GeekNights Monday - Laptops in 2012

MrPeriod

Tonight on GeekNights, since we haven't addressed the topic in quite some time, we consider the state of laptops (as Rym moves toward upgrading his fairly old Lifebook). But first, we consider what "retina" really means in display technology and glucose-powered fuel cells.

• The crayola-fication of the world
• What dubstep sounds like to your parents

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Matt

I use a case for two reasons: 1) My case has a slot on the back that holds three cards (license, work ID, and credit card). It also lets me use the RFID on my card to just wave my phone in front of the register and pretend I have Google Wallet. 2) It keeps the phone in a nicer condition for when I inevitably go to sell it. Whenever I upgrade, my previous tech version goes directly to eBay. Good condition, plus saving the original box and such, has always led to me getting top dollar.

Apreche

I use a case for two reasons: 1) My case has a slot on the back that holds three cards (license, work ID, and credit card). It also lets me use the RFID on my card to just wave my phone in front of the register and pretend I have Google Wallet. 2) It keeps the phone in a nicer condition for when I inevitably go to sell it. Whenever I upgrade, my previous tech version goes directly to eBay. Good condition, plus saving the original box and such, has always led to me getting top dollar.

The slot on the case that holds cards is cool, but only if it means you no longer have to carry a wallet. If you are still carrying a wallet, I do not see how that adds any convenience. If you do not carry a wallet, then I need to get one of those. Carrying fewer total items is always best. To this day the #1reason I go for iPhone is so I don't have to also carry an iPod.

My phone is in pristine condition despite no case. You can inspect it any time you like. Take care of your things!

Luke Burrage

I got a case for my iPhone 4S for three reasons. First, I really didn't like the edges of the phone compared to the 3GS I had before. They are kinda sharp and uncomfortable. Second, I found the phone was symmetrical in too many dimensions. When I reach into my pocket I want to pull it out in one motion and it be the right way around. With the 4s I found I often had to flip it or turn it in my hand so I wasn't looking at the screen.

Which plays into the third reason. I found the combination of the smooth front and back, and the weight of the phone, to be super slippery in my hand when I took it out. This isn't a problem normally, but I use my phone while riding my bike a LOT. The combination of often having to turn it over or around one handed (while riding) just to start using, plus it feeling more delicate and slippy, and thinking it might drop to the floor (or to the street, while riding), made me stop my bike each time I needed to check my phone or select a new audio track.

Now I have a simple case, and it is really lumpy and grippy rubber. It solved all my problems.

Except, of course, the screen is scratched. That's just what happens. I don't mind, because I budget never selling old electronics when buying new gear, so destroying a gadget in its lifetime is just the same to me as it reaching its end in perfect condition and me selling it on.

Churba

My phone is in pristine condition despite no case. You can inspect it any time you like. Take care of your things!

Same here. If you just wiped off the occasional finger mark, it'd look like it was fresh out the box.

Apreche

Which plays into the third reason. I found the combination of the smooth front and back, and the weight of the phone, to be super slippery in my hand when I took it out. This isn't a problem normally, but I use my phone while riding my bike a LOT. The combination of often having to turn it over or around one handed (while riding) just to start using, plus it feeling more delicate and slippy, and thinking it might drop to the floor (or to the street, while riding), made me stop my bike each time I needed to check my phone or select a new audio track.

OMG that is super dangerous! In NY it is illegal to have more than one earphone in while riding a bike, but really you should have zero.

For bike riding I have something very similar to this thing attached to my messenger bag.

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/products/shagg-bag-2012

However, I NEVER take the phone out while I'm moving. If I'm going to look at the phone, I stop and pull over. If I'm going to start moving again, I put the phone away. Not only does this greatly reduce the odds of my phone hitting the pavement, it also greatly reduces the odds of me hitting the pavement. If you really need to listen to music while riding and change tracks, you should have the headphones that have controls on the wire, so you don't need to take the phone out. Or you should get something that mounts the phone on the handlebars. There are many such products.

You people wouldn't need cases if you didn't engage in such risky behaviors.

muppet

Setting a phone down on a desk is enough to scratch the housing, especially with an iPhone 4/4S.

I traded in my iPhone 4 (via Craig's List and followed by upgrade pricing at the AT&T store) for a Galaxy Note. Android is FAR rougher around the edges than iOS was, but I don't think I can go back to the tiny screen on the iPhone ever again now...

Matt

If I can't hold the phone in one hand, and reach any point of the screen with my thumb, the screen is too big.

Neito

If I can't hold the phone in one hand, and reach any point of the screen with my thumb, the screen is too big.

That's one of the reasons why I'm sticking with my slightly-out-of-date LG Optimus, going to the effort of rooting it and finding working roms of more modern Android versions for it. It's the perfect size for my pocket and my hand.

In terms of cases, it may just be that this phone is an insanely sturdy phone, but I've dropped this thing from waist height on to asphalt, sealed concrete, linolium, tile, wood, and all other sorts of materials. I've dropped it hard enough the back has flown off and the battery's popped out. Pretty much the only visible injury to the phone is two barely noticeable scratches to the screen (that vanish when you turn on the backlight) and some nicks in the aluminum on the left side. I'm pretty sure I could punch Superman with this thing and the phone would win.

My mom has this wicked big case on her phone that adds about three-quarters of an inch to each dimension of her iPhone because she's paranoid about dropping it.

Apreche

If I can't hold the phone in one hand, and reach any point of the screen with my thumb, the screen is too big.

TRUTH.

Rym

If I can't hold the phone in one hand, and reach any point of the screen with my thumb, the screen is too big.

Yes!

Matt

That being said, I do have tiny hands.

My wedding band is a size 6.5, a half step down from the average female size (7), requiring a special order.

I once picked up a women's-sized football and felt like I was Jon Elway throwing the Vortex out of the stadium.

I am very happy with my iPhone.

muppet

I love it. Love it love it. I have a tablet keyboard app that splits the keys for easier typing. I don't feel particularly put out by holding it and using it like a tablet when the occasion calls for it.

Plus it makes my Pinball game look awesome.

Luke Burrage

Which plays into the third reason. I found the combination of the smooth front and back, and the weight of the phone, to be super slippery in my hand when I took it out. This isn't a problem normally, but I use my phone while riding my bike a LOT. The combination of often having to turn it over or around one handed (while riding) just to start using, plus it feeling more delicate and slippy, and thinking it might drop to the floor (or to the street, while riding), made me stop my bike each time I needed to check my phone or select a new audio track.

OMG that is super dangerous! In NY it is illegal to have more than one earphone in while riding a bike, but really you should have zero.

...
You people wouldn't need cases if you didn't engage in such risky behaviors.

I live in Berlin. Berlin is designed for biking. Biking and using the phone is totally fine for most places I go, mainly because we have loads of bike lanes (separated from the roads, and clear of pedestrians) and other people in Berlin aren't crazy. Riding in New York was a different matter, and I would rarely ride with headphones in for fear of death by crazy truck driver.

I have headphones with remote control, which is fine for play, pause, volume up and down, and Siri helps with some things too. But what about checking text messages and maps? I need to get the phone in my hand for that.

Omnutia

If I can't touch an area of the phone with my thumb, I'm holding an iPad.
I would like a phone about the size of the Gameboy Pocket, using the extra width to add more battery, camera and a Pokemon scanner.

Apreche

Which plays into the third reason. I found the combination of the smooth front and back, and the weight of the phone, to be super slippery in my hand when I took it out. This isn't a problem normally, but I use my phone while riding my bike a LOT. The combination of often having to turn it over or around one handed (while riding) just to start using, plus it feeling more delicate and slippy, and thinking it might drop to the floor (or to the street, while riding), made me stop my bike each time I needed to check my phone or select a new audio track.

OMG that is super dangerous! In NY it is illegal to have more than one earphone in while riding a bike, but really you should have zero.

...
You people wouldn't need cases if you didn't engage in such risky behaviors.

I live in Berlin. Berlin is designed for biking. Biking and using the phone is totally fine for most places I go, mainly because we have loads of bike lanes (separated from the roads, and clear of pedestrians) and other people in Berlin aren't crazy. Riding in New York was a different matter, and I would rarely ride with headphones in for fear of death by crazy truck driver.

I have headphones with remote control, which is fine for play, pause, volume up and down, and Siri helps with some things too. But what about checking text messages and maps? I need to get the phone in my hand for that.

If I'm checking a map, I stop. Even in spots where the bike path is separate and I'm all alone, I still stop.

muppet

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

WindUpBird

New York isn't Berlin. There's far less automobile traffic and cyclists are given far more breadth. I haven't ridden a bike there, but the environment I observed would suggest that Luke's behavior wasn't inherently dangerous.

Apreche

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

I wouldn't even dare to do that in an empty parking lot.

muppet

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

I wouldn't even dare to do that in an empty parking lot.

Well I'm not claiming it's the pinnacle of safety, but wanting to remove ALL risk from life is how we end up with things like the TSA...

WindUpBird

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

I wouldn't even dare to do that in an empty parking lot.

Really? You really wouldn't even do that in an empty parking lot?

Matt

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

I wouldn't even dare to do that in an empty parking lot.

I wouldn't do that out of respect for the book.

Apreche

I'm not one of those people who says the playgrounds should be made of plastic and not fun. I am one of those people who will not go skiing.

Rym

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

I wouldn't even dare to do that in an empty parking lot.

Well I'm not claiming it's the pinnacle of safety, but wanting to remove ALL risk from life is how we end up with things like the TSA...

That particular risk is a stupid risk in my opinion. And I both freeclimb and ski.

WindUpBird

I agree that it's a stupid risk, but it's not that great of a risk depending on where you are.

I'm not one of those people who says the playgrounds should be made of plastic and not fun. I am one of those people who will not go skiing.

Man, that's really depressing.

muppet

I used to read paperback books while riding my bike with no hands all around town in high school in the 90s. I don't know when the United States became so culturally risk averse but I'm not sure it's a good change.

I wouldn't even dare to do that in an empty parking lot.

Well I'm not claiming it's the pinnacle of safety, but wanting to remove ALL risk from life is how we end up with things like the TSA...

That particular risk is a stupid risk in my opinion. And I both freeclimb and ski.

I live in a town of 17,000 people. Back in the 90s, most households had one car. Now that most households have 3 cars and the streets have all been widened, I wouldn't do it. Back then, it was a very minor risk.

I didn't wear a helmet, either. *Gasp*

Hitman Hart

I didn't wear a helmet, either. *Gasp*

Protect your head, please.
http://www.sportslegacy.org/cte-concussions/concussion-information/

muppet

Well, I wear a helmet now, and so do my daughters. Still, I ended up under my bike more than once (usually while outrunning a bully, not reading) and I still seem to be perfectly q239pr8asf;laksf;awoer pqreoi has ;fk; !!

johndis

He has a book w/ him so he could just put it on top of his head in case of emergency.

johndis

Outrunning bullies on your bike w/ a bunch of paperbacks under your arm? How generic 90s nerd kid can you be... god damn

MATATAT

Depending on where you ski/snowboard I would argue it is much safer and causes less physical damage than other sports and activities, including biking in the city.