Windows Fan Journey Through Operating Systems and Devices

[camaroz1985]

I forgot to update this. I now have an iPhone SE, Pixel and the 950. I have decided that for now I can't pick just one, so I will keep them all and switch between the 3 as I feel like it. I will keep them all up to date, and may put beta OS releases on the iPhone and/or Pixel when available. Maybe not the very first version, but 2nd or 3rd.

I am using the SE as my DD right now, and it is a great little phone. I like the size of it, and only a few times has the size been an issue. I think over time I will get used to it. Battery life is amazing. Makes my wife jealous every night when she is plugging her 6S in around 8PM, and sometimes I don't even bother to plug mine in at all, just let it charge on the way to work the next day in the car.

 

[camaroz1985]

Another update. Traded the Pixel for an iPhone 7, and some other stuff for a 7 Plus (Don't have it in my hand yet, its in the mail). So I now have all three current iPhone sizes, SE (4"), 7 (4.7"), and 7 Plus (5.5"). Also sold my old radio in my truck and got a new one with CarPlay.

Decided to abandon Android for good. My wife, and most of my family use iPhone. The convenience with Apple was just better than the freedom of Android. I have found several apps that have gotten the iPhone to work better for me. There are still some quirky things that make it harder to use for me after being so used to Windows Phone/Mobile, but I think I can make it work.

Still using the SE as my DD. I am going to try the other two sizes and see which is best for me and sell whichever two I don't like (well probably not the SE, so maybe just sell one). I must admit I am going into this biased toward the SE. I was helping my wife setup her 7 last night, and it was just large enough that it wasn't easy to use one handed. The screen size isn't really all that much bigger to justify the discomfort in my opinion. I will give it a longer evaluation, but I am almost ready to rule it out now. I think it will be either SE or Plus for me. SE is easy to handle, and very pocketable, Plus is not, but it has a large enough screen that might allow me to overlook that (and the better camera, which might be the deciding factor). The camera is probably a bigger factor than the screen size. In reality I very rarely use my phone for watching videos or anything like that so the small screen on the SE doesn't bother me.

I forgot how much I love 3D touch and the shortcuts that you get on app icons on the home screen. That to me is the biggest thing missing from the SE, especially with home much more it seems to be used in iOS 11. If the Plus doesn't work out for me I will be steadfast with my SE until an updated SE is available (hopefully with 3D touch and waterproofing).

Also I have switched to Sprint for their year of free service (just taxes to be paid). With that I will not be able to use my 950 as a phone, but I will keep it to stay in the Windows Phone universe. At least that might help my device ADD a little bit.

 

[libra89]

Another update. Traded the Pixel for an iPhone 7, and some other stuff for a 7 Plus (Don't have it in my hand yet, its in the mail). So I now have all three current iPhone sizes, SE (4"), 7 (4.7"), and 7 Plus (5.5"). Also sold my old radio in my truck and got a new one with CarPlay.

Decided to abandon Android for good. My wife, and most of my family use iPhone. The convenience with Apple was just better than the freedom of Android. I have found several apps that have gotten the iPhone to work better for me. There are still some quirky things that make it harder to use for me after being so used to Windows Phone/Mobile, but I think I can make it work.

Still using the SE as my DD. I am going to try the other two sizes and see which is best for me and sell whichever two I don't like (well probably not the SE, so maybe just sell one). I must admit I am going into this biased toward the SE. I was helping my wife setup her 7 last night, and it was just large enough that it wasn't easy to use one handed. The screen size isn't really all that much bigger to justify the discomfort in my opinion. I will give it a longer evaluation, but I am almost ready to rule it out now. I think it will be either SE or Plus for me. SE is easy to handle, and very pocketable, Plus is not, but it has a large enough screen that might allow me to overlook that (and the better camera, which might be the deciding factor). The camera is probably a bigger factor than the screen size. In reality I very rarely use my phone for watching videos or anything like that so the small screen on the SE doesn't bother me.

I forgot how much I love 3D touch and the shortcuts that you get on app icons on the home screen. That to me is the biggest thing missing from the SE, especially with home much more it seems to be used in iOS 11. If the Plus doesn't work out for me I will be steadfast with my SE until an updated SE is available (hopefully with 3D touch and waterproofing).

Also I have switched to Sprint for their year of free service (just taxes to be paid). With that I will not be able to use my 950 as a phone, but I will keep it to stay in the Windows Phone universe. At least that might help my device ADD a little bit.

Yay I was waiting for you to update here. That must have really taken some consideration to be done with Android.

As I said on the other side, please share your thoughts/impressions/etc on how trying out the Plus goes for you.I found it to be kind of interesting to try out the 7 coming from an SE. It was just okay but the battery life was less versus the SE. At least with the Plus, you'll also be in a good place when it comes to that.

Whoa that you switched to Sprint. I'm also curious how that will work out for you. Yeah I also think that would help you slow down on the switching, it would just be between sizes lol. Looking forward to hearing your experience with ALL of the above.

 

[anon(50597)]

Re: A Windows Fan s Journey Through Operating Systems and Devices

Another update. Traded the Pixel for an iPhone 7, and some other stuff for a 7 Plus (Don't have it in my hand yet, its in the mail). So I now have all three current iPhone sizes, SE (4"), 7 (4.7"), and 7 Plus (5.5"). Also sold my old radio in my truck and got a new one with CarPlay.

Decided to abandon Android for good. My wife, and most of my family use iPhone. The convenience with Apple was just better than the freedom of Android. I have found several apps that have gotten the iPhone to work better for me. There are still some quirky things that make it harder to use for me after being so used to Windows Phone/Mobile, but I think I can make it work.

Still using the SE as my DD. I am going to try the other two sizes and see which is best for me and sell whichever two I don't like (well probably not the SE, so maybe just sell one). I must admit I am going into this biased toward the SE. I was helping my wife setup her 7 last night, and it was just large enough that it wasn't easy to use one handed. The screen size isn't really all that much bigger to justify the discomfort in my opinion. I will give it a longer evaluation, but I am almost ready to rule it out now. I think it will be either SE or Plus for me. SE is easy to handle, and very pocketable, Plus is not, but it has a large enough screen that might allow me to overlook that (and the better camera, which might be the deciding factor). The camera is probably a bigger factor than the screen size. In reality I very rarely use my phone for watching videos or anything like that so the small screen on the SE doesn't bother me.

I forgot how much I love 3D touch and the shortcuts that you get on app icons on the home screen. That to me is the biggest thing missing from the SE, especially with home much more it seems to be used in iOS 11. If the Plus doesn't work out for me I will be steadfast with my SE until an updated SE is available (hopefully with 3D touch and waterproofing).

Also I have switched to Sprint for their year of free service (just taxes to be paid). With that I will not be able to use my 950 as a phone, but I will keep it to stay in the Windows Phone universe. At least that might help my device ADD a little bit.

Thanks for the update.

I tried Sprint a couple years ago when I was on Android through Project Fi. Lets just say I hope your experience is better than mine was.

Sent from mTalk on my SP4

 

[camaroz1985]

So far Sprint is ok. My signal is nearly the same as I had on Cricket. Only decided to try it out due to the free service. Also where my wife works, Sprint is the only carrier that gets signal in the building. I figured there was really no loss in switching, no contract, and I could switch back if I needed to before the end of the year. Basically we will save a little over $800 for the year for 2 lines (with a $100 referral bonus, and my friend got $100 too). Seems like Sprint is a little desperate at the moment, and I have no problem taking advantage of that.

The decision to ditch Android wasn't easy. I really liked the Pixel, but I hated switching constantly, and apparently I have no self control to stop myself from doing so if I have the option haha. If so many around me weren't already on Apple I don't think it would be as appealing. My wife having an iPhone made it a much easier choice. We still use Outlook calendars and OneNote, so that could be done on Android too, but iMessage really is a great service, and from what I read seems to be a large part of Apple retaining customers (more than I would think anyway).

Think I will start with the 7 tonight and use it until the 7 plus gets here. Like I said so far it doesn't seem like the positives outweigh the negatives when comparing to my SE, but I haven't used it too much. I don't think I have the same stringent battery requirements as libra89, but I would like it to make a full day easily (16-18 hours).

 

[camaroz1985]

After a weekend with the 7, I can safely say it is not for me. Like I said it is a sacrifice in ease of use, without that much extra screen. I do like the hardware, and think it is a great device (my wife has a rose gold one now too), but it is not for me. I didn't notice a huge difference in battery compared to my SE, but the weekend isn't really a good way to measure that, I am harder on the phone during the work week.

7 Plus gets here today. I have never used that size Apple device, so I will probably give it a little longer trial. Hopefully get to try out the camera a little this weekend to see if it is worth the "upgragde".

Another Side Note: Sprint makes it a PITA to change phones. They have a way to do it online, but it didn't work the 3 times I tried (SE to 7, wife's 6S to 7, and 7 back to SE). Had to contact customer service each time. The rep said it just doesn't work for some phones, so either I was unlucky 3 times, or it really just doesn't work at all. I miss just being able to swap SIM cards and go. The hassle may help keep me from switching devices so much (but I doubt it).

 

[camaroz1985]

Now on the 3rd day with the 7 Plus. So Far:

Pros
- It doesn't feel as big as I thought it would, and there are definitely times when the bigger screen is nice. The screen is definitely brighter than the SE, and easier to read in the sunlight.
- Home "button" and haptics. I actually like the new "button". It felt strange at first, but it has grown on me to the point that I actually prefer it. I also like the haptics, and subtle vibrations that I feel in different apps. For instance, in Pocket Casts, when reodering podcasts in a playlists, you get a little bump with each position you move up or down. Not necessary, but still a cool feature, and while it doesn't make anything faster, or easier, it does add some "depth" to the experience.
- Like the 7, 3D touch, and waterproof. I forgot how much I liked using 3D touch, and some of the things it makes much easier to do. And while I haven't put the waterproofing to the test, it is nice knowing it has it. For instance I didn't worry when taking pictures of the kids playing in the pool yesterday.
- That brings me to probably the biggest pro, the camera. Just as I was about to say I wasn't impressed with it (was using it mostly indoors, not in bright situations), I got the chance to test it outside, using the zoom, and even portrait mode. It is pretty impressive. Of course portrait mode is a little flaky, and if you zoom in, the edges of the subject are kind of funky, but it does make a nice picture, and would be perfectly fine for social media use, but probably not printing. Now I don't think the overall camera performance is different from a 7 or even the SE/6S in general use (and especially in bright light situations like this), but for zoom, or this artsy, portrait effect it is pretty nice. Even my wife who normally just rolls her eyes when I show her new tricks, and features on phones was pretty impressed. If only I could convince her to use the 7 plus, then we would still have this functionality if I decide to go back to my trusty SE...

Con
- Definitely not a one hand device, and I didn't expect it to be, but I have had a couple times where I was trying to use it that way, and you definitely have to shuffle it around in your hand to get to the extents of the screen. Not a big deal, but not as easy as the SE or regular 7, and I would worry that with enough of this activity I fear dropping it.
- Price. Yeah I know I already bought it, and I knew how much it was, but as I'm deciding if I keep it or not that will be a factor, several hundred more $$ back in my pocket vs. selling the SE is nice, and could be put to use when the SE 2 comes out

- Size. It doesn't feel as big as I thought, but it is, and it is most evident, not in your hand, but in your pocket.

Draw
- Battery life is the same or worse for me as I was seeing on the SE. Admittedly I probably used it a little more than I was with my SE, but I was expecting more. I have been ending the work day with 40-50% left vs 50-70% on my SE.
- Speakers. This was marketed heavily, and it might be a little better than the SE, but its not a huge difference. My wife says she can tell a clear difference between the 6S and 7, but the difference between SE and 7 Plus is not that great.

Will use it through the 4th then make my decision. I am still really on the fence, but I'm leaning back into the SE yard.

Here are some picture samples.

 

[libra89]

Now on the 3rd day with the 7 Plus. So Far:

Pros
- It doesn't feel as big as I thought it would, and there are definitely times when the bigger screen is nice. The screen is definitely brighter than the SE, and easier to read in the sunlight.
- Home "button" and haptics. I actually like the new "button". It felt strange at first, but it has grown on me to the point that I actually prefer it. I also like the haptics, and subtle vibrations that I feel in different apps. For instance, in Pocket Casts, when reodering podcasts in a playlists, you get a little bump with each position you move up or down. Not necessary, but still a cool feature, and while it doesn't make anything faster, or easier, it does add some "depth" to the experience.
- Like the 7, 3D touch, and waterproof. I forgot how much I liked using 3D touch, and some of the things it makes much easier to do. And while I haven't put the waterproofing to the test, it is nice knowing it has it. For instance I didn't worry when taking pictures of the kids playing in the pool yesterday.
- That brings me to probably the biggest pro, the camera. Just as I was about to say I wasn't impressed with it (was using it mostly indoors, not in bright situations), I got the chance to test it outside, using the zoom, and even portrait mode. It is pretty impressive. Of course portrait mode is a little flaky, and if you zoom in, the edges of the subject are kind of funky, but it does make a nice picture, and would be perfectly fine for social media use, but probably not printing. Now I don't think the overall camera performance is different from a 7 or even the SE/6S in general use (and especially in bright light situations like this), but for zoom, or this artsy, portrait effect it is pretty nice. Even my wife who normally just rolls her eyes when I show her new tricks, and features on phones was pretty impressed. If only I could convince her to use the 7 plus, then we would still have this functionality if I decide to go back to my trusty SE...

Con
- Definitely not a one hand device, and I didn't expect it to be, but I have had a couple times where I was trying to use it that way, and you definitely have to shuffle it around in your hand to get to the extents of the screen. Not a big deal, but not as easy as the SE or regular 7, and I would worry that with enough of this activity I fear dropping it.
- Price. Yeah I know I already bought it, and I knew how much it was, but as I'm deciding if I keep it or not that will be a factor, several hundred more $$ back in my pocket vs. selling the SE is nice, and could be put to use when the SE 2 comes out https://forums.imore.com/images/smilies/wink.png
- Size. It doesn't feel as big as I thought, but it is, and it is most evident, not in your hand, but in your pocket.

Draw
- Battery life is the same or worse for me as I was seeing on the SE. Admittedly I probably used it a little more than I was with my SE, but I was expecting more. I have been ending the work day with 40-50% left vs 50-70% on my SE.
- Speakers. This was marketed heavily, and it might be a little better than the SE, but its not a huge difference. My wife says she can tell a clear difference between the 6S and 7, but the difference between SE and 7 Plus is not that great.

Will use it through the 4th then make my decision. I am still really on the fence, but I'm leaning back into the SE yard.

Here are some picture samples.

Ah, I have been waiting on your experience with the 7 Plus. Interesting impressions/thoughts so far. It sounds like you might be rightfully torn. I can get your point about how it feels in your hand vs how it feels in the pocket, because that is an important point as well. Your twins are adorable! I'm curious how the weekend will go for you.

Thanks for the update, looking forward to hearing which one you decide to use.

 

[camaroz1985]

After the weekend with the 7 plus (and over a week in total), I am back to my SE for "good".


The two things that I have been wanting for an updated SE, water resistance and 3D touch, are definitely the two things that I will miss the most, but I prefer the size of the SE ultimately, and that outweighs the benefits of the 7 plus to me.


I never actually had any issues with the size (other than not being able to use it easily to take a selfie of my wife and I, which is something I rarely do, and was able to get past that by using the timer). I did like the larger screen in some cases, such as using Waze when mounted in my car (that wound't be an issue if Apple would allow a Waze CarPlay app...), and occasionally for browsing a website. I like the camera and lossless 2x zoom. Hopefully that will come to the iPhone 8 this year, so even that won't be limited to the big phones. I did take some nice pictures, but again it wasn't that different from my SE to the point that it would make me put up with the big size. The only difference was I was willing to take it where it might get wet. My wife still has the 7, so for those times we will just use her phone (or if she isn't around, I will just have to be careful with my SE, which seems to be fairly resistant to water, even though it isn't advertised as such.)


Ultimately those added features weren't enough for me to want to keep the 7 plus (or 7) over the SE though. I think it is safe to say my chronic switching days are over. The 7 and 7 Plus will soon be for sale, and I will use the SE as my only device at least until next spring. I am hoping for an updated SE at that point, and will pre-order one if it has the improvements that I hope for (Another plus of not keeping the 7 plus, is more money back in my bank account, and that can stay there until the SE 2 comes out). If not I will either continue to happily use my SE, or maybe try an 8. I know that seems like I am already giving into switching again, but a 9 month commitment to a phone is a big deal for me. Baby steps, right?

Here are some of the sample pictures.

Beautiful day at the best ballpark in the league :wink:


Testing the 2x zoom on the next two pictures. When you get into the digital zoom quality really suffers, so this is really the limit of zoom in my opinion.



These are the moments that having waterproofing is a benefit (had to resize the last two to meet max size limits of the site. Also all are using 2x zoom)




I should also mention that everything is left to auto, and I don't even pretend to be an expert photographer.

 

[camaroz1985]

Also, CarPlay worked great on our trip. Used it for Maps, Spotify and Pocket Casts. Was also very nice when we borrowed my mother in laws car (truck was too tall for parking garage at the game), and had everything ready to go just by plugging in.

On the carrier front, Sprint coverage has been pretty good. Only had one point in our trip where we lost LTE, and that area is always pretty spotty on any carrier. Working out well so far. Also got all the phones unlocked, domestically and globally, from Sprint (wife's 7 and the 7 plus were locked when we bought them). Only took a few minutes on customer support line, had a very helpful rep. Took 24 hours for each phone, and she even called me back to let me know when the process was complete on each one. Much easier than I feared it might be.

 

[camaroz1985]

Wow I haven't updated this thread in a long time. I am now using an iPhone X, and have been doing so for a couple months. I still have the SE, but after I got the X for my wife and used it for a while, my ADD kicked in and I needed one for myself. Unless something new comes out with a smaller screen, but with all the same features I see this phone, or at least this form factor, to be what I use for the foreseeable future. The phone is fast, smooth, has a great camera, beautiful screen (the notch does not bother me one bit), and just works without issue. It is everything I liked about the SE, but taken up a few notches (no pun intended). I wasn't sure about the overall size but it is acceptable to me, kind of a sweet spot between the 4.7 and 5.5 inch iPhones, bigger screen than the 4.7 so it makes not being able to use it easily single handed an ok compromise, but not the gigantic size of the 5.5 inch phones. The price is pretty crazy, but I paid less for my 256GB and my wife's 64GB phones than what a 64GB retails for. At that price point it is a great value, and hopefully will last a long time.

I don't see anything new coming out that would make we want to switch away from this phone (come on Microsoft, make me eat my words). Even if the next version of the iPhone got rid of the notch completely it wouldn't matter to me and I would be happy to keep the X.

 

[libra89]

Wow I haven't updated this thread in a long time. I am now using an iPhone X, and have been doing so for a couple months. I still have the SE, but after I got the X for my wife and used it for a while, my ADD kicked in and I needed one for myself. Unless something new comes out with a smaller screen, but with all the same features I see this phone, or at least this form factor, to be what I use for the foreseeable future. The phone is fast, smooth, has a great camera, beautiful screen (the notch does not bother me one bit), and just works without issue. It is everything I liked about the SE, but taken up a few notches (no pun intended). I wasn't sure about the overall size but it is acceptable to me, kind of a sweet spot between the 4.7 and 5.5 inch iPhones, bigger screen than the 4.7 so it makes not being able to use it easily single handed an ok compromise, but not the gigantic size of the 5.5 inch phones. The price is pretty crazy, but I paid less for my 256GB and my wife's 64GB phones than what a 64GB retails for. At that price point it is a great value, and hopefully will last a long time.

I don't see anything new coming out that would make we want to switch away from this phone (come on Microsoft, make me eat my words). Even if the next version of the iPhone got rid of the notch completely it wouldn't matter to me and I would be happy to keep the X.

Glad that the X is still working out well for you. Whoa, you are right! Many months since then. I'm glad that you took a solid chance on the X after all and it sounds like it's a nice balance for you.