JCC ITT we complain about our 1st world problems...

My brother decided to skip work today, which somewhat ruins how I plan to watch television tonight.

 

Got an email from Registrar mentioning how I had "applied to graduate."

I haven't.



(Investigation seems to indicate a mundane system error but you'd better believe I sent a politely angry "WTF" email.)

 

Widgets are similar but lack the aesthetics of live tiles. They don't really bother you, as they aren't vying for your attention with notification tones or whatnot. It's a strictly visual thing that you can absorb at a quick glance.

Honestly, it was very easy going from Android to Windows Phone in regards to interfacing. The reverse has been noticeably more difficult.

 

I burned my tongue eating a microwave chimichanga. And don't even get me started on what that foodstuff is probably going to do to me later.

 

You know you can turn off all notifications or tones or whatever in Android, right?

As I said, to me the idea of constantly scrolling updates or flipping through my photos in a tile sounds terrible. I prefer a static, clean desktop. The only thing I want to update is the time and weather, then a battery life meter on page 2, and a mobile data meter on page 3. And those don't move or flip to new things. That would honestly drive me crazy. Like I said, not my cup of tea.

What specific functionality are you looking for with Android widgets that you're missing from the live tiles?

 

I know that you can disable notifications. I was just saying that the tiles aren't fighting to get your attention, if that was your concern.

As for what I'm missing, I think it's the overall aesthetics. Yes, Android can emulate the aesthetics with Windows-like launchers, but the launcher tiles don't have the same functionality as the authentic tiles (though some developers have done a swell job creating a WP-like feel on Android).

However, I'm now half a year into my new Android and, like yourself, have grown accustomed to the static layout: app drawers on the main page that organize my frequently used apps, updating weather widget, calendar to the right page, and digital remotes for DVR and Xbox on the left page.

Cortana on Android, while not as robust as she is on WP, is still superior to Google's Allo and Samsung's S-voice--though the Android version of her cuts off her ability to effortlessly control your phone, forcing you to use Google's own voice assistant in that regard. This is one glaring difference, and a significant one. Cortana on Windows Phone can send and read text messages for you while you're driving, through use of your car's Bluetooth. Google's own assistant can do this, but it just plain sucks in comparison. Cortana reads messages for you as you receive them (she'll ask you for permission to do so first), then asks if you'd like to reply. After you tell her your response text, she'll repeat it to make sure that she heard you correctly. Google doesn't do any of that. Google's assistant is a bland "Read my messages/send a text to" interaction without charm or personality.

Also neat (and featured on both Android and Windows) Cortana can give you a near seamless experience from phone to PC. If I'm doing homework on my PC and my phone receives a SMS, PC Cortana can read it for me and ask if I want to reply via another SMS straight from the PC, all without me having to interact with my phone.

 

Ezio, download Android Auto. That can read texts and play music, etc, while you're driving. Hopefully eventually this will just be integrated into the Google Assistant. (There's a non Google one called Automate as well).

 

my coffee is too hot.

 

Do carry on. As I said, I just couldn't deal with another heated Apple discussion at that moment > You have very valid complaints. I am getting to the point where I am right there with you; but am waiting for the competitors hardware to ripen so to speak.

>>>

and tonight's first world complaint:

Dear old school Death Metal bands, tis I, equally old school fan woman, asking why the hell do you make fans go on a scavenger hunt to purchase your merch? Sincerely

Okay, I understand not everyone knows web design, but Merchandise tabs on the websites would help!

...

and WTF official Shaw Brothers charging $400 per POSTER in your shop and then running a 50% off sale to make it seem like a deal at $200?

So glad I got 3 of those posters for cheap. I don't think I spent more than $400 total on all the official SBs and Chan Wai Man posters I picked up a few months ago (9-10 at last count). Sheesh.

 

Do I get ice or warm coffee at Coffee Bean this evening?

 

Neither. Get the chai latte. Theirs is amazing. If you're working tonight and need caffeine, add a shot of espresso (aka get a "dirty chai"). It actually tastes even better that way.

 

It's my Monday night, so I'll most definitely need the caffeine; not opposed to trying something new there.

 

Then I highly suggest you try the dirty chai latte. It's not on the menu, but it's the price of the chai latte plus however many shots of espresso normally come in a particular size of latte.

 

My radio streaming get interrupted when uploading a pic to send to a friend on Facebook messenger.

 

Per your recommendation, I tried Android Auto. I'm not sure what to make of it. It limits the phone's functionality, but is better able to provide voice texting ability, though still pales in comparison to Cortana on WP. Cortana can do everything by voice commands and is far more hands free. For example, while Android Auto was able to read texts as I received them, I had to press a "play" button, whereas Cortana verbally asks for permission to read the text. Then, to reply on Android Auto, I had to press the "talk" button--which was nowhere to be found. There was no microphone icon. Cortana would verbally ask me if I wanted to reply and await my oral text. No button needed.

Android Auto is a good recommendation, as it's the closest I've come to a sufficient Cortana substitute on Android. But I just hope that either Microsoft or Google find a way to just let Android users enjoy the full Cortana experience, as MS did a fantastic thing with their digital assistant and should maybe share her better.

 

solojones The dirty chai latte... rather good!

 

When you've ordered a burger and fries at a café or fast food restaurant, you're hungry and just want a freshly made juicy burger to eat, finally, you see it placed on the ready tray to be served, but then the employees realize that there are no fries ready, because of course, they couldn't possibly have realized this beforehand, so they put some in to cook, but they obviously can't serve you your burger without the fries, so while the fries cook, all you can do is watch, as your freshly made juicy burger gets cold and soggy and becomes a 5-7 minute old burger, and then they add the fries, and hand you your meal, now it's the fries that are the freshly made part, and all you can say is, thank you.

It's such a lose lose here. Because what a d*ck you must be if every time you order a burger you make a request that they be sure to have fries ready or cooking while your burger is cooking so that both are ready at the same time. But then, should you find yourself in the above described compromise, it's not like you can ask them to re-make the burger either just because you had to wait a few minutes for the fries to be added.

This is the truly one of the worst conundrums befallen on man.

 

My throat has been scratchy since 3 AM, so I'm probably coming down with a cold/Ebola/transformation

 

Right? I like tea more than coffee but sometimes still need the extra caffeine. So it's a good change of pace.

Hm yeah I haven't used it myself because I frankly just don't pay attention to texts I receive while driving. Did you try Automate? I'm not sure if it works substantially differently than Google Auto. The benefit of Android is being open source and allowing all developers into the app store. But it can mean that sometimes the best apps don't come straight from Google.

 

Were it not for Apple gift cards, I'd have a google Pixel.

and more importantly, why is there no awesome pizza in our fridge?

 

I have a Pixel! There are a few things I'd like to have in it (front-facing speakers, being waterproof). But those aren't huge to me. And may exist in the Pixel 2, which seems likely to happen since these Pixels have been selling like mad. Google is benefitting a ton from the timing of the Note 7 debacle. I know my dad replaced his with a Pixel XL.

 

I lost my wallet.

There was nothing valuable in it. Just my debit card, which I have blocked and my union ID, plus some change in coins. But I loved that wallet.

 

There are either way too many handicapped parking spaces these days or else they are not spread out enough. I have to park too far away anymore.

 

The woman I'm going on a date with tomorrow just randomly texted me and then called me, but I couldn't hear anything that she was saying. Then she hung up. I called back and the call went straight to voice mail. :/