Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

bluebison10's phone—well, I haven't actually used that thing in years.

Sandra Fowler74 said:bluebison10's phone—well, I haven't actually used that thing in years.

If you aren't joking, you might actually be the only person left in both the real and digital worlds who doesn't use a smartphone.

Matthew Young35 said:If you aren't joking, you might actually be the only person left in both the real and digital worlds who doesn't use a smartphone.

I'm not lying. Honestly—whenever I get a chance to sit down at my PC, I am absolutely hooked. But it’s true. Look, I know a guy—this old man, a total kleptomaniac, a huge patriot, a devout Christian, and a die-hard conservative all rolled into one. He’s been trying to pilfer things from me here and there, so whenever he does, I just end up scolding him with whatever fruit happens to be within arm's reach.

Matthew Young35 said:Well, I actually have a phone with a top-tier camera.

I'm not saying it isn't a good app—I haven't tried it myself—but RAW is complete overkill for the average user, and honestly, even for those looking for something a bit more advanced.

Look, I’m talking about the native camera app on the phone, not Open Camera.

And yeah, I agree, it's a massive overkill.
You aren't going to get a shot that looks like it came out of a professional rig, and the file sizes are absolutely mammoth. Who is actually using raw mode on a smartphone?

I just noticed that the photos turn out incredibly well.

Ah, my bad! I misunderstood you; I thought you were referring to that other app.
I assume you can just disable saving in RAW and stick to standard JPEG.
Of course, the image looks great when you're starting with ten times more data than a typical mobile shot. It's just that for the kind of stuff people usually snap on their phones, it's basically useless.

Matthew Young35 said:Hold on... wait a second...
North Chicago has actually become quite elite lately.
Well, provided you're on the right side of town, of course.

My advice? Pick up a used flagship from a year or two ago... maybe a Huawei, an HTC, or a Samsung (but stick to the S series or the Note line), or even some of the lesser-known brands.
I was actually comparing phones with a friend today; his three-year-old Sony flagship still pulls better benchmark scores than the recently released Mate 30 Lite.
The gap between a true flagship and the mid-range stuff that follows it is massive.
If you buy something a year or two old, you might actually come out ahead financially.

To give you a better idea of what I mean—I was looking at the GSMArena Redmi Note 7 comparisons against
any flagship from two years back (like the S8, U11, or XZ1). Most of them are nearly twice as fast in benchmarks.

But it's all up to you.

Honestly, I think most people find buying something brand new much more appealing—both for the excitement of the release and the convenience. First off, there's the warranty (even if getting them to honor it can be a headache), and second, it's hard to know how the previous owner treated a used device; you can't always see the wear and tear from the outside. Plus, people tend to feel—and probably have a point—that tech has a natural lifespan, and a used phone is already closer to the end of that cycle.
From what I can tell, you're more of a tech enthusiast who enjoys diving into the details, so having easy access to support for any glitches is a breeze for you. For the average user, dealing with any kind of technical hassle is just too much of a pain.

Sandra Fowler74 said:I'm not lying. Honestly—whenever I get a chance to sit down at my PC, I am absolutely hooked. But it’s true. Look, I know a guy—this old man, a total kleptomaniac, a huge patriot, a devout Christian, and a die-hard conservative all rolled into one. He’s been trying to pilfer things from me here and there, so whenever he does, I just end up scolding him with whatever fruit happens to be within arm's reach.

Ha ha...
Well, I won't go so far as to claim you're lying, but I don't personally know anyone quite like that.

According to the Bible, stoning a thief is the only way to handle it properly.

I edited the quote in my previous post just for a bit of comedic effect. I hope you aren't offended; there was no malice intended.

Michelle Palmer6 said:Ah, my bad! I misunderstood you; I thought you were referring to that other app.
I assume you can just disable saving in RAW and stick to standard JPEG.
Of course, the image looks great when you're starting with ten times more data than a typical mobile shot. It's just that for the kind of stuff people usually snap on their phones, it's basically useless.

Honestly, I think most people find buying something brand new much more appealing—both for the excitement of the release and the convenience. First off, there's the warranty (even if getting them to honor it can be a headache), and second, it's hard to know how the previous owner treated a used device; you can't always see the wear and tear from the outside. Plus, people tend to feel—and probably have a point—that tech has a natural lifespan, and a used phone is already closer to the end of that cycle.
From what I can tell, you're more of a tech enthusiast who enjoys diving into the details, so having easy access to support for any glitches is a breeze for you. For the average user, dealing with any kind of technical hassle is just too much of a pain.

Well, consider me the support desk for all things mobile:

OK, you have a point.
🙂

Look, I honestly believe you might end up with a slightly better value if you went for a higher-end used model instead, but personally, I think making that choice would be pretty tough given the reasons I mentioned earlier.
Admittedly, seeing how badly I’ve trashed my last two phones, maybe I should just grab a Nokia 3310 and save myself all the headache.

Michelle Palmer6 said:Look, I honestly believe you might end up with a slightly better value if you went for a higher-end used model instead, but personally, I think making that choice would be pretty tough given the reasons I mentioned earlier.
Admittedly, seeing how badly I’ve trashed my last two phones, maybe I should just grab a Nokia 3310 and save myself all the headache.

Or, simply find a reliable friend or someone you know who actually understands this stuff and just follow their lead.
I'm not suggesting you use me as that person; I meant a real-life friend or acquaintance.

I don't have any like those.
I think Amanda Evans2 is probably the closest to what you're looking for. As she puts it, it's either "go big or go home"!

Michelle Palmer6 said:I don't have any like those.
I think Amanda Evans2 is probably the closest to what you're looking for. As she puts it, it's either "go big or go home"!

Go big or go home?

So, should I expect to see you in the Tottenham stands sometime soon?

Yep, heading back home now!

Mark my words... they aren't letting Gareth Bale go for anything less than $100M.

EDIT:
I never actually said that, but since everyone seems to credit me with the prediction anyway, I might as well take the win.
:P

Matthew Young35 said:Ha ha...
Well, I won't go so far as to claim you're lying, but I don't personally know anyone quite like that.

According to the Bible, stoning a thief is the only way to handle it properly.

I edited the quote in my previous post just for a bit of comedic effect. I hope you aren't offended; there was no malice intended.

👍

Jack Miller6 said:I've been thinking about trying out one of those Chinese brands when it’s finally time for an upgrade, and coincidentally, my current phone just died on me 🤣. Since we're on the subject, I wanted to see if you guys have any recommendations for models around the $667 mark? Right now, I'm looking at the Xiaomi Mi A2 because a buddy of mine was raving about it—he seems pretty happy with how much value he's getting for the price.

At first glance, I'm not entirely sure which one stands out as the absolute best value, but it really depends on what you prefer (for instance, I personally find MIUI better than EMUI). You could pick up a PocoPhone for $200, or maybe stretch your budget a bit more; last year, that was considered the best deal. I ended up ordering a Huawei Mate 30 Lite, though I was torn between that and the Redmi Note 7. I've used Xiaomi before and was happy enough, but I think I'll give the Huawei a shot.

So, I went ahead and bought myself this insanely overpriced car, and now I’m spending my weekends driving for Uber, chauffeuring some drunk kid around just so I can keep up with the cost of living. 🤦 Seriously, don't go out and buy an expensive car.

Michelle Palmer6 said:Man, they just keep throwing phones at me; I can't even defend myself!
At least they aren't taking away the ones I actually bought for myself!

It probably depends on where you work. I suppose if you're working a government job, I agree that you probably won't get those perks. But I know some private companies have started handing out decent models to employees making around $60,000 net. Of course, management usually gets the flagships, but for someone like me who just uses a phone for messaging, Reddit, and news, I don't really need anything fancy. Maybe I'm living in a parallel universe, but over the last 5 or 6 years, I've spent about $167 on phones and laptops—including buying back a company laptop (a high-end model that cost $1,600 before tax, but I got it after three years for about $75). So, when I hear that people actually shell out thousands of dollars for phones, it feels a little strange to me.

Jessica Gonzalez said:It probably depends on where you work. I suppose if you're working a government job, I agree that you probably won't get those perks. But I know some private companies have started handing out decent models to employees making around $60,000 net. Of course, management usually gets the flagships, but for someone like me who just uses a phone for messaging, Reddit, and news, I don't really need anything fancy. Maybe I'm living in a parallel universe, but over the last 5 or 6 years, I've spent about $167 on phones and laptops—including buying back a company laptop (a high-end model that cost $1,600 before tax, but I got it after three years for about $75). So, when I hear that people actually shell out thousands of dollars for phones, it feels a little strange to me.

It’s hard to go from something better to something worse.
A friend of mine landed a job at a prominent firm and was issued a mid-range Samsung. He used it for two days, packed it right back into the box, and swapped his two-year-old flagship SIM card back in.
It's hard to go from a stallion to a donkey.
I had a reliable phone a couple of years ago, but I had to use a subpar model for two weeks while mine was in the shop waiting for a display replacement. Those two weeks were pure frustration.

Then there are the niche requirements. For instance, I have a friend who uses his phone primarily as an MP3 player. His main deciding factor is headphone audio quality. Honestly? You aren't going to get premium sound out of a budget phone. It might seem "good enough" until you actually experience high-fidelity audio—then there's no turning back.
Even as someone who rarely uses headphones, I’ve been surprised by the massive gaps in audio quality between manufacturers, even among flagships. Samsung is a disaster in that regard, for example. And don't even get me started on the quality of the earbuds you get bundled with certain phones.

Amanda Evans2 said:Mercedes C-Class 220 CDI
It’s incredibly fuel-efficient for those long highway hauls, yet it still packs enough punch when you actually need to move...
Just like you said, it really is the perfect all-in-one solution.

The only real headache is dealing with all that humidity you pick up just by walking through the door after being out in the elements with the livestock.☕

What is going on with this crew from Wales? Honestly, what are you people even doing?

Listen, dear, please don't come crying on my doorstep.
Just make sure those doors are sealed tight so the humidity doesn't get in.