[BrainInside]

Hey guys,
I love OmniFocus, I have been using it from over a year. But, I got tired of iPhone, really. I don't know why but it started to be a pain in my butt, Apple pisses me of with its politics, and it's to expensive to have an iPhone. Come on... $85 is the cheapest option and it has only 1GB of data? Each additional GB is $15... T-mobile has unlimited data for $30. I almost don't call, I switched everything to email and google voice, I avoid calls as much as possible. Plus there is 2 year contract if you want to have an iPhone. On the other hand T-Mobile has no contract and it is super cheap. Unlimited data for $30, monthly payments, no contract, first 5GB is 4G...
Also I'm using more Google solutions than in the past. I would love to see OmniFocus on Android. I could even pay 2nd time for it. There is so huge market, why Omni Group don't want to do this?
I need a data plan for sure, not 4G, but 3G is enough for my needs.
I also find out a new very promising GTD soft called IQTELL which is integrated with Gmail, google cal, Evernote and stuff, but it's still in beta.

I don't want to switch from OmniFocus, but really, iPhone is too expensive.

Do you guys want to join the discussion? Thanks for your opinions and ideas...

[wilsonng]

Hmmm.... Part of that problem is the cellular provider that leveraged people's desires for an iPhone by piling on some pretty nefarious terms before they would let Apple sell the iPhone. After all, the iPhone (and every other smartphone) is useless without a cellular network.

It's a deal where Apple had to sell its soul to the devil. AT&T puts outrageous things in like not allowing people to use FaceTime unless the customer signs up for a higher-priced data plan or throttling bandwidth when the customer reaches a certain cap. That problem is more the cellular provider's fault and something that is not really within Apple's control.

Looking at your post, it appears that you are angry that the cellular provider is giving you the shaft because you wanted to be an iPhone.

Apple had to negotiate the rights and terms of agreement for books, TV shows, music, movies, and cellular service. Apple had to settle with AT&T, Verizon, or whatever cellular company to get the iPhone on the cellular networks.

It looks like you're not happy with the price of the cellular services that your provider is offering you. Smartphones that are not subsidized by a 2 year contract will always be expensive. The iPhone or Samsung Galaxy would be around $800 if purchased without a 2 year contract. You get locked into a 2 year contract because that subsidizes the cost of the smartphone. If you buy a smartphone for $299 with a 2 year contract, the remaining $300 is pro-rated out for the remainder of the 2 year contract. So, if you decide to opt out early, you'll pay a penalty for leaving your contract early. This helps to cover the cost of that smartphone.


So, if you want to blame somebody, blame your cellular provider.

[BrainInside]

I agree that it's AT&T and other's providers fault.

I'm not really angry. Just tired. Tired of paying over $100 a month, when I could spend that money on million better ways to improve my life, business, career, spend more time with my family. I am an iPhone user since 3G came out. I stopped on iPhone 4, because I didn't really needed the features they provided with 4s.

Apple's fault, not Apple's, does not matter for me. Apple changed their politics. I had to switch from their software (Final Cut Pro 7 and Logic Pro 9, to Adobe Premiere Pro and Pro Tools) and I really don't regret, but it took me a while to learn the Apple's soft, and then they just screwed up the pro market. I feel like I never know what will come out from Apple. It is like a surprise all the time, but that's just apple. I'm not going back to PC for sure though.

Actually I want to get Google Galaxy Nexus. It's enough for my needs and we can see that Google is growing extremely fast. So $350 smartphone and $30 per month, no contact, unlimited data, versus $300 iPhone and $80 per month (+tax will be more) and 1GB of data, where I use only data on my smartphone, so probably I would have to take 5-6 GB plan, so it would be over $100 per month. Calculate it after 2 years:
Google smartphone on T-mobile: $350+(24X$30)=$1070
iPhone on AT&T (1GB data/month): $300+(24x$80)=$2220
iPhone is 2 times more expensive, but total for me would be over $3000 with iPhone, because I need more data.

It just makes more sense for me. Everybody has different needs. Calculate how many hours of work this $2000 is in 2 years for you. Wouldn't you prefer to spend that time with your family?

I do not blame either iPhone or OmniFocus. But, your post does not help to get any possible idea or clue what my other options could be. I didn't decided yet I'm not going with iPhone. OmniFocus is a big piece of my life, but when I see something like IQTELL I start to feel like OF is not irreplaceable. Probably I will be told off for that, but I'm looking for some solution. And still... why the heck Omni Group won't do anything for Android? It is huge market, larger than iPhone now.

I really want to stay with OmniFocus. I do not blame iPhone, it is a great tool after all. But, it does not solve anything.

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by BrainInside

And still... why the heck Omni Group won't do anything for Android? It is huge market, larger than iPhone now.

You know what's an even bigger market? Food. Omni should start producing food. Just about everyone needs food. What's that you say, they don't know anything about making food, they have no natural advantage at making food, and the margins in the food business aren't as good as the margins they currently enjoy? For a minute there I thought you were talking about developing for Android :-)

[wilsonng]

I'm not familiar enough with Galaxy but what if you bought a Galaxy and subscribed to the tethering plan to make it a mobile wifi hotspot? Then just use your iPhone as an OmniFocus device by connecting to the wifi hotspot?

Or maybe get a MiFi mobile hotspot and use your iPhone through the MiFi?

Even if you did get an unlimited data plan, you might have to read the fine print that allows the provider to throttle your bandwidth if you've reached a certain data cap.

Yes, I know you might say that you don't want to carry one more device. But that's a small tradeoff if you save more by getting a Galaxy and disconnect your iPhone's data plan.

Regarding the touchy subject of Apple politics: I think you'll find that same attitude in a lot of software companies.

A lot of people were happy with Windows XP and didn't want Vista, Win7, or even Win8 shoved down their throats. The new tiled interface is turning off a sizable portion of the Windows users because they don't want a dumbed down interface and are happy with the old and familiar Windows Explorer. WinXP is fine enough for a lot of people but Microsoft has officially suspended tech support for WinXP. That's Microsoft "politics."

Google and Facebook are ticking people off with all sorts of privacy issues. We're discovering new ways that Google and Facebook are trapping us into their ecosystem. That's Google "politics" and Facebook "politics."

Apple is turning the world upside with the new 9-pin dock connector, Mac OS X Mountain Lion, the Final Cut Pro X fiasco, and now the iOS 6 Maps debacle. So politics is not reserved for Apple only.

I don't think that this is an issue that is unique to Apple. I just can't subscribe to an Android because I'm not sure whether I can upgrade to the latest Android Jellybean OS. I've heard that some Android phones will not be updated from their current Android OS to Jellybean. The manufacturer is suggesting that you just buy one of their newer models.

Even if you were to go to the Android side, you still wouldn't be safe from politics. You will never know when a company like Microsoft, Google, or Apple will change directions and leave people hanging.

I know that I've bought enough iOS apps that I will be staying with the iOS ecosystem. I just don't want to buy my apps all over again on the Android side.

If your iPhone 2-year contract is up, couldn't you switch over to another phone/data plan?

Otherwise, you did know what you were getting into before signing up for that 2 year contract?


Yeah, $2,000 is a lot of money that I would like to spend elsewhere. But if that $2,000 will help me make ten times the amount, I think it's a worthwhile expense.

[BrainInside]

You're right. I definitely will rethink everything. I understand that developing Android based app would be like starting new business, however it is much closer than starting food business.

I don't know what job you have, that for $2000 you can make $20,000, but that's a good deal for sure. I would have to work around 100-120 hours to make my $2000, and if I would have OmniFocus and iPhone with data plan, honestly, I wouldn't be able to make of that 100 hours of work so much money you can do. But it's not about money. Thanks for your response.

[BrainInside]

BTW. do you have any experience with MiFi? Would you recommend something?

[Brian]

In case it's helpful, here's a post from our CEO about how/why we choose the platforms we work on.

[BrainInside]

Originally Posted by Brian

In case it's helpful, here's a post from our CEO about how/why we choose the platforms we work on.

I think every OF user knows it :)))

Damn OmniFocus! I cannot quit you cause you're so damn good! I hate you and I love you OmniFocus.

[DrJJWMac]

Originally Posted by BrainInside

BTW. do you have any experience with MiFi? Would you recommend something?

My experience is, even MiFi 3G works better than satellite internet. This is based on using it for Skype calls to family in a remote locale.

YMMV

--
JJW