Google will stop bundling its apps on Android phones in response to EU fine

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

...you can bet there will be some new, poorly managed Android app stores popping up in Europe, and the people of North America are still somewhat Euro-centric in their thinking. They're gonna think, "It's coming from Britain or Germany, it's probably OK" without realizing British and German business people are every bit as big dopes as North American business people.

This ruling doesn't have anything to do with the US. So for a US user to be impacted they would have to be smart enough to sideload an app, but dumb enough to download it from a shady app store.

Don't get me wrong. Those people exist by the busload. But dude, if that happens to you, you deserve it.

Making Amazon and Microsoft very happy. I'm thinking especially Microsoft. They have been "fairly" successful in promoting their own apps for Android, so far. And they're good, I use most of them, myself. the tie in with Win 10 is just too convenient to ignore, I think.

But NOW, Microsoft will be able to go to the manufacturers and offer the entire suite fo MS Android apps as a solid, well built, well-tested alternative to the Google suite of apps.

I would think a manufacturer looking for inexpensive product differentiation would find a Microsoft Android environment worth exploring. Especially so, if Microsoft offers a secure, well designed app store as well.

Microsoft seems well on their way to making Android the 'official' Microsoft mobile OS. Changes coming in this month's update will allow deeper integration between Android and Windows 10 (you'll be able to send Android SMS messages from your Windows 10 desktop, for instance.)

[GlenBarrington]

For those who think of Vista or Win 8 when they think of Windows are using an outdated model of thinking. Win 10 has its problems sure, <cough> <cough> Updates <cough> <cough>, but Win 10 is the best Windows ever, and its integration with Android is most definitely useful. I think they have a solid long-term strategy.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by GlenBarrington

For those who think of Vista or Win 8 when they think of Windows are using an outdated model of thinking. Win 10 has its problems sure, <cough> <cough> Updates <cough> <cough>, but Win 10 is the best Windows ever, and its integration with Android is most definitely useful. I think they have a solid long-term strategy.

I agree. With Windows 10 it feels like Microsoft got their groove back.

[DiapDealer]

As one who uses Windows 10 daily at work ... I'm still sticking with Windows 7 as "best ever (of those versions still viable for modern software)" for my home use.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

As one who uses Windows 10 daily at work ... I'm still sticking with Windows 7 as "best ever (of those versions still viable for modern software)" for my home use.

I use Win 10 at home and work. For me, it's much better at home as the version at work isn't as up-to-date.

[DiapDealer]

Looks like their pattern of every other major version being generally despised is still holding, anyway.

Love XP; hate Vista; love 7; hate 8/8.1; love 10. Hate's up next!

[leebase]

Originally Posted by Sweetpea

I don't care what was originally installed, I, as a user, not a seller, just want to be able to remove everything I don't want to use... Which I can't. But at least I can turn off what I don't want (like Chrome, hate that browser in all its forms...)

I hear you. One of the many reasons I prefer iOS. Perhaps Google will extend the “pay to have google apps” to “pay to remove google apps”.

To be fair, though, apps like Maps, messaging, email, calendar are so intergrated that mixing and matching might break functionality

[DiapDealer]

I'll never buy another phone or portable device that I can't simply log in to Google to have my calendar, mail, contacts, notes and bookmarks set up in seconds. I'm fully invested.

[Apparition B5]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

As one who uses Windows 10 daily at work ... I'm still sticking with Windows 7 as "best ever (of those versions still viable for modern software)" for my home use.

I use Windows 10 daily at work. I refuse to use Windows 10 Spyware Edition at home. I still say Windows 2000 Professional is the best version of Windows. If Windows 2000 Professional was updated to a 64 bit edition with support for modern hardware, I'd still use it to this day.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Apparition B5

If Windows 2000 Professional was updated to a 64 bit edition with support for modern hardware, I'd still use it to this day.

I'd actually agree with you, there. 2000 was solid.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by leebase

I hear you. One of the many reasons I prefer iOS. Perhaps Google will extend the “pay to have google apps” to “pay to remove google apps”.

To be fair, though, apps like Maps, messaging, email, calendar are so intergrated that mixing and matching might break functionality

A Nexus or Pixel comes with no bloatware. There are Google apps you can't uninstall, but as far as I know, Apple doesn't let you uninstall their core apps either.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

A Nexus or Pixel comes with no bloatware. There are Google apps you can't uninstall, but as far as I know, Apple doesn't let you uninstall their core apps either.

I can attest to the Pixel 2 having very little bloatware. I was very pleasantly surprised.

[rcentros]

Meh. Every SINGLE time Windows 10 updates my wife's laptop, she starts getting BSODs. UNTIL I disable the nVidia driver. (This is a laptop that has two video chips, Intel and nVidia.) When we first bought the computer it worked great, after the first major Windows 10 update, it has never worked right — unless I disable the nVidia driver (which isn't really working right). Windows 10 won't let me update to the newest nVidia driver for this chip ("not compatible with this computer model"). What I really don't like about Windows is my wife continually tells it NOT to update, but it does it anyhow — after so many times it just updates, regardless of her wishes. And it (the update) decides what should and shouldn't be enabled. So it's constant work-arounds to keep the thing running. I guess I'm used to Linux, which just works.

I should mention that the desktop (where I installed Windows 10 for my wife from scratch) works fine. One time it did something funky with Microsoft Office and WordPerfect during an update, and both had to be re-activated, but that's the worst it's done. The laptop is running on OEM version of Windows 10 software from HP.

[Cyberman tM]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Meh. Every SINGLE time Windows 10 updates my wife's laptop, she starts getting BSODs. UNTIL I disable the nVidia driver.

That's something that makes me nervous every time Win10 decides it needs to update: "Will they screw over the drivers again?".
It's like giving your car to service, and when it comes back you notice the bass boxes are missing because they installed the in-house radio which doesn't have them...
(The windows nVidia driver apparently doesn't haven openCL - which I need, for folding@home. Also, they managed to screw up the refresh rate - I was wondering why my eyes hurt...)

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I'd actually agree with you, there. 2000 was solid.

But not as solid as NT 3.51. I still think Microsoft made a grievous error moving video drivers into Ring 0 (kernel) trading off security for speed with Windows NT 4.0.