Choice: iPhone

If you are interested in smart phones and technology you may realize that you have a decision to make.  Do I want an iPhone or do I want an Android based phone?    It's like asking Cannon or Nikon?, chocolate or vanilla?  These questions can polarize people into one side or the other.

In our house I have chosen Android phones and technology and Cari has chosen the offerings that Apple provides.

One of the differences between these two is access.  Android phones tend to be available for tinkering.  Snap open the back and replace a battery, add a memory card, or repair a loose wire.   iPhones on the other hand are locked up tight.  If you have a problem you will need to track down a special screwdriver with a pentalobe head on it, not available in stores.  Inside there isn't much to do and the battery is taped or glued to the inside.

This is what we had to do last week when Cari's iPhone stopped working.  She dropped it lightly.  The screen didn't break it just went blank.  We ordered the pentalobe screwdriver and cracked the case open.  Using some YouTube videos we identified the wires and clips and we reset all connections.   We got it put back together but had no improvement.  At least it wasn't worse.   It turns out we had a faulty digitizer and Cari went to a shop to have them replace it.   The iPhone was working good as new about 40 minutes later.

During that process Cari had cleared the iPhone of any personal data or accounts.   It was factory reset clean in case we couldn't get it working or in case we had to leave it at the shop for a period of time.

Here's where another difference in Android and iOS come in.   When I pick up a new Android device I log into my account and all of my information, contacts, and preferences come to life in the new device automatically.  What I witnessed the night Cari set up her phone cemented me in the Android camp.  She fought with iTunes on a laptop, a cable, and the iPhone to get her contacts back onto the phone.  She fought to get her ringtones and music into the phone.   It seemed complicated to get iTunes and the iPhone on the same page.   As I sat giggling at her struggle she still declared allegiance to her iPhone.   She has made her choice on the question between Android and iOS.