Android: Google Stole My Compass!

[threegee]

I notice this morning that following a pushed Samsung update to my Note 3 that the compass icon had gone from the pull-down control bar.  It's been replaced by a Google maps "pin".  It seems that Android has taken full control of the GPS power and full user emphasis is now on "Location Services".

 

This is in line with what certain GPS based apps have been hinting for a short while now - announcing that Location Services are off when I'd simply thought I'd tuned off temporarily unneeded GPS hardware to conserve battery.

 

We'll see how this one works out, but I'm uneasy about what looks like a move towards a operating system for ignorant tecnophobes like iOS. (idiots Operating System - just thought I'd sneak in this week's round of "Apple bashing" there Brett! )  I want to be able to turn off the GPS hardware when I don't see a need for it power-wise, and control Location services when I don't see the need for it on personal grounds.  If Android is going the Big-Brother route I'm going to migrate to something else.  Roll on *real* Linux phones; there's a big tech-savvy market out there, so what is stopping you smartphone manufacturers?

[Brett]

I notice this morning that following a pushed Samsung update to my Note 3 that the compass icon had gone from the pull-down control bar. It's been replaced by a Google maps "pin". It seems that Android has taken full control of the GPS power and full user emphasis is now on "Location Services".

This is in line with what certain GPS based apps have been hinting for a short while now - announcing that Location Services are off when I'd simply thought I'd tuned off temporarily unneeded GPS hardware to conserve battery.

We'll see how this one works out, but I'm uneasy about what looks like a move towards a operating system for ignorant tecnophobes like iOS. (idiots Operating System - just thought I'd sneak in this week's round of "Apple bashing" there Brett! ) I want to be able to turn off the GPS hardware when I don't see a need for it power-wise, and control Location services when I don't see the need for it on personal grounds. If Android is going the Big-Brother route I'm going to migrate to something else. Roll on *real* Linux phones; there's a big tech-savvy market out there, so what is stopping you smartphone manufacturers?

He says buying another Android lenovo phone 😉

[threegee]

LOL - My FIRST Lenny phone actually, but not my first Lenny gismo by any count.  And, it's instead of a cute little Alcatel droid that's my top-pocket communications workhorse, and certainly not to replace the Note 3.

 

Latest toy is a http://www.amazon.co.uk/Asus-ME180A-MeMo-inch-Tablet/dp/B00G6G08YU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406996724&sr=8-1&keywords=asus+me180a but I only paid a tad over £90 brand new including courier delivery on amazon.it, so it was a no brainier.  It may have been a pricing error as they quickly hiked the price

 

Last month's Asus ME172V (impulse chain store purchase) was a bit disappointing so I moved it straight on, but the 8" ME180A is absolutely great, and I wouldn't buy another 7" tab of any make now.  I was actually after the Intel powered ME181, but they are still a bit pricey, and the chip is an ageing 32nm one - with 2GB of RAM it would get me more excited.

 

With the ME180A I thought I'd bought an AMD powered x86 device, because some twit reviewer on the Internet billed it as such.  But in fact it's a quad core Rockchips ARM CPU that comes in at over 20K on the Antutu benchmark, so no regrets there. Particularly wowing is that it has built-in Miracast (WiDi), and pairs nicely with the Netgear Push2TV.  Great display too!  Even at £130 'ish it's a really good buy.  An extra 64GB of Kingston flash cost £25 and bumped it to 72GB - can't do that with a (Asus made) Google Nexus!

 

Just had a play with a Sammy http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Galaxy-8-4-inch-Tablet-Bronze/dp/B00KLED6Q0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1406997295&sr=8-2&keywords=samsung+tab+s, and wow, is this spectacular?  Completely wipes the floor with an iPad in every respect.  When I see one around the £200 mark it's a sure buy!!

[ex Bedlingtonian]

Somebody needs to take his pocket money away.

[Brett]

I'll rigorously test any gear you want rid of and report back if you like.

Should start a tech review site and try and get stuff for nothing.

[threegee]

...

Should start a tech review site and try and get stuff for nothing.

 

I sort of suspect that the site that informed me that the Asus ME180A had an AMD x86 CPU was one of those!

 

Ah, those completely unbiased user reviews; say whatever you want but if we don't like it no more goodies will ever get sent!  Now, for a completely unbiased look at technology, this site takes some beating!  As a matter of fact I get all my Android news from there.