Comments on: Choosing an electronic ecosystem: Apple, Google, or Microsoft?

By: vtorch

vtorch — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:21:08 +0000

I know I am late to the game, but the best ecosystem is, without question, Google. What you stated as a weak point in Google, the PC, is actually one of it’s strengths. That’s because Google’s outstanding search and cloud services can be utilized on a PC, Mac, and Linux system….and not just a Chromebook.

By: hwangeruk

hwangeruk — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:30:50 +0000

Which of course is completely wrong. It IS official. Its developed by MS, but its officially sanctioned by Facebook, by one of its investors.... Microsoft :)

Note the word "official" here:
http://blogs.windows.com/windows_phone/b/windowsphone/archive/2012/12/17/whatsapp-for-windows-phone-8-arrives-facebook-updated.aspx

By: shadowmane

shadowmane — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 05:33:41 +0000

The only thing I don't like about the article is that it completely ignores Linux (well... not really as Android and Chromebook are built on it). Ubuntu is working on developing an ecosystem of its own, though I think everyone is ignoring them for the moment. If Google could work Android into a PC operating system, leaving Chrome as a thin client OS, I think they could win the ecosystem battle hands down. But that'll take working on a PC version of Android, and I don't know if they even have that in mind.

For now, I think the best of the three would be the most expensive of the three. I think this race is Apple's to loose at this point, with Google on its heels. However, give Micro$oft a year or so, and they'll have their act together.

By: Ian Bell

Ian Bell — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 06:26:27 +0000

I couldn't disagree more. Name one Windows Phone speaker dock? There are more Apple compatible cars than Microsoft has as well.

Unfortunately, I would say Apple, then Android and MS for the ecosystem race.

By: Scott Aron Bloom

Scott Aron Bloom — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:02:56 +0000

I have a 12 year old Pentium 1 file server running Fedora 2… still holding strong.. Ive thrown in new hard drives over the years, but thats it… Need to put her down (still runs old pATA drives) but damn she is the definition of duability (Dell FTW)

By: Matt Ventiere

Matt Ventiere — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 23:02:56 +0000

top 5 platforms of all time? Android. Android. Android. Android. Android….cuz they spit hot fire

By: Spence MissiontomakeMillions Clark

Spence MissiontomakeMillions Clark — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:42:20 +0000

they do last a lot longer than others that cannot be upgraded…take the G5 for instance…its still a good pc, but it cannot be upgraded right now. BUT at least it still works unlike most windows pc’s i have that will crash and die halfway through the life of a G5!…durability is definitely Apples bragging right!

By: Andrew Roy

Andrew Roy — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:42:19 +0000

Microsoft all the way!! love the surface windows 8 and the windows phone!!!

By: Luke Allen McManamon

Luke Allen McManamon — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:42:19 +0000

Google for me.

By: Shawn Schaitel

Shawn Schaitel — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:42:19 +0000

linux FTW

By: Cameron Young

Cameron Young — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:42:19 +0000

"Old operating systems swiftly become unsupported by hardware and software, forcing you on an upgrade path that you may not necessarily wish to take."

This is kind of inaccurate, considering Apple's still supporting the iPhone 3GS, which came out three and a half years ago. Meanwhile, Microsoft screwed over early Windows Phone adopters, who can't even upgrade to Windows Phone 8. This isn't even mentioned.

By: Adam Zurek

Adam Zurek — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 17:42:19 +0000

google FTW

By: richardbwilson

richardbwilson — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 01:23:00 +0000

Several years ago, I switched to the Apple system, since I needed the refrigerator door simplicity. I’m still not technically adept, but have learned the Apple game fairly well. But, and it’s a big but, Apple has begun to fail in the simplicity game, it’s very expensive with that built in obsolescence, and quite frankly, the quality just no longer meets the price. They are experts at marketing, crappy products. I’m thinking that my Iphone 3GS is a better quality device than the iphone 5. And, my ipad 3 definitely doesn’t have the connectivity that my ipad 1 had. I’ve had to take all of devices to Geniuses, multiple times and that gets old too, particularly since those store smell like too many humans in one spot—it reminds me of a bad gym.

So, the point here is that your article has enlightened me to the Google ecosystem and I’m going to begin researching their products. Tomorrow, I have to pick up my Macbook Air that had to be wiped out and the system reinstalled. I hope that it’s my last trip for Apple service, ever. And, it’s really sad somehow, that Apple has become such an unstable, unreliable and crappy product when it could be so good, with all that money behind it. I like being loyal, but I’m not stupid—–

By: Steve Horton

Steve Horton — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:34:09 +0000

Hi Alfie,
Commenting on one part of your excellent post ... The Amazon Fire uses apps from a curated selection called the Amazon App Store, which are most definitely Android apps. Though no Google apps are included (a shame, since undoubtedly Gmail would be a better app than the Kindle's built-in one), I wouldn't say Amazon and Google are rivals. They work together very closely.

By: AlfieJr

AlfieJr — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:27:22 +0000

congrats, SH, on an intelligent effort to address the REAL story of the post-PC era - the "ecosystems." of course your post will get nitpicked a lot, but great first try.

now to nitpick:

- you mention the Amazon Fire as if it is a functional part of the Google ecosystem, but of course it is not at all. Google apps are not included. it's really a rival "forked" ecosystem.

- you badly undervalue to Apple desktop/laptop. you mention AirPlay, but not how convenient it is on a home LAN (and also OS X's other LAN sharing/backup tools). maybe you don't use them (i do) ... and you don't mention the easy integration of all the OS X iLife apps with their iOS counterparts. maybe you don't use them either (i do). i know you can do all the same things on a PC by mixing and matching software and cloud services, but you have to be more technically adept. so using a PC with Apple iOS products is do-able, but really, the result is very second rate and so that is a bad half-baked recommendation.

- Google's communication ecosystem is definitely the best, with Google Voice and many other conveniences. if that is the main user activity, Google's Android is the way to go.

By: pondosinat

pondosinat — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:09:24 +0000

I don't think any "electronic ecosystem" is ready for primetime, as you say, but I would argue MSFT is further along then the others. The only real deficit they have is the broken link between phone and tablet apps. All of this cross integration is hard to pull off, with Apple owning tablet, MSFT owning desktop, and Google leading the fight for phone.

The real question is, will a winner emerge any time soon, and how long will it take? Meanwhile, the ecosystem you choose now won't really matter, because by the time that winner is chosen, any of your software will be long obsoleted by something completely different.

By: Steve Horton

Steve Horton — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 22:03:12 +0000

The big drawback with the Windows Phone app is that it doesn't allow you to administrate Facebook Pages. If all you have is a personal profile, it's probably fine.

By: Michael Salvadore Jr

Michael Salvadore Jr — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:39:43 +0000

I’m sorry but the “Facebook integration works poorly” is the statement made by somebody who hasn’t used it. It appears to be the most reliable form of mobile Facebook as the integrated version updates and is more reliable then multiple Android devices that I have used/been around and most recently the iPhone 5 Facebook App

By: retiredsarge

retiredsarge — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 21:19:08 +0000

Not to concerned about FACEBOOK anyway

By: Defiler

Defiler — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 20:03:34 +0000

Ahhh. Understood.

By: Steve Horton

Steve Horton — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 20:02:34 +0000

Hi Defiler,
The difference is that Windows Phone's Facebook app is not the official Facebook App that Android and iOS have, so it has quite a few limitations compared to the real thing.

By: Defiler

Defiler — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 19:58:17 +0000

Umm. Windows Phone does have a Facebook app and has for quite some time. It was actually just updated and the performance has improved dramatically.