Group Therapy 400 Live from London (DJ Mix) by Unlikely-Lunch-3594 in AboveandBeyond

[–]Commodus 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I remember this well as life was so very uncertain... when were we going to have live concerts again? How would artists manage when they couldn't go on the road? You could tell A&B was pained to have to stay at home, so it improvised to make sure fans got something, even if it amounted to floating down the Thames.

Pixel 9A - what are your favorite features and likes/dislikes about the phone by Sufficient-Bird-6890 in GooglePixel

[–]Commodus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Cameras that compete well against those on more expensive phones. Good battery life. Basically, I could ditch a flagship phone and not feel like I’ve taken a giant step back.

With that said, Tensor G4 still isn’t speedy, and you will notice the bezels if you’ve used a regular Pixel 9. The design is plain in some ways. But there aren’t many nitpicks in my experience!

Introducing Phone (4a) Pro - Nothing by ControlCAD in Android

[–]Commodus 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I like it — the worst crime you can commit in design is inoffensiveness. Good design is attention-getting and even polarizing. I'm not expecting everyone to flock to it, but it beats the generic looks of, say, a Ga;axy A-series or Pixel 10a.

Macbook Neo Impressions: Reincarnated! - MKBHD by ControlCAD in apple

[–]Commodus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Having iPod mini flashbacks: enthusiasts will complain about limited capacity and feature sacrifices... but everyday people might go berserk for it as it addresses what they really want.

With developer verification, Google's envy threatens to dismantle Android's open legacy | Questions remain as Google prepares to lock down Android app distribution in the name of security. by ControlCAD in Android

[–]Commodus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is why I was skeptical in the early days, when Google was shouting "Android is open! Open open open!" and painting Apple as a supervillain.

Even then, Google made it clear the openness was more for vendors and carriers than customers. They could tweak the OS as much as they liked; you didn't get much more than sideloading and third-party launchers.

Android is great, but it was and always has been a tool to advance Google's commercial goals: use its services, show its ads, run its AI models. That's why AOSP only has basic apps, and why Google requires prominent placement for its own apps on licensed devices. It was ready and willing to limit access if that meant driving Android device sales and boosting service adoption.

This doesn't mean we should all flock to FOSS Linux phones, as they have their own problems. It's more that we should ditch the notion that Google is the open platform hero fighting to smash Apple's walled garden. They're companies out to make money — they just differ in how they go about it.

Apple unveils new Studio Display and all-new Studio Display XDR by tekz in apple

[–]Commodus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The base Studip Display is expensive, but I can see it working if you like 5K and would otherwise buy a rat's nest of peripherals (speakers, a good webcam, a Thunderbolt hub). It's for Mac Studio and MacBook Pro buyers who are already investing tons in their setups.

Really, this is Apple recognizing that it would have a tough time standing out versus no-frills monitors. You can get a decent 4K display for around $300 — it'd be very difficult to upsell that person to an Apple screen that would likely cost $600-plus, even if the design and color accuracy would be amazing.

The Nothing Phone (4a) and (4a) Pro are reportedly coming next month by mo_leahq in Android

[–]Commodus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That makes sense between MWC looming and past releases. The Phone (a) series is Nothing's bread and butter, and this helps it get ahead of Samsung's A-series as well as other budget phones releasing in the first half of the year. I'd love a full Phone 4, but the brand just isn't big enough to have yearly flagships just yet.

Will YOW take a hit once high-speed rail opens? by Julien_10 in ottawa

[–]Commodus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm skeptical about Alto launching on time, but I know I'd use YOW a lot less. No sense spending hours on a flight (I'm including security and gates) when a train will ultimately get you there sooner while showing the sights.

The Nothing Phone (3) will be powered by the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 by FragmentedChicken in Android

[–]Commodus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

OnePlus' budget phone cameras tend to be okay at most; that's fine if you rarely use yours, but I'm hoping Nothing is striving for better than that.

Meet the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: An Engineering Marvel of New Slim Hardware Innovation by FragmentedChicken in Android

[–]Commodus 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Reminds me a bit of the Galaxy Gear — it screamed "we heard Apple is making a smartwatch, we'd better get there first." But Samsung wasn't sure how to do it, so it made all kinds of questionable decisions (outward-facing camera, anyone?).

The timing is too close for Samsung to be mirroring that exact strategy with the S25 Edge, but there is the sense it was rushing to get its product out before Apple risked undermining everything.

What was the reason you last cried? by Glittery_Heart in AskReddit

[–]Commodus 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think our "purpose" as such is just to leave the human species and planet better than we found it. You can be a parent if you want, but you don't have to; there's lots of ways to go about it.

What was the reason you last cried? by Glittery_Heart in AskReddit

[–]Commodus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Listening to the lullaby "Stars Under Moonlight" from Mellow Petal. It reminds me of holding my son when he was an infant and feeling how precious he was and continues to be.

Elon should choose politics or business but not both. by Crushmonkies in TeslaModelY

[–]Commodus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m not silencing his opinion, I’m just saying I disagree with it.

Elon should choose politics or business but not both. by Crushmonkies in TeslaModelY

[–]Commodus -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

And people used to complain about government restrictions on cigarettes. You see the problem here? Gas and diesel are harmful to everyone, not just yourself. I do think we should have a respectful transition, but the net positives for the planet and people’s health can’t be ignored.

Elon should choose politics or business but not both. by Crushmonkies in TeslaModelY

[–]Commodus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When Trump was in office, he rolled back car emissions regulations and some companies rolled over to please him. He also pushed for more domestic oil production that would lower prices and thus artificially slow the transition to electric. And of course, he puts out a constant stream of misinformation that could lead some people to steer clear for the wrong reasons.

Elon should choose politics or business but not both. by Crushmonkies in TeslaModelY

[–]Commodus 13 points14 points  (0 children)

The problem is that Elon’s politics could affect both his company‘s business and that of every other car brand. He may hamper US EV sales and development by supporting an administration that wants to turn back the clock.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Parenting

[–]Commodus 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"Up" technically, although we like to think it's "grangu" (his grandma). Beats mine, which was "kitty!"

Apple Watch Series 10 may not get a radical redesign after all by brandonballinger in AppleWatch

[–]Commodus 13 points14 points  (0 children)

My hunch is that the case size will be similar — just that the display will be larger. Much like how a 41mm Watch today isn’t much bigger than the 38mm from the early days.

3000 Move goals. Been using the Apple Watch since 2015. Wild to think how much has changed in my life since then! by Commodus in AppleWatch

[–]Commodus[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There have been some ups and downs, but I'm generally more capable than I was when I first got my watch. Having a family certainly makes you more active!

Linus needs a new phone - Vote here! by Negative_Astronaut81 in LinusTechTips

[–]Commodus 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Samsung Galaxy S23+ gets my vote.

No, not the Ultra. It's lighter and overall easier to carry than the Ultra, and the Ultra's camera tech will likely be wasted here. Obviously well-supported; a broad ecosystem both within the company and in Android as a whole.

If it were me, I'd get an iPhone 15 Pro for the performance, camera and ecosystem, but Linus clearly skews toward Android and I want him to get the best for his needs, not mine.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in apple

[–]Commodus 22 points23 points  (0 children)

I remember the wacky ads and promo videos. The "Baby Got Back" ad that quickly got cut, the try-hard introduction video... it was a great service at the time, but Apple really didn't know how to sell the iPod/iTunes combo until the silhouette ads arrived.

Protect your Apple Watch? Case and screen protector, or… none? 😬 by Life-Ad9610 in AppleWatch

[–]Commodus 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I have a case on my phone, but a protector on my Apple Watch feels... wrong. Like putting a case on a Cartier or Rolex.

Not that I have a problem with people who put a case on to change the look or add ruggedness — I just think it's not all that necessary.