The old days of excitement that will never be again

[anon(10181084)]

So earlier this year, I spent quite a while watching old Android related videos from 2008-2011. During that 3 year time period, I didn't even really know much if anything about Android, and I was a kid, so I missed out. But seeing everything from the Charbax coverage (on YouTube) of tech conventions at that time to various custom ROM/kernel/whatever videos of that era, I got a feel of what it was like to be a part of those happenings. It felt like back then there was always something to look forward to: cool new software, more than double performance increase each year, unusual (for the time) Android devices that have features I can only dream of today, various community tweaking and so on. I miss the time when tech was improving at literally 5x the rate it does today. Yeah sure I still look forward to improvements, but to be honest it isn't quite like that bygone era anymore. Everything now is mainstream, there isn't much more super exciting stuff to dream about, etc... Modern devices have low-level lockdowns and other anti-modding stuff (I've ranted about this before on the forums). Nowadays you have to pay hundreds of dollars to get a new device for a 15-20% boost in performance, while back in the day you could, with the right chipset, get up to a +70% CPU overclock running stable (and experimental and sorta unstable shenanigans with the HTC Desire Z did over +100%). Heck, I even blew off a chance for the IEEE to send me to CES this year as I don't feel like it is worth it nowadays (don't worry, it also overlapped with important holidays in Serbia so in any case it was a no-go).

Bottom line is, I miss those happy days of free-range Android modding, souped up devices with laptop-level I/O (some Chinese tablets had ethernet and multiple full size USB ports built in!) and always something great to come looming over the horizon... I wish things like mini Android laptops, user-upgradeable Android TV boxes (multiple HDD bays, lots of I/O, etc... ) and all the other good stuff shown at tech conventions in the early days of Android were still a thing. Oh and let's not forget how Android was installable on early iPhones...

 

[B. Diddy]

Time to start building stuff on your own.

 

[anon(10181084)]

I'm still a freshman in college... LOL

 

[B. Diddy]

Oh come on, Woz was building computers when he was 13!

https://www.computerhistory.org/fellowawards/hall/steve-wozniak/

 

[Golfdriver97]

Raspberry pi builds?

 

[B. Diddy]

I guess this is why we're starting to see people hacking their bodies, implanting chips and other various devices ...

 

[anon(10181084)]

*small correction for first post: "earlier this past year"

All of you have a point, and that's why I'm studying EE

 

[L0n3N1nja]

I got into Android in 2010, didn't pay much attention to the mobile industry or what was coming until 2012 when I worked for Verizon. Worked there from 2012-2016 and the variety and difference between models continued to decline.

Now I'm straight bored, I still check websites like this most days in my downtime but don't bother reading half the articles. Doesn't matter what brand you like, everyone is doing the same thing. All the phones have a similar design and no real stand out features except a few devices like the Note line. Even then, it's nothing more than another Galaxy S with a stylus.

 

[anon(10181084)]

I got into Android in 2010, didn't pay much attention to the mobile industry or what was coming until 2012 when I worked for Verizon. Worked there from 2012-2016 and the variety and difference between models continued to decline.

Now I'm straight bored, I still check websites like this most days in my downtime but don't bother reading half the articles. Doesn't matter what brand you like, everyone is doing the same thing. All the phones have a similar design and no real stand out features except a few devices like the Note line. Even then, it's nothing more than another Galaxy S with a stylus.

Exactly

 

[Tim1954]

Hm. There must be something there, I used to get the latest galaxy every year on release but have found the difference is getting less and less between the old and the new. So now I use the S8 and it seems to be working fine. Vaguely considering upgrading to maybe the S10 when the S11 arrives and they are cheaper. I just can't justify spending $1,500 on a phone every year that doesn't do much more than the one I have....

 

[anon(10181084)]

I have S8 too (bought new in August for $300 on Straight Talk). Works great, still very fast (much faster than my ye olde Tab S3). The only issue is PROFUSE screen burn-in caused by excessive whatsapp usage. I don't have the time to get the screen fixed but still more than usable. Spending $1500 on a phone is out of question (that is how much my mid-range Core i7 4K laptop cost!!!).

 

[Tim1954]

I might have slight burn in up in status bar I think... Barely noticeable.
I have a battery case for it so I can actually hold it in my gnarly old hand cos it's nice and fat and I don't get accidental curve screen touches. Not to mention the excellent battery life ??????.
Might just hang on to it and spend the money on some aggressive tyres for the jeep (planning another desert crossing this winter)...

 

[anon(10181084)]

I might have slight burn in up in status bar I think... Barely noticeable.
I have a battery case for it so I can actually hold it in my gnarly old hand cos it's nice and fat and I don't get accidental curve screen touches. Not to mention the excellent battery life ������.
Might just hang on to it and spend the money on some aggressive tyres for the jeep (planning another desert crossing this winter)...

I have profuse whatsapp burn-in, most if the screen has minor pinkish tinting from use, etc... and only ~5 months of use.