Well, I'm convinced that the overall effectiveness of smartphone apps is less than that of desktops, for sure, as evidenced by the amount of stuff I do on them (like writing this comment, for example). But perhaps enjoying apps is just as important as using them to do stuff? It seems to me that the friction for iOS apps is vastly lower--no doubt a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy that Apple is working diligently to maintain, even as it maintains two separate platforms which it claims have two different audiences/applications.

Gha, I don't know. But thanks for your perspective.

Interesting thoughts.

One thing I have noticed is that Ios has a lot of smaller applictions with  less functionality. Many games are of the arcade type, and many aps are just intended to perform one single function.

That doesn't mean this is all an Ios platform can do, witness something like Kodp or  Blind Square, however I have noticed that  a lot of Aps tend to be smaller in scope  than desktop programs.

Then again, there is equally the arguement that the two platforms  do have a degree of inherent difference. I would  never write a hugely long and complex document on Ios,  nor would I want to handle a web forum on the system even with my bluetooth keyboard.

I would  also not want to store a huge amount of media  on an Ios device or even on the I cloud system, indeed as I have said before I am less than iimpressed at the way Ios handles media management.

I also personally would not want  films or dvds on an Ios device, or come to that to play graphical gamse, though that is more to do with screen size and lack of my big logitech desktop speakers, (as well as my large dvd collection).

For me the Iphone is exactly as intended. it's a portable device and I do portable device things with it, satnav, games on the go, books and media to carry around etc. I tend to keep aps on the phone that I think will be useful in that context. While it has replaced some of the things (such as reading books or playing games on the train), that I used to carry a laptop around for, it still hasn't replaced my  desktop.

If I want to sit down and watch a bunch of dvds, to play a large collection of random music while I'm cleaning, write anything serious,  choose which author I want to read next or play some games for windows, I use the Pc.

I've yet to see an Ipad with a large enough display for my personal visual needs sebi, nor have I seen smaller speakers that can have similar affects to a full 5.1 surround, although you can do as well with the right audio and a decent set of headphones).  though I know the same isn't true for others.

Another major turn off for me in Ios is the lack of a propper filing  system or method of organization. While I know there are some semi usable word processing r programs for example, if I wanted to write a book review, spell  check it, draught a few times then put it onto the site, much less anything more complex such as my phd thesis  I would just not be happy with a system where I couldn't tell where the individual files are or what was happening to them.

Same if I for example wanted to download a podcast, or save a text copy of a gamescript from off the net.

This is also as I said why I don't like Apple's approach to media management at least in Itunes.

While I know there are aps for handling file management and media, often they rely on either jale breaking or interaction with specifically apple software, neither of which is an option I like too much.

Regarding updates though, wel  one thing I have noticed is that ap updates in Ios are often far more miner than program version updates in Windows.

For example, the recent update to smugglers 5          cessession  had a   about 12 different items on the changelog, including things like "many miner  fixes" where the recent update to startraders added a couple of extra achievement and vo support. 

Of course it depends upon the  individual dev. Kodp seems to have pretty major additions and updates, while games that function similarly to browser games such as monster kingdom   have a similar set of constant miner changes by way of odd   small bits of new content.

I suppose it just depends upon the individual developer and how they want to use the service.

Funny  Chris, games and  handy aplictions was exactly what I got an Iphone for. I can't talk about android, but I'm certainly not dissatisfied about the amount say available games for the platform, it's just that there are some tasks which  either the os or hardware make   preferable on a desktop.

Well Scot, when I said aps were small in scale I didn't mean necessarily all aps, though I have seen lots of shorter arcade style games, or quick single action grinder rpggs, or aps intended to  do one fairly simple if useful task such as act as an efficient  cumpus or  play radio stations.   

Regarding filing, I personally just like having all my files exactly where I know where they are. I have 700 gb of audio books, dramas and music, my singing lessons (that I record), or useful singing backing tracks, all of which I can find in seconds sinse I've indexed and subfoldered them all.

This is why When for example I have done a solo charity performance with backing tracks, putting together a  playlist of stuff is fairly easy.

Likewise, all my  doccuments are heavily organized. I have folders for game walkthrus, for scripts, for my own poetry or serious writing, for notes and time tables etc.

On Ios I just miss the freedom to organize things as I like them, indeed even on post xp  windows I'd miss being able to say have C:\audio or C:\music folders, (why the hell microsoft want to put music in a documents folder I don't know).

this is why while  I have dragooned Itunes  into letting me stick stuff on my Iphone through playlists so that I can listen to books or music on the go, I'd never use the Itunes organization perminantly (and lets not talk about those stupid id tags).

Hi.

Well, first off I'll say I really, really don't want Apple to turn the macintosh into iOS.
The macintosh is an awesome computer and it is not full of the silly restrictions that Apple puts on iOS.
Sure, you have the stupid Mac App Store which is like the iOS one, but you don't have to use it. You can download applications from other sources.
I'm fine with Apple adding stuff like iCloud integration, just as long as they don't get rid of the finder and lock down the system the way they have with iOS.

As to why I think a computer is better, well I have a few things to consider. Something like a macbook Air or a Windows laptop has a superior processor and memory capabilities than iOS.
For instance, they don't have a 500 gig iOS device.
The keyboard is another reason, although I guess since you can pair a bluetooth keyboard with a mobile device, this isn't a big issue.
Another reason is TTS, although I'm speaking for iOS and I think this is Apple's fault.
I have no idea why Apple restricts voice options on iOS while including tons of voices on OS X. Not only that, but other manufacturers can make TTS voices for OS X while apple rules iOS with an iron fist.
Again, I guess you could say they're trying to protect their devices, but it gets really silly after a while.
Of course, Android is far more flexible than iOS will probably ever be, so it's my best friend along with the mac.
Now, it's not to say I dislike iOS, because I don't.
I just don't understand why Apple feels the need to lock everything down so tightly.