Lack of a headphone port. That sounds like nothing, but keep in mind you'd have to pay extra for the Blue Tooth Deally bop just to listen to your phone without bothering people on public transit. The freaking GAMEBOY had a headphone port, but the Iphone 7 thinks its TOO GOOD for one? Freaking insulting.
The Random Crap Thread 2: It Hits the Fan.
- Thread starter North_Ranger
- Start date
iPhone 7 was the first model to drop the headphone jack, have to use bluetooth buds or use an adapter in the changing port to allow use of wired headset.
Or get an audio dock for 40 dollars to get both ports back simultaneously.
Interestingly enough, the iPhone 8/8+/X just came out, but the 7's continue to outsell them.
If you're looking to go iOS, the 6S family (6S/6S+/SE) are all still available new, still have an audio jack, they're solid phones, and they're a LOT cheaper now that they're the 2yr-old model.
Otherwise you might want to check out Gas' Android thread for ideas.
--Patrick
Interestingly enough, the iPhone 8/8+/X just came out, but the 7's continue to outsell them.
If you're looking to go iOS, the 6S family (6S/6S+/SE) are all still available new, still have an audio jack, they're solid phones, and they're a LOT cheaper now that they're the 2yr-old model.
Otherwise you might want to check out Gas' Android thread for ideas.
--Patrick
Apple is successfully segmenting the market, and this year added a new level on top of the stack. So right now you can buy, new from apple, the following phones:
X (2017, A11 processor)
8+ (2017, A11)
8 (2017, A11)
7+ (2016, A10)
7 (2016, A10)
6s+ (2015, A9)
6s (2015, A9)
SE (A9) (they keep upgrading this model, so it's not attached to a year)
This means a consumer can buy a new phone, from apple, at any price point from $349 to $1,149.
Further, consumer demand is strong enough for the entire range that they are essentially setting the price. So a phone that's 2 years old, the iPhone 6s, is going new for $449. This means that used in good condition it's probably well over $300.
Further, they support these phones. You can upgrade to the latest operating system and run the latest apps on a phone that's 3 years old (iPhone 6 and 6+), though the experience is no longer fast, smooth and buttery because the newest OS is designed for processors 3-5 times faster than the A8 in that phone (I just upgraded from a 6+, and while it's usable it was annoying to have to wait. I would have kept it on iOS 10 if I could have and still received security updates).
If you buy most 3 year old android devices, you'll find that the OS is old, upgrading it requires specialized knowledge and a willingness to live with minor inconveniences. App developers know this and develop for very old versions of android, but you'll still miss out on some newer apps that require newer OS features. You can get a few phones with good long term support, but they are more expensive.
This is what's propping up the used market - long term support, a huge array of devices to segment the market, and a public perception of value.
All that said, I reconciled the high cost of the phone years ago when I realized I was paying far more for the service than the device, so getting a device that made the most of the service was a benefit for me. That coupled with the fact that I needed to have at least one of each form factor device for client work justifies (in theory, we'll see if it pays off) the high cost when a new form factor comes out (like the X). Also I save up $50 a month as a business expense just to buy phones so I never have to go into a contract or leasing arrangement again.
It also means that you should upgrade and sell your old phone as a used device at least every three years. After that it loses value significantly.
The reality is that unless Google, qualcomm, intel, or someone else really takes up the battle against Apple it's not going to change. Apple's A11 is nearly 50% faster than the Snapdragon 835 (chip used in the latest and greatest Android devices released this year) in multi-core tests, and in single core tests it's twice as fast. This doesn't necessarily translate directly into better user experiences, but it does matter (particularly to bleeding edge app developers) to the market and maintaining that lead is a big part of Apple's strategy.
So blame Apple. They are extracting the most money they can from their customers, and selling and supporting such a broad range of new and old phones that the used market is propped up.
I suspect they've jumped the shark this year though. The X isn't receiving the huge demand they'd prefer (only a 2-3 week wait right now), and they know that the 6 and 7 are right in the "I guess I can spend this much on a phone" sweet spot for their market.
The 8 and X are really them going after the wealthy - again, market segmentation. They wouldn't sell the SE and 6 unless they were moving millions of them a year, and they are.
fade
Staff member
Why do the same people who belittle Steve Jobs Go nuts for Elon Musk? They're in the same position, doing the same kind of work. Neither are creating the science themselves (even if Musk took the time to understand it), so why does one get praise and the other derision from the same crowd?
A toxic mix of stupidity and hypocrisy?
That would be especially hard on the mom baking in the kitchen.
"DON'T GO TRACKING YOUR BLOODY FEET ALL OVER THIS FRESHLY MOPPED FLOOR!"
Because Elon Musk is not Steve Jobs.
Really, some people just have a full-on hate boner for Jobs and will never allow themselves to like anything he was ever associated with.
--Patrick
Dave
Staff member
Every Friday we have a thing we call "breakfast club" where one guy brings in food for the rest (7 of us in all). Today a guy brought in breakfast enchiladas. I hate this guy for a couple of reasons:
my wife I'm going to pay for the Mexican food later....
- I was supposed to go out for lunch with a buddy and there's no way I could possibly eat any more.
- My turn is in 2 weeks and there's no way I can compete with this guy. He's like Tin when it comes to cooking - he could be a chef if he wanted. And then there's me. I'm not a chef and I couldn't be one unless they allowed for box dinners, pizza, or mac & cheese.
The answer is simple. Breakfast pizza.
Grocery store donuts. Nothing gets you kicked out of a breakfast club faster than that...
You had spam for dinner. I didn't touch that shit. If smelled worse than Fancy Feast.
Pika Pika, Pika snob!
Similar to breakfast enchiladas, but you could do burritos. I make these in a big batch and freeze them.
Super simple:
I don't have a recipe, but it's essentially this:
1 lb hot breakfast sausage
with
Seasoning: cumin (2 t), corriander (2 t), chili (1 t), onion (2 t), garlic (0.5 t) powders (never quantified it, but's it's approx. what I use).
+ ~1T of salt (adj. to your personal saltiness)
Brown and drain fat and set the meat aside:
With some of the sausage grease still in the pan cook on medium-high heat:
1 can of Hot Rotel
1 can of diced green chilis
-with some salt and pepper
-Stir and cook until all the water from the cans cooks off and then cook the tomatoes until they are a dark red (not burned - caramelized).
-Throw that on top of the cooked sausage
Lower the heat to slightly below medium and add 1T of butter to the same pan:
cook ~dozen eggs (10-12) with salt and pepper until you have scrambled eggs
Mix the eggs + sausage + veg
Take 6 or 8 inch flour tortillas and put ~3T of the mixture + sprinkle your fav. cheese (cotija, extra sharp cheddar, jack, etc). Wrap up like a burrito (see youtube).
Put them in individual foil or what I do is roll them all up and set them on a cookie sheet and freeze them then dump them all in a big ziplock bag, and microwave them in the morning. It makes ~ 18-20 8 inch tortillas - maybe 24 or so 6 inchers.
For your club, you could make them the night before and heat them in the morning.
To dress them up, you could make a cilantro-jalepeno-sour cream (for the TexMex lovers).
You can add freshly chopped cilantro and/or serranos to the mix before assembling.
You could cook the burritos on a griddle so they get browned and toasty on the outside.
Overload them with sweets.
Everything bagel with chive cream cheese and breakfast ham, frosted flakes, OJ and coffee.
Or at least it will be when I get up again. Zzz.
Toast with honey and coffee
Chocolate peppermint ice cream cone.
You had the grandest breakfast of them all.