Discussion on:

Which is the superior mobile OS: iOS, Android, or Windows 8?

Well, I will concede this much...the use of touch within the desktop is a little trying at times and the Waycom is not to accurate when it comes to pin point accuracy ...but signing of Docs, writing descriptions, it works very well with ink option within Microsoft word. The text size within desktop , I have had very little problems reading or clarity of any kind....I will admit on occasions there have been web pages where you type in text and go to submit that text and cannot find the tab to submit ....Facebook is very difficult at times and even on My companies web portal the menu tabs seem to be overlapped and hidden behind the browser window...I knew it was there and took some time finding that little sliver, but once found it still is just an annoyance but still functional...I admit it is not perfect but text seems just fine, but concede it is better engineered/designed on Apple/Android platforms.

Hi!

I did go through the article and have been using Android for about 2 years now with the Galaxy S and Galaxy S III, and I can't comment on this article based on my limited to nil experience on the other two platforms.

I'll try and get myself or wait till someone gifts me the other two devices so that I can experiment on them and then will give my analysis as the one that I get from this article would be inclined to the thoughts of the author.

Some things just have to be experienced to be known...

Devesh Prabhu

This was a good even handed evaluation of what is out there. Should be interesting how this progresses.

I think Android will take over the general mobile areas, due to its ability to run on the latest and greatest hardware, people have a choice, and is not limited to a single company with 3 mobile products.
Windows will become a major force especially in more serious applications and business ventures. (Pro version not RT), primarily because of available software that will soon be adapted or rewritten to suit, but also because it can integrate seemlessly with desktops and current data.
IOS is loosing its appeal due to its restrictions and limited hardware. (The novelty is wearing off!) Apple have lost the "wow" factor!
My Prediction is 2013 will be year of Android and 2014 will be Windows (pro SP1)

If we discuss about android, If you like flexibility, freedom and like to customize your phone, Android is the one for you. Also, it has a phone for nearly every budget. However, apps can be of low quality sometimes, but that's changing gradually. This is the only OS that offers true multitasking, ie, apps can run uninterrupted in the background. iOS for those that like beautifully designed apps and a phone that works seamlessly, but doesn't allow you much freedom in terms of customizing and sharing, go for this. It is also the only OS that guarantees you an update for at least 2 generations ahead of the one which was in your device at the time of purchase. However, the UI is getting dated and lags functionality when compared to Android.
and last but not least, Windows Phone - If you like a beautiful, bold new UI and love to try new stuff, then you can go for this one. However, the number of available apps is quite less when compared to iOS and Android.
Read more at :-
gm.kochar.com

I like what I've seen so far on the inaugural video's. The OS will be able to use Android driver and it also helps that I am an Ubuntu desktop user.

I wonder where Ubuntu Linux fits in this mix. I'm sure linux distros are adapting their flavors of linux to run on the ARM and other mobile processors. I just wonder how well they are making the transition. Have they done well enough to risk over-writing the OS that came installed in eprom on the tablet?

Probably will be interested in what *nix brings to the game. This really ties into ecosystem lock-in. As FOSS users, you really don't *have* lock-in, but you probably have emotional investment in *nix platforms that will drive a certain amount of adoption. I think Ubuntu in particular has made it clear they see the change coming and they want to remain an active player there. Which is *good*.

On the other hand, I don't see the *nix distros actually making any radical change to the traditional division of market share through these changes. The *nix distros will inevitably remain a small niche player and a perpetual thorn in the side and gnawing concern for the incumbents.

Even if they really nail it, they have a logistics problem with getting the word out. If that changed somehow and Ubuntu was able to afford millions or billions of dollars in advertising revenue for main-stream, prime-time advertising like Google, Apple, Microsoft and Intel are investing in - then things could change.

I think I'm an awesome blogger who should have hundreds of thousands of dedicated readers who constantly demand more content from me. I'm *certain* it is that I don't have the same kind of visibility, not a lack of talent or credibility, that prevents me from having the kind of following the A-list, top-tier tech bloggers have. I'm the Ubuntu of technology bloggers, under appreciated except by a minority of readers with exquisitely demanding tastes.

and having used linux on an early tablet, I can attest that its not fun running most linux applications with touch on an 8" screen (with a pen in my case). Running Ubuntu on a phone would be pretty useless with current linux applications.
I think that Ubuntu is realizing that it won't be long before we have enough power in our pockets to run desktop applications, using the appropriate desktop peripherals. We aren't there yet, but I think it is an inevitable result of convergence.
When it does happen, Ubuntu will be ready, and perhaps have an advantage over other players by getting into the game now. Ubuntu will either have to learn to live with one of the existing phone app infrastructures for use in phone/teblet mode, or encourage development of apps appropriate to a phone or tablet.

It seems to me that it shouldn't be all that hard for Ubuntu to 'hijack' Android apps in their phone effort. The advantage to Ubuntu is that it comes into the game with a huge app library ready to use. The disadvantage is that except for those actually in the tech industry, nobody's even heard of Ubuntu or Linux as such.

If Ubuntu mobile can demonstrate itself as more stable and easier to use than Android, it could take a huge bite out of Android's market and really bring Ubuntu to the forefront as a desktop OS as well. If they're well integrated, Linux may finally make it as a third desktop option.

... as being easier to use that straight Android, but "hijacking" Android is exactly what I mean. The appeal will not be that Android is easier to use, but that you can plug your machine into a desktop peripherals setup and 'automatically' run a full Ubuntu desktop from your phone, accessing the same data as your Android apps access.
This calls for full integration of Android into Ubuntu at some point (meaning launching Android apps from the Ubuntu UI and accessing the same data). This indeed could be perceived as "easier to use" by those who like the Ubuntu UI, but I think "integrated" is the more important factor.
By the way, after 2 years using Android on my Nook Color (still on 2.3 but playing with 4.2) I have found very few instability or ease-of-use issues, beyond what one would expect from a nascent OS on an unsupported system. I think the reported lag and instability problems are more related to selecting bottom-end phones and expecting top-end performance (as in "I got my free Android phone from the grocery store, and find it laggy. Android sucks!).

The problem is that there is no standard interface for Android phones. iOS really has an opportunity here with their custom bidirection interface that hundreds of third party manufacturers already support with aftermarket peripherals.

Motorola was onto a good thing with their integrated HDMI/Mini USB with a standard orientation and Webtop.

I keep waiting for Google to drop the other shoe and announce that the Webtop features are now integrated in all base Android builds and work with a standardized reference design I/O port that is required for in order to be a Google certified device with access to Google Play.

It would tick the manufacturers and wireless carriers off because they wouldn't be guaranteed gouge of $120 in peripheral purchases with the upgrade of each new phone if a standard interface were designed. No more, "New phone, throw away your old dock, chargers, GPS mounts and buy all new ones" - universal accessories would travel from phone to phone. But Android would get tremendous lock-in and would be able to fully leverage the "phone as a desktop PC alternative" holy grail.

Frankly, without this, I don't see how Ubuntu really has a shot. They'll have to run on a custom phone, with custom peripherals, which means they'll have to team with a handset manufacturer, and they won't have enough pull to keep the handset manufacturer from playing the "new every two upgrade your phone and accessories" game.

And unless they make it completely consumer friendly, they're only going to get people who are already Linux users (and don't have something against Ubuntu, and want a Smart Phone to replace their PCs).

How much of a 2% segment of the market can that be? In that case, how scared should Google, Microsoft, or Apple be of a Linux phone coming from behind to steal the show?

Ubuntu's advantage will be exactly that--the integration between mobile and desktop that Android simply doesn't have. It should be possible to pull Android apps into Ubuntu easily enough--though as an iOS/OS X user I don't have the requisite knowledge.

I also agree with you that Android's biggest problem today is the cheap hardware it's forced to run on. When a manufacturer tries to flood the market with low-priced products to grab as many sales as possible, you simply have to question the quality of that hardware. Granted, the versions of Android before 2.0 were buggy as anything, but now that Google is up to 4.0+ the OS itself has stabilized greatly according to nearly every review I read. On the other hand, not all hardware has improved to the same level. Samsung, for all that it now produces some of the best Android hardware with the Galaxy series, also produces some of the worst with its other Android lines according to many reviews Meanwhile, still according to reviews, HTC garners the best average reviews across all its lines, though not as highly rated as Samsung's Galaxy. Were Samsung smart, they would dump their cheaper lines, but they want to own the entire gamut of the smartphone market so they will continue to put out cheap--as well as quality--hardware.

I admit that I haven't tried windows 8, but I have briefly played around with the iPad, and we had purchased one at work to see if it was compatible with any of our systems only to find it out wasn't. I have an android tablet, and while I can do a few things related to work on it, I cannot do some of the most critical tasks. So, as I get ready to leave on a trip an hour from now, I'm lugging my laptop (why did I have to buy such a huge laptop?).

I will keep my android phone close by, though. It's been invaluable this past month while I've been taking emergency trips to unfamiliar places. I can get lost in a 10 x 10 room with one door and a map, so the navigation features of the phone have saved my bacon quite a few times this past month.

After trying to use Android for maybe 2 years, and dealing with my Wife's iPad, I retired the Android machine, re-rooted it, returned it to factory and will give it to one of the kids.

I am very pleased with my current device, an Acer W510 with the keyboard. I updated the OS to Win 8 Pro, have Office 2010 Professional, and even successfully installed my 3D CAD software. Between the 64 Gb on the SSD and an additional 64 Gb Micro SD, I have ample storage and system which is, frankly, faster than I expected. With the keyboard attached, it is easy to use and the extra battery has kept me from coming anywhere near to the end of battery life after a full day.

With the keyboard detached, the tablet itself is light and I think easier to hold than the iPad.

Yes, there was some brain damage getting it set up. There was some very strange WiFi connectivity issues that had to be worked through. And, yes, there are the constant stream of updates. This may be enough to eliminate a lot of the iPad crowd, but then they don't have a tablet which can technically replace a full featured laptop on an extended business trip.

Add my Windows Phone, my Win 7 desk at work, and my Win 8 laptop at home and I actually have a very nice system that syncs beautifully across the board.

I am certain something else better will come along in time, but it is a heck of a system at a not too outrageous price.

I'm really interested,

... theres no platform thats truly superior to the others in this roundup. They all have benefits and compromises, so you need to select the platform that appeals the most to you. Depending on your needs and tastes.

Personally, I have bought and used iPad and gave it away to my son, got a Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, use it and gave it away to my daughter. Now on Fujitsu Q702 and using it till now as it serve my purpose but with only one big compromise, that is the battery life, which I can live with...

I come from a Windows Phone 7.5/8 and a Windows 8 Enterprise tablet perspective and agree with your article. Consume/watch = iOS. Immersive = W8. In between, with many quality variations, = Android.

Mark Cooper
crazy Ohio driver

Thanks for the article. I cannot wonder though where some of this information comes from. You state that iOS is a less capable platform for creating content, but I'm wondering how the others are more capable, especially for students and teachers who need to create rich-media using tools like movie editing tools, podcasting tools, presentations, spreadsheets and such. The iPad has both the more traditional Office-like tools like Office HD, DocumentsToGo and such, which offer some options, but also the more focused and rich Pages, Numbers and Keynote, and not ignoring iMovie, Pinnacle Studio, GarageBand and the rest of the very capable audio, video and explanation-creating software. Tools like iStopMotion and Animation Studio and so many more which offer all sorts of creativity to create some pretty amazing documents.

Sure, maybe not quite tied to the business world, but I find it very difficult to create this level of document on other platforms. It sure is not perfect, but I find it would at least require some sort of support of your claims, I'd be very happy to learn more.

There are lots of unsupported claims which seem like they are obvious, but which others contradict. Is Android really taking over the tablet market in user-base or is it simply distribution before sales? Who can check this? And from what some are saying, obviously Apple themselves, but still, most of the Fortune 500 companies are using the iPhone or iOS in some sort of measure if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks for supporting your claims so we can make better informed decisions and thanks for the article, it does try to paint a global fair picture.

"I'd rather cannibalize sales from myself. If I don't do it, somebody else will."

It appears his policy is still working.

"You state that iOS is a less capable platform for creating content, but I'm wondering how the others are more capable, especially for students and teachers"

article quote - Sure, there are exceptions. Some niche industries, most notable the medical and music industries, embrace the iPad and drive a lot of app designs. Ultimately, I think that a more powerful and flexible mobile OS platform will become equal to or exceed iOS even in those fields but for now, Apple enjoys a lead.

"Sure, maybe not quite tied to the business world, but I find it very difficult to create this level of document on other platforms."

Article quote - With many of the features (and liabilities) of a true mobile OS, Google has tried to walk a line in offering the same kind of intuitive, light-weight mobile experience as iOS but with the power and flexibility of a traditional Windows desktop OS. Theyve done a pretty good job at this, which is reflected in the popularity of this platform.

...Android has become less of a consumer appliance and more of a power users playground. While that may sound good to a lot of potential users, it means that Android is not as stable, predictable, or well designed as iOS.

And...

Windows 8 is a complex platform in all its myriad forms. Windows delivers much of the mobile OS platform nearly as well as the previously mentioned platforms, but it retains a distinct focus on corporate business productivity as its primary role. Even the ARM-based Windows RT is aimed at users who are strongly invested in Microsofts business platforms.

"Is Android really taking over the tablet market in user-base or is it simply distribution before sales? Who can check this? And from what some are saying, obviously Apple themselves, but still, most of the Fortune 500 companies are using the iPhone or iOS in some sort of measure if I'm not mistaken."

Now come on - Maybe in early to mid 2012 the argument, "this is just distribution channel sales, but how many Android tablets are actually being *bought*," was a valid question. There is no doubt now that Android is ahead in global handset sales and catching up and on course to surpass Apple sales in tablets sometime in 2013 as well. If that doesn't happen, it will be because of Windows 8, not because iPads are going to rally. Apple is cutting demand for supplies for the iPad, iPhone and iPad mini. I'm not interested in a lot of supporting links to justify my claims that almost everyone has already read, anyhow. The fact is that with this kind of data, it is always interpreted subjectively according to individual preferences and biases, anyhow.

Corporations are using Apple because they were way out ahead of the game and they were the only game in town for awhile, and they adopted early. That enterprise lock-in may be a good thing for Apple in the long run. But they face significant competition now, and long-term lock-in isn't the only criteria that keeps enterprises with one platform or another, or we would all be arguing on CP/M machines and using WordStar to type documents on Lantastic networks.

iOS, as it stands today, is less well suited for content creation in the broadest range of environments. Can we cherry pick models where Apple has a superior platform? Absolutely. But for broad suitability, they're trailing in a 3 horse race.

"Article quote - With many of the features (and liabilities) of a true mobile OS, Google has tried to walk a line in offering the same kind of intuitive, light-weight mobile experience as iOS but with the power and flexibility of a traditional Windows desktop OS. Theyve done a pretty good job at this, which is reflected in the popularity of this platform."

Your quoting this point emphasized something that was said by the CEO of KAYAK about how their web analytics show iOS hitting their site 3x as much as Android--specifically mentioning that most Android buyers honestly don't understand what they're using. Personal observation in my admittedly small region known as the Northeast Corridor has made me believe the ONLY reason Android has ever sold in large numbers is simply due to price. For almost four years now, when you saw an Android commercial on TV--no matter the network--about 75% of them were pushing some form of deep discount--usually either a TwoFer or half-price sale. Over the holiday shopping season, even Samsung's acclaimed Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note were included in those pricing schemes--whereas Apple itself didn't budge though admittedly Walmart* did offer the 8-gig model iPhone 5 for $127. Of course, $127 is still 2.5 times the $49 price tag on the Galaxy S3. But that's only one observation.
Another observation shows that in some sales locations where the iPhone is sold beside Android, and honestly in contradiction to the KAYAK CEO's statement, people will go in and ask for an iPhone and get steered away to an android on the argument that, "It's just like the iPhone, only cheaper." I personally know of about seven cases locally that were given that argument while in another case a woman came home and brandished her new Motorola with the excited claim of, "Look! I got an iPhone!"

Keep in mind that I'm not arguing whether Android is better or worse than iOS here, I'm only pointing out that a high proportion of Android users--perhaps as many as half of them--don't really know what they have and when it doesn't work the way they expect it to or becomes for whatever reason too difficult to use (remember, that half isn't the tech savvy half) they fall back on using it simply as a cell phone--ignoring almost all of its other capabilities.

This is not really a shining position for android itself. Since 3.0 Android has been a much more stable OS. 4.0 and higher are improving it even more. But based on web usage alone, evidence demonstrates that it is not nearly as user friendly as it should be, though the Kayak CEO does mention that Android web hits are slowly increasing.

The web-traffic of Android devices can be attributed to any of a number of reasons (and has been) - but also isn't heard much anymore, because it is no longer the case. Around the time of the release of the Nexus 7 - those stats changed.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/rsaT9NSE0MX-xwJjJsofKtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

This week Macintosh OS has made an unusually strong showing on my personal blog, with 11% of the traffic, matching Android, and handily beating the ~3% share of traffic that iPad, iPod and the iPhone contribute combined.

Android traffic to websites has increased significantly. So, to address the first point - it is true that at one point Android wasn't causing a lot of web traffic - and I still haven't seen a good explanation. I personally think Android Browser wasn't very good and Chrome Mobile for Android is much better (and hardware is powerful enough to make it pleasant now). I didn't used to surf much on Android, but Chrome changed that for me - so that is fairly anecdotal.

But - if half the Android users don't know what they're doing - 95% of iOS users don't. I can't count the number of times I've been in a discussion with someone and mentioned Android GPS as something the iPhone can't match and had them respond, "Oh, I've got GPS..." and then show me Maps to prove it.

Cheap stupid folks buy Android discount handsets. Spendy stupid folks buy iPhones.

Seriously. Even the Apple people who KNOW what they're doing like their Apple phones because it gets out of their way and they don't have to think about anything. Come on, Vulpine. That is a pretty shallow argument. I may exaggerate the 95% figure up above - but the shallow high school girl who would be as well served with a feature-phone as a smart-phone - she wouldn't be caught dead at the football game with an Android phone. Those are for nerds and math champs. She has an iPhone. That _is_ the iPhone market.

Whereas I tend to run into ubernerds all the time. It is like they can sense that I am a member of the pack. Whenever I get into conversations with a guy and I'm thinking, "this dude is in the deep end of the geek pool," he has an Android device. When I meet IT guys professionally and they pull out Apple devices, their tech-credibility instantly goes down a notch with me. iOS IT guys are generally professional and driven and smart - but they don't have the kind of passion for technology that Android IT guys have.

And I'm not really saying one is better or worse than the other, either. They're different. One is better for some things and one is better for others.

Just in different ways. I've been saying people shouldn't rely on gadgets as "perfect navigators" (in other words, don't be dumb) while you've been saying "people are dumb" to not be aware of their environment.

Heh. We agree!

LOL... Is simply no replacement for a true integrated turn-by-turn GPS application. Comparing Maps to Google Naviagtion is like comparing edit to Word.

Kayak's figures ARE outdated. Just because he discussed them less than a week ago doesn't mean they're accurate. I posted the link to Picasa because it had metrics showing iOS making barely a dent and Android second by only a few points to OS X for hits to my personal blog. It is no secret among people who monitor website metrics that Android's share of traffic is on the increase while iOS's share is declining. I think that is more than a correlary relationship.

While I will admit I have not used "Google Navigation" I have used Maps--both the old and the new--as a direct replacement for a standalone GPS. To be bluntly honest, unless you're a pilot or a boater where you don't have to follow specific roads, GPS is essentially useless for anything but mapping your current location as you drive; something that Maps does very well. What I have discovered is that GPS routing directions don't necessarily follow the best or even the most logical driving directions. Not even Google Earth, from which Google Navigation is derived, is all that good at plotting the best route even for short runs, much less for trips measuring hundreds of miles. How do I know? Experience. I might also note that at least some of those 'errors' are intentional--just as errors in different publishers' paper road maps are intentional--to avoid copyright infringement.

I might suggest the same thing about the web metrics to your own personal blog; honestly, I didn't know you had one but even if I did, I'd be hitting it from my iMac unless I'm traveling--at which point I'd be visiting with my iPad. I am quite certain that most of your personal web hits are more due to having a techie-based following, not a consumer-based one. You will note that I have acknowledged that even the KAYAK article did report growing Android hits, which personally I will attribute to the marked improvements in both Android itself with versions 4.x as well as the more superior Galaxy series from Samsung finally giving the OS the quality hardware it needs to perform properly. The problem is that the Galaxy series is still less than half of Samsung's overall smartphone production as they try to cater to all consumer levels.

"While I will admit I have not used "Google Navigation" I have used Maps--both the old and the new..."

We can stop right there. I've used both. Maps could not compare to an actual turn-by-turn GPS navigation solution until the latest revision. Google Navigation makes your device operate just like a stand-alone, purpose dedicated navigation device. A TomTom or a Garmin or any of those solutions that cost from $75-$500. The Maps navigation was not a competitive solution to actual turn-by-turn vehicle navigation for the first *five* generations of iOS. Listen, these apps were available on the Apple Market for around $75 and people actually paid that, because they're that much better. I can't believe there are iOS users out there who still don't actually GET this. You buy an Android, you've always gotten a free turn-by-turn genuine GPS device in the bargain. You buy an iPhone, you settled for Maps (which gives you DIRECTIONS, not *navigation*) or you paid another $75+ for genuine navigation.

Android has always had Google MAPS, too. We very rarely used that, because we had a real turn by turn nav GPS solution built in. Maps are lame for most purposes. Nav is awesome. Like cut and paste, it is about TIME... and the things you had to go through to get there and how long you had to wait.

I'd agree with you, my viewers are probably more technical. But metrics don't lie. When the industry was saying that Android wasn't surfing, my metrics supported that. When they said that Android WAS hitting, my metrics changed to reflect the same kind of growth everyone ELSE was seeing. My blog attracts as many if not more readers interested in metaphysics, fringe science and politics as it does technical readers. There is no reason to think they're likely to disproportionately be Android readers. But once again, you can't decide on your argument against Android. Is it successful because it is CHEAP, or is it successful because it attracts more technically savvy users? The truth is, (and you know this), both of those are part of the reason for Android's popularity, but they are not the only reasons. My metrics, like everyone else's, suggest that Android users are now using browsers to surf more frequently. With the number of powerful Android devices out there, this only makes sense. Android has, and will continue to increase their market share, in all likelihood, and Apple will continue to either maintain or see theirs shrink. Windows 8 is the biggest threat to that at the moment... but I don't think we'll see any effect from that for a while, at least.

I far prefer 'Directions' that tell me what to look for and shows me where I am than 'Navigation' that can have me turning onto railroad tracks where there isn't a road. I'm sure you've read at least as many reports about too trusting drivers getting killed because they turned when the navigator told them to instead of using common sense.

Also, as I pointed out above, their routing algorithms are questionable at best--and honestly I don't care which brand you name--even Apple's. A driver who pre-plans their route is more likely to have fewer problems, though admittedly the navigator can help you find a place you've never visited before--as long as you don't trust it too implicitly. Again, even my own GPS experiences have shown them more as a driver's aid, not something to bet your life on. You might remember reading about the lady in Europe whose GPS was set to guide her to the 'local' airport sent her 900 kilometers out of her way--through four different countries. Worse, she didn't even realize that what should have been a one-hour drive forced her to stop to refill her tank. People are getting too lazy and too trusting of their gadgets to know when it sends them in the wrong direction.

So really, is my argument invalid? Are you so willing to trust a device to take you where you want to go by the most efficient route? If you ask me, road navigators still have a long way to go before they're that trustworthy.

As for Android, why can't it be both? I don't argue that tech-focused users like it, but I also know that several corporate IT people I'm personally familiar with switched from Android to iPhone due to its reliability and ease of use. I also know that other people who were once Blackberry owners and chose Android because it was less expensive than Apple switched to iPhone once their contract expired. One--only one--IT person I know switched from the iPhone to Android.

The problem is, your anecdotal evidence and personal preference isn't in step with the rest of society. Turn-By-Turn GPS is what society wildly prefers. I've used it to get me safely all the way from North East Ohio to...

New Jersey, Canada, Florida and Montana. (And lots of destinations inbetween. Maryland, DC, points all over Pennsylvania and New York, and others).

Pretty much to all the furthest corners of America. Plot that out on a map. And I'm not exaggerating. I've driven all of those miles in the last 5 years, frequently with a 30 foot travel trailer dragging behind my vehicle. Coast to Coast and top to bottom, using only GPS units. I've never even ended up on a roadway that I had to back up on because of a low overpass or weak bridge. I've never ended up on a snowed in logging road as a blizzard snowed me in.

Your argument is invalid.

I'd argue that your sample is not large enough to draw a conclusion, on the last paragraph - and that numbers indicate that this is not typical.

When you don't have a cell signal your Map Viewer doesn't work.

I saw this early December when the wifes daughter was getting married. I offered to set the GPS in the car to the destination but I was overruled because one of the passengers had their Apple Phone and had the destination programed into it. They took off and promptly drove into a Cell Phone Black Spot and with no signal no directions or any idea of where it was that they where.

As the driver didn't know where it was that they where going other than it was the Historical Village and no one in the car knew exactly where it was that they where going things got more than a little stressed.

The In car GPS worked though no one in it knew how to set it to get them where they wanted to go.

I should also point out that all GPS units specifically tell the people who bother to read the Destruction Books that they are a Guide Only and you should look at the roads before following the given directions. If you blindly follow the directions you are likely to end up being charged with Neglect Driving and I should say Quite Rightly as the Car GPS's are not Military Spec Devices and are only accurate to a couple of hundred meters not millimeters.

Col

The problem is, the vast majority of users don't read the disclaimer and take its instructions literally.

BTW, even without a cell signal, the directions should have still been available so they could have just used it as a paper map. Sounds to me like they don't know how to use one of those, either.

Maps (and I don't mean the app) used to be a hobby of mine. I loved to get topographical maps and use them to visualize the scenery around a location. In fact, before Google Earth, I used those same maps to help me create gaming scenarios and later locations in my stories. As a result, I probably know more about maps than about 70%-80% of those who now use GPS.

Don C.: If I might suggest, try using that same GPS to navigate to some of your local addresses, anywhere between 0 to 25 miles away and compare those routes to those you typically use. Are they the same? Are they more or less efficient? Would they get you to the correct door if you didn't know where you were going? I've used Magellan and Garmin and while they were both great for guiding you long distances over decent highways, they were less than ideal for almost every other use--I still had to search within the radius of about 2 blocks when the device told me I was at the door; especially if the place I was looking for was in one of two shopping centers across the street from each other. Apple's current Maps is significantly more accurate even than Google Earth for putting the pin on the 'house' and not just in the middle of the road.

I really just wanted to say that.

I moved from Sacramento to the suburbs of North East Ohio over 5 years ago. There are lots of rellocated people where I live now - and car-mounted and dealer installed GPS units are very common to see here.

GPS very rarely takes the same route I would have taken now that I know the roads - but it *gets* me there, and that is good enough when I am in strange area that I do not know.

It isn't perfect, I've had an occasional hassle, but the point remains that most people use GPS units, their popularity is only growing, and its inclusion is an important aspect of a modern smart phone. That is why Apple finally included it.

As for the "out of cell" issue - that is fairly uncommon to encounter. As I said, I drove from California all the way to Ohio navigating solely by GPS (of course, that is pretty much a straight shot on I-80 across the entire country). I've also driven back to Montana from Ohio, driving through the Rockies, Yellowstone, Wyoming, Utah, South Dakoda, and Idaho. On the Verizon network, which is very sparse in that part of the country. The only time I had any problems with signal was in Wise River off Interstate 15. Look it up on a map. A remote area, for sure.

On the East Coast, I've never encountered an out-of-signal area long enough to really cause a problem. There isn't enough wilderness out here to make it a real issue.

There are locales in mountainous country where even straight GPS is inaccessible at times. Big cities also are culprits--especially in the skyscraper-laden 'downtown' areas. Interestingly, even cell has difficulties in those city areas, though it has improved enormously. All those 'dropped call' arguments against Apple so many years ago? Well, if you really paid attention, even the older flip-phones had problems there.

The point is that we as a society are becoming far too dependent on our technology--to the point that some simply take what their device tells them as gospel. It is not poppycock when people are killed because they followed the directions of their devices too closely. This has been happening for years and will continue to happen until we either lose all technology entirely or it becomes much more aware of the situation around itself.

Google's self-driven cars themselves do not rely solely on GPS, but use cameras and massive computers (compared to our typical home computer) to analyze and guide themselves. What few collisions they have been involved in have been the fault--in every case--of the other driver either not paying attention to their driving or doing something stupid. While I am not a fan of completely autonomous cars, I do believe they could--when properly networked--eliminate a lot of traffic problems.

I've driven between New York/New Jersey through Pennsylvania multiple occasions, as well as down to Hershey and through Harrisburg on my way to Baltimore and D.C.

GPS has gotten me there with no problem. I've also driven through Western Virginia down I-77 on my way to Florida, GPS assisted the entire way.

You understand that the things you guys out here think of "mountain ranges" aren't much more than foothills, right?

Honestly, I *do* have more trouble in big cities with large skyscrapers, and with standalone GPS units (I always carry one on long trips as a backup to the phone) more frequently than with Cell Phone models. Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Chicago all are problematic. Generally that amounts to trying to have me take a turn the wrong way down a one way street, not updating until I'm past my turn, or thinking I'm a street over from where I am.

That is where being a good driver used to making quick decisions in large-city traffic is indispensable. Neither GPS nor a paper map can fix that problem, if you suffer from it.

But even in those 'hills', when you drop into one of those valleys--especially when you're riding the side of one of those 'hills', you still lose enough satellite signals to make the navigator's accuracy fall dramatically. Out in the Rockies the problem is much more noticeable unless you stay on the freeway.

As such, you've verified my point that if you're not aware of your surroundings yourself, that GPS or the phone will get you into trouble and has been doing so for almost 10 years now. I also pointed out that the iPhone, even before the so-called Maps debacle (to get back to the initial point) is no worse than a standalone GPS and to a great extent notably better because it does have the ability to use cell towers as well as GPS for faster and even more accurate positioning. GPS' greatest advantage is in marking a location regardless of terrain features--it was designed for "eagles"--line-of-sight navigating for aircraft, ships and ordinance (missiles, bombs and gunnery) more than ground vehicles constrained to travel on roads and trails that may or may not be marked on maps.

People who can only handle iOS devices shouldn't be trusted with GPS systems to navigate from point A to point B. There is far too much personal responsibility involved for the typical iOS user.

You got me.

I grew up using maps--the paper kind. Things like GPS didn't exist and I was around for the introduction of GPS into the military. I do understand its advantages.

My point has always been that people have become too dependent on GPS and have forgotten how to think for themselves. This is proven almost daily by people getting lost despite having a GPS in their car. Maybe you'll remember the family that was guided by a GPS onto a road in Colorado a few years back during a blizzard. Not all of them made it back out.

GPS is a tool, as is Google's Earth and Map apps and Apple's Maps app. A tool is only as good as its user and a good user understands the limitations of the tool. I would much rather use a paper map to plan my route myself and use a GPS to ensure I follow that route than to rely on the device to do it all. Unfortunately, not all mapping apps give you that ability and those that do make it much more complicated than it should be.

Having moved from the West to the East, I think this is less a problem with GPS than a problem with people who don't realize that there are very dangerous parts of the world, even right within the borders of the United States.

This is no different than the family that gets off I-5 in Compton or Crenshaw to go to the bathroom and finds themselves turning their mini-van down a road full of chain-link fences and pit-bulls wandering free in the streets.

Almost always these families are tourists vacationing from the Mid-West or East Coast. They're not locals or natives.

Locals know not to drive down an un-plowed logging road during a blizzard in the Rockies or Sierras. They know what a logging road looks like.

I got off of the highway in North Jacksonville Florida on a trip down to Orlando a couple of years back. As I was filling up, I became aware of my surroundings, and hurried everyone back into the car and took off with less than a half of a tank to drive several more stops south to a safer gas station.

This is about personal awareness. GPS can't help you with that, and neither can a paper map. Blaming these issues on GPS is silly. People are the problem, not the technology they're using to get from point A to point B.

It is about personal awareness. I blame the GPS devices not because of what they are, but because they have made their users too dependent on its accuracy--or lack thereof. A GPS can take you anywhere you want to go--as long as the user remembers common sense and doesn't expect the GPS to know every one-way road or dirt track that may or may not be suitable for the vehicle they're driving. In many ways, I think the On-Star and similar two-way radio systems (Jeremy Clarkson showed an excellent demo of the Lexus system in a recent Top Gear episode on BBC America) where the live person on the other end of the link is aware of the vehicle's type and capabilities. Still, even there the operator could miscue--leaving the driver stranded unless that driver remains aware of the environment around the car.

With a Jeep Wrangler, I may be able to handle such a miscue but my older pickup truck might not. As long as users forget that a GPS is NOT all-knowing, we will continue to see catastrophic mistakes until the vehicle itself takes driving out of their hands.

or any other guidance system is any inherently better than GPS for preventing a dumb user from making a mistake.

Driving into a lake, down a one way street, onto terrain that your vehicle can't handle, or any other mistake...

That isn't the fault of GPS.

That is the fault of the moron behind the wheel.

..from 1 piece of (arguable) data.
How about this - Android users are more into apps than iOS users, instead of trying to browse the 'net on an inadequate device (or will you argue that browsing is better on tablets than on desktops?). So really all those site hits simply prove that iOS users are less tech savvy than Android users, and use tools that are inappropriate for the job.

Everybody I know who has owned an Android device loved it when they first purchased it, only to hate it before the first year was out. I will grant that the majority of the issues were due to crap hardware; something of which even Samsung is guilty with nearly every smartphone BUT the Galaxy series. Others have fought bugs, instability and outright choppy performance of the pre-4.0 versions of Android. I'll grant all of this.

My point is that with the exception of the photo site that Donovan so politely offered (which is hardly a techie site) more than one web analytics group reported that actual purchases made online with mobile devices were dominated by Apple's iOS devices--effectively smothered with a huge ratio of iOS over Android in nearly every case. ZDNet, TR, PCWorld and others all carried at least one article to that extent during the holiday series.

This implies that iOS users truly do use their devices as communications devices--not 'toy computers'. I will acknowledge that the CEO of KAYAK did note that the Android numbers were improving and I expect that's due to the improvements in Android 4.0+ and the Galaxy-series hardware that sold for a mere $49 (for the Galaxy S3) over the holidays vs Apple's $199 iPhone 5 for nearly everyone but select Walmart* stores (not at either of the ones I visited during the season.)

Yes, I am willing to make conjectures and DColbert knows from experience that mine are fairly accurate. However, my conjectures are based less on emotion and more on observation of historical events with each product type. I have already made my projection concerning iOS, Android and Windows RT/8 and where they'll be in two years. Unless Android makes some significant changes (and I don't necessarily mean in features) it WILL lose its current dominance and will at best run in approximate parity with the other two. It will take WinRT that long to rise to parity--as did Android when it first came out. iOS' market will remain relatively steady though will continue to see some sales growth until the market itself plateaus.

Is that isn't metrics for a photo-site. It is metrics for a technology blog.

And I've seen the trends. If I go back far enough, iOS is more prevelant, Android hardly registers. That has switched. And I've seen it on a number of other sites where I review metrics... healthcare sites that I can't share here. Unique hits by Android devices are increasing. Unique hits by iOS devices are decreasing.