

Ben

 

[phillevy]

This is definitely an iPhone-specific response, as people I know with other phones (like Samsung Jet and Nokia N97) are not defensive at all like that. It has to be related to the fact they have spent so much money and can't face the thought it might not have been quite so well spent after all