# Android vs iOS



## Moderator-Gazelle (May 26, 2016)

I'm starting this discussion.

Android and iOS have their appeals for two generally similar, yet diverse markets. Android is generally used by more technically savvy people (unless you're samsung, then everyone uses samsung but I really don't count it as android because of all the lockup technology) while iOS is used more in the casual crowd.

There's also the Windows Phone crowd, but.. um.. no! 

I've noticed in both camps battery life, camera quality, and app availability are highly important things, so I turn the question to all of you:

What platform do you run, and why?


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## Wither (May 26, 2016)

I started using Android to be cool and hipster.


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## Deleted member 82554 (May 26, 2016)

I like to have full control over my phone, thanks, so Android all the way. It's just a far better experience when you get into modding.


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## BayouBaby (May 26, 2016)

I prefer iOS because it's very casual and simple. Read: user-friendly. I started with Android, but once I went Apple I never plan to go back.


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## Deleted member 82554 (May 26, 2016)

BayouBaby said:


> I prefer iOS because it's very casual and simple. Read: user-friendly. I started with Android, but once I went Apple I never plan to go back.


You just never owned a decent Android device, try the S7.


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## BayouBaby (May 26, 2016)

Mr. Fox said:


> You just never owned a decent Android device, try the S7.


My husband has the S6 or something like that. All he does is complain about it. No thanks.


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## Deleted member 82554 (May 26, 2016)

BayouBaby said:


> My husband has the S6 or something like that. All he does is complain about it. No thanks.


To be fair, the S7 is a good step up, they corrected a lot of the problems the S6 had (battery life, the camera, water resistance, etc.).


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## BayouBaby (May 26, 2016)

Mr. Fox said:


> To be fair, the S7 is a good step up, they corrected a lot of the problems the S6 had (battery life, the camera, water resistance, etc.).


Yeah, the battery life is a major issue. It's also that Sprint's updates for Android are pretty bad. He's more of the tech savvy guy, so he likes to mod so we'll always have one android and one iphone in the family.


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## darien (May 26, 2016)

Android, because i'd rather own something i buy and have full control over it than buy something and have no control over it. A decent samsung galaxy core prime for $40 vs an older iphone for $400+ seems like a no-brainer to me.  If that's not enough of a reason here are a few key points:

flash support has been discontinued on most mobile platforms. However, it is still possible to manually install support for adobe flash on Android- to my knowledge- the same is not true on Apple's iOS

Android phones typically have up-gradable storage in the form of an external SDHC Card slot, Apple does not allow for this.

Most Android phones have a user replaceable battery, allowing you to keep your phone when the battery invariably starts to degrade after a few years of use, instead of shelling out another $700+ for a new phone that you probably don't otherwise need every couple of years.

Downloading apps is easier on the android platform than the ios platform as ios requires you to use itunes or app-store programs whereas android will allow you to download right through your browser, and there are security settings and features to disable installation from untrusted sources (that is of course turned on by default)

Speaking of apps, a number of Android phones such as the HTC One, LG G3, and some Samsung Galaxy models have IR transceivers allowing you to use your phone as a universal IR remote for your tv, blu-ray player, dvd player, an old VCR, even your Xbox... Apple Iphones however, do not have an IR Transceiver.

Another great thing Android does- or in this case doesn't do- is force you into a corner and blackball you into using one system. Android doesn't care where your music, videos, and photos come from or which program or app you use to manage them. If you use Apple's iOS however, you're required to use iTunes and iPhoto if you want to copy your files back and forth between your computer and phone.

Which brings me to my next point- Android is hands down the winner in terms of file management. When you plug your Android phone into your computer, you can see a file system just like the one you'd work with if you were searching for something on your computer. It's as easy as drag-and-drop. Apple doesn't give you that kind of access to all your files.

While we're talking about plugging things in- You can use pretty much any micro-USB cable to charge your Android phone, if you want to charge your iPhone you either have to shell out $40-60 bucks for their proprietary cable or pay less for some chineese knockoff of questionable quality.

If you have a tablet and you want to share it with your family- Android will allow you to create multiple user accounts just like you would on a PC- allowing you to not have to see your siblings porn collection, naked selfies, or be otherwise encumbered by their choices and preferences. This is something you cannot do on an Ipad.

I could go on and on but the simple facts are Android gives you more control and variety, has less restrictions, more features, and gives you an overerall better bang for the buck without locking you in to a proprietary system that may or may not be laced with what is perhaps best described as 'a software-enforced dictatorship'. 

That all said there is bound to be something Apple does better than Google- maps is not one of them, nor do I know of anything offhand. Personally I have yet to figure out why anyone would by an iPhone over an Android, and I'd love to see some compelling reasoning from Apple users out there. There are after all, two sides to every coin.


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## Saiko (May 26, 2016)

I've been using Android for years, but I think I'm going to swap to iOS. I quite like the user experience and consistency of iOS, have been running into very annoying issues with notifications (or the lack thereof) lately, and don't really do anything with my phone that iOS doesn't usually do better. Yeah, Android has better file management, but I hardly use it. Yeah, they have IR, but I don't use them. Some phones have replaceable batteries, but I just upgrade by the time I need a new one. I do prefer the way settings and configurations are organized in Android, but that's minor. I also don't do any mobile development, so that point is moot. Basically, iOS seems to be the better choice for my use case.


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## darien (May 26, 2016)

Saiko said:


> I've been using Android for years, but I think I'm going to swap to iOS. I quite like the user experience and consistency of iOS, have been running into very annoying issues with notifications (or the lack thereof) lately, and don't really do anything with my phone that iOS doesn't usually do better. Yeah, Android has better file management, but I hardly use it. Yeah, they have IR, but I don't use them. Some phones have replaceable batteries, but I just upgrade by the time I need a new one. I do prefer the way settings and configurations are organized in Android, but that's minor. I also don't do any mobile development, so that point is moot. Basically, iOS seems to be the better choice for my use case.



 To each their own, however- I'm curious as to what you do with your phone that iOS does better than Android.


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## Saiko (May 26, 2016)

darien said:


> To each their own, however- I'm curious as to what you do with your phone that iOS does better than Android.


Just standard phone things from what I can tell. I prefer the iOS UI, several of the communication apps, Siri, etc. There are random features I'm very interested in too like night shift, how it tells you when a call was dropped versus hung up, and being able to block numbers. Mostly I'm just tired of some of Android's quirks, don't like how gimmicky the Android hardware is becoming, have lost interest in customizing everything, and think now is a good time to swap. Worst case scenario, I tolerate an iPhone for 18 months and swap back later.

Edit: Oh, and a minor thing that happened after I decided to try swapping was Google changing the keyboard again. It's driving me nuts because half of the punctuation marks I regularly use require twice as many clicks now.


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## darien (May 26, 2016)

Saiko said:


> Just standard phone things from what I can tell. I prefer the iOS UI, several of the communication apps, Siri, etc. There are random features I'm very interested in too like night shift, how it tells you when a call was dropped versus hung up, and being able to block numbers. Mostly I'm just tired of some of Android's quirks, don't like how gimmicky the Android hardware is becoming, have lost interest in customizing everything, and think now is a good time to swap. Worst case scenario, I tolerate an iPhone for 18 months and swap back later.
> 
> Edit: Oh, and a minor thing that happened after I decided to try swapping was Google changing the keyboard again. It's driving me nuts because half of the punctuation marks I regularly use require twice as many clicks now.



understandable i guess. though I do feel I should point out that these are mostly features that exist in one form or another on android. my screen dims at night, calls get automagically turned to vibrate only, even google play books changes it's theme at night to be easier on the eyes. i'm not sure what 'night-shift' on iOS does but i can't imagine it's dissimilar. If it is please, by all means let me know. 

I don't personally use the default keyboard on android because of the punctuation issues you've mentioned. I've become fond of a third party keyboard replacement called 'hackers keyboard' that's much easier for me to use for commands over ssh, code edits, vnc, etc. has function keys and readily accessible common punctuation, etc. so while i fully understand and agree with this gripe- there are solutions, and i reccomend you try this one to at least make things easier until you make the switch. 

I'll be the first to admit that getting android setup just-right can be a bit fiddly, and i'm by no means running an out-of-the-box version of lollipop myself. I'm using a fully rooted version with a custom kernel and a fair amount of customization.

Apple has Siri, Android has Ok Google/Google Now both of which have their ups and downs and in that regard it really is user preference that wins out. 

When and if you do switch, it'd be interesting to hear what you think once you've had the time to acclimate to the change and I encourage you to post back on this thread once you have.


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## Arkuus (Jun 6, 2016)

Been using my iphone 4 since 2012. It is annoying how apple releases a new iphone every year with just a few tweaks in the hardware that makes the older ones become obsolete. My iphone has and older processor and cant upgrade past ios 7.0, so just a few apps work for me. Also, he is too slow now! I have a galaxy tab with android and like it though. I am going to switch to a galaxy phone this week! I want my twitter, spotify and many other apps I cannot fully enjoy on my iphone!


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## Drayx (Jun 6, 2016)

Had an iOS, switched to android. 
For a start I hate the approach of a closed system that apple promotes, I don't think that any other company can do it.
iOS is more simple and quite reliable, but limited.
Love the freedom, if I can call it that, in an android.


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## nerdbat (Jun 6, 2016)

As a more or less casual dude when it comes to smartphones, I prefer Android - it's cheaper and has everything I need without shoehorned features (unless you use one of the Samsung products, they're filled with bloatware). And as for tablets, definitely Android too, since Android tabs much closer to being portable PCs than iPads with their closed everything will ever be.


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## x-zombii (Jun 6, 2016)

I have an Iphone and it has lasted me longer than any android that I've ever had. I don't know why this is as my Iphone is a piece of crap that I throw a lot because of how not user friendly it is for me. My number one pet peeve about this is that android doesn't care where you put things on the home screen but iOS is all like, oh you put that there nah it would be better if it was moved to the left. Also iOS doesn't have widgets and i'm a sucker for widgets


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## RinkuTheRuffian (Jun 8, 2016)

Getting a phone soon after years of "not needing one", convince me what side I should pick.


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## modfox (Jun 8, 2016)

ANDROID!!!!!


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## Ahkrin Descol (Jun 8, 2016)

Android, saves me learning another language to develop for it xD Still got a working V3R in my drawer but it doesn't support 3G sims


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## Roughmaxen (Jun 11, 2016)

The reason you buy a iphone is because it works. And it works damn well! Always reliable and because it doesn't have all the consumer contral, as everything is usually locked away from the user. You get a super reliable. Foolproof OS. That is why most programmers and managers i know use iphones. Because it works and it works damn well, always crisper and more intuitive. 

Whilst on the android side, things are getting seriously close. Samsung and other big brands are bringing the line between apple and android seriously close. Of course you get all the moddability, customisation. And personalisation. But tell me as a android user, that you haven't spend several hours tweaking everything, and mostly pissing about with settings. Finding apps and programs which are tailored to you. Along with this. The open software and need for android to be usable across so many different platforms and products. Tailoring to all these different needs whilst being one programme is the reason why androids are a lot less stable. 

This applies to the whole Microsoft vs apple debate. But it comes down to whats best suited to you. A lot of people have been going through several phones, messing about with android because it's fun. But they say the same thing, they always go back to iphone because it is reliable, does what it should, doesn't complain. And is damn fast due to the limited access, limiting user control might seem shitty. But it's also one of the biggest killers of android. As some days your android phone battery will die 5x quicker than normal, and you'll never know what is causing it. Whereas with an iphone that doesn't happen, or atleast you are a lot more likely to find the source.

Ahh, this is coming from someone who has only ever owned android phones. And the best one I've ever owned is the one i have currently, a nexus 5. :3 hope this helps people decide!


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## Kellan Meig'h (Jun 13, 2016)

I have a personal Samsung Galaxy S5 and a work-issued iPhone 6S Plus. Hands-down, the Android OS is superior in every way to the iPhone. that's even with all of the bloatware on the Samsung.

iPhones are made for those who have little or no tech savvy. They want a phone that takes pictures and connects to the internet. The simplicity is so non-savvy folks won't fook the phone and have to have tech support or the IT dept have to fix a fook-up. Android OS is for those who are techsavvy and want to tweak their phones.

If you want an iPhone, here's how to save money. Get a Galaxy S7 and put it into Easy Mode. Instant iPhone.


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## nerdbat (Jun 14, 2016)

Roughmaxen said:


> Of course you get all the moddability, customisation. And personalisation. But tell me as a android user, that you haven't spend several hours tweaking everything, and mostly pissing about with settings. Finding apps and programs which are tailored to you. Along with this. The open software and need for android to be usable across so many different platforms and products. Tailoring to all these different needs whilst being one programme is the reason why androids are a lot less stable.


Er, not exactly? It's a lot like iOS - usually you already have all basic stuff, and everything you need can be easily installed from Google Play in 5 minutes or so, and after that you just mess around with settings a bit until you feel yourself like home. As for stability, it's more or less like Windows PC - sure, specs are different, but core of the OS is pretty much the same, so most apps will run perfectly on everything if your devices of choice aren't an outdated bricks or something. Which is technically a little less stable than iOS, I guess, but definitely not to the point of being unstable or unreliable - again, if you have problems with any adequately developed android app, in most of the cases it's because your smartphone is too old and outdated to run it properly or was made by some shoddy company from China, rather than "incompatibility problems".


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## foxicube (Jun 18, 2016)

Android , although i have an iphone 6 ( as a phone ) , I used to have android but i think it's more suited for tablets ( I bought a Sony xperia Z3 compact tablet ) and it can replace my pc anyday ( except when i'm drawing  ).


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## jayhusky (Jul 1, 2016)

Both really.

iOS for the fact its relatively closed from exploits (that's not to say that don't happen, and at this time not counting jailbreaks). Plus they're somewhat reasonable to develop for, the only downside being the $99 fee just to get a cert which allows you to load the app to your device (pre-xcode 7) and test it.

Android for the fact that its open and flexible to the user, but I've noticed that a lot of people I know who run android, suffer from crashes and lagging ( around the time of Android "Jelly-Bean")

So i'm pretty much both sides of the fence, as if it does what I want it to do, when I want it to do it. It'll do me fine.


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## TidesofFate (Jul 1, 2016)

Android sounds a lot better. I just use the iphone because it was bought for me.


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## Sergei Nóhomo (Jul 1, 2016)

Dislike iOS for the needlessly expensive price for such a shit package, the restrictions placed on it out of the box and the fact that shit breaks with the slightest touch.


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## Blu-wolf (Jul 7, 2016)

Android all the way.  I just upgraded my S5 to marshmallow and as long as Samsung and Verizon keep releasing updates I don't see any reason to upgrade.  I still have the replaceable battery and microSD card options.  Drag and drop with Windows, no extra software needed to transfer files, what's not to love?  Will never touch an iPhone and the Windows Phone is dead in the water.  Microsoft even admitted that recently.


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## utathefuta (Jul 19, 2016)

I love Android!


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## Yakamaru (Jul 19, 2016)

Android because I am not interested in a closed system.

Also customization.


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## Saiko (Jul 20, 2016)

Apparently Android does this very silly thing where it puts most apps into a kind of sleep mode when the phone is very still for a little while. It took me six months of randomly not getting notifications to figure this out.

Why, Android? Surely there are more intuitive and transparent ways to save power?


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## _Hushy (Jul 22, 2016)

Android, so I can torrent and freely Bluetooth stuff and plug my microUSB drive into it that didn't cost hundreds of dollars and develop apps more easily.

I had a Sony, was great, bought another Sony, also good, thought everyone seems to love Samsung I'll give it a go. Big mistake :/ mainly premature lag, non intuitive ui and it generally doesn't do what you expect.. Adaptive charger bs died pretty quick too.

Anyone used the note 4 for art? Maybe I'll like this phone a little more soon..

Gotta love this screen for movies but.


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## Jarren (Jul 22, 2016)

Never had anything but problems using Apple devices (of any kind). The biggest thing I love about Android devices is that many of them actually grant you access to the battery so, if one is about to shit the bed, you can just buy a new one and slot it in for ~$35. Try doing that with an iPhone.


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## AJ3035 (Jul 22, 2016)

I've had both and I must say I prefer IOS. It's fast, simple, and Imessage is a beautiful thing

However, I do love having full control of my phone on Android.


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## metallic_canine (Aug 4, 2016)

I see a lot of iOS hate here, but I'm standing by my iPhone 6S. Very hard to hack, beautiful UI, a trustworthy App Store, good camera, and it's fast. Most of the items in that list can't be said about Android phones  (now, granted, I respect Samsung too. The S-series phones are very nice.)


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## Yakamaru (Aug 4, 2016)

Jarren said:


> Never had anything but problems using Apple devices (of any kind). The biggest thing I love about Android devices is that many of them actually grant you access to the battery so, if one is about to shit the bed, you can just buy a new one and slot it in for ~$35. Try doing that with an iPhone.


Apple? Customization/replacing parts? The hell is this HERESY? Gotta buy a new one for $300-500 mate. That's how Apple rolls(in their own narcissism), mate. 

@metallic_canine: iOS itself is a decent/good platform, and so are a decent amount of Apple products. However, how Apple goes around doing things is not acceptable by a lot of people, as they seem to be disgusted by their own userbase. Friend of mine working in Apple a couple of years ago were told repeatedly to learn to hate and be disgusted by Norwegian consumer laws. And guess what, those laws prevent Apple from being cunts, which I am glad for. He ended up quitting 6 months later, as Apple did things that he genuinely did not want to be part of.


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## metallic_canine (Aug 4, 2016)

Hmm, that's disappointing. I've never officially worked for Apple so I can't say much in that regard. That's too bad though, I'm all for ethical business practices.


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## Protonite (Aug 6, 2016)

I like both, as both have advantages and disadvantages. Android is really nice because of how much you can customize and change things, although iOS seems to be a bit more stable and faster overall.


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## Diaminerre (Aug 7, 2016)

Android. And I hate that Apple makes old devices slower with new iOS.


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## Bcakert (Mar 21, 2018)

Even if many people are disappointed with the iPhone.but i am still using it for 5 years , becases the iPhone 's Security mechanisms.It's a great help to my work as i can backup a lot of important data or files on the cloud lock, as well as i can restore back some lost data from "Recently deleted " in a easy way ,
For my life , i am using Android (8.0) , by the way , the phone sync process can be easy to do ,


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## Goldenqilin (Mar 24, 2018)

I think it really depends on the individual. Both are fine choices; I've owned both. If you like customization and lots of apps (Emulators, mmm), then Android is great. If you want a simpler phone, apple phones are great. Of course, prices vary widely (Apple products cost an arm and a leg), but ultimately, the individual can spend whatever they want because it's their phone. If they want to spend like $1000 on the newest iphone, more power to em.

I currently have an iPhone SE. It's a pretty good phone and I haven't had any problems with it so far. My next purchase will probably be an LG or Samsung phone, though


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## Hakserk (Apr 9, 2018)

Android and iPhone , both are fine choices , for me , i using iPhone for my work , and the Android phone for my life , They all work , here what's more that you can sync info or data from Android to iPhone ......
There's no need to compare, depending on your hobbies, or your income.


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## Sealab (Apr 14, 2018)

Android since I know Java fairly well and will write an app if I need one.


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## Pipistrele (Apr 14, 2018)

Oh, this thread is back! I'll just kick in to remind everone that Android is great


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## RazorTheFox (Jun 19, 2018)

I prefer iOS because I have never owned a android since I was a kid, and now here am i I'm now a iOS developer and cydia dev, but I might get a android phone (maybe)


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## Thatch (Jun 19, 2018)

Windows Phone all the way.

iOS is way too restrictive, and I genuinely think the main screen tiles look crap. You also have to sell your soul to Apple, via iTunes.

Android is a virus ridden hellhole with an unintuitive interface. The first time I picked up an Android phone, it took me a while to figure out what the hell was happening on screen and the settings made no sense.

Pox upon both.


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## Hara Surya (Jul 27, 2018)

Thatch said:


> Windows Phone all the way.
> 
> iOS is way too restrictive, and I genuinely think the main screen tiles look crap. You also have to sell your soul to Apple, via iTunes.
> 
> ...



You realize Microsoft abandoned Windows Phone about 18 months ago and is focusing on Android as its preferred platform for phone development.


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## echo the dog (Feb 3, 2019)

i use ios more than i have used android because one ios has more space constant updates for years the iPhone 5 just stopped updating at ios 10 and we are on ios 12 androids are also more prone to fail while you are using it five minutes after you put it to charge you go and pick it up to a green screen it has happened to me the worst with my iPhone was cracking it now windows I don't want to have to go that far


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## rekcerW (Feb 6, 2019)

i fucking love google. they are like literally the best thing ever; volley, room, fcm, firebase auth, livedata, material design, sooo many fucking amazing frameworks, apis and content. they make development so easy. apple will always continue to blow chunks.


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