iphone or droid x

[bachanon]

i've been coveting iphones for years now, but did not want to leave verizon. now, i hear iphone will soon be available through verizon. my cell phone connoisseur friends are saying "droid x" is superior for phone service, connection to apple. thoughts o wise ones?

[marmer]

I am very interested in this, too. My old Verizon flip phone is getting increasingly unreliable, but I have a family plan through Verizon and I don't want to change. Also, I know a LOT of people who have iPhones who get/got pretty cruddy reception in Houston with AT&T, even before the whole iPhone 4 antenna controversy.

My strong inclination is to go with the Droid X and just live with some of the less polished interface stuff. Your mileage may vary. There have been tantalizing rumors about the iPhone going to Verizon for a long time now but most of the real tech guys say it won't happen before 2012, if at all. There are some fairly significant tech hurdles as well as long-term exclusivity agreements with AT&T.

The Droid X is physically big, everyone says. Some people can't hold it comfortably. One thing that may be an issue for you is that there doesn't seem to be a decent solution for VPN when connecting to Cisco networks. This is proving to be a deal-breaker for some corporate potential Blackberry-upgraders.

Check out Droid Forums for a lot more information.

[ricco67]

I've had my G1 for years and it has worked just fine and never had a problem holding it. Then again, I mostly use my bluetooth when I'm driving or even at home. The review that I posted is here and I still stand by what I've said about it.

That said, I'm aching for the new "My Genius" or whatever new phone that Tmobile has, but I think droid is a better product, IMHO. Yeah, you don't have all the sleek apps that apple has, but it has came out with quite a few cool apps.

[kylejack]

I love my Android.

[Jeebus]

The iPhone is the nicest phone/OS out there, without a doubt. However, I refuse to be an AT&T customer, especially when Verizon has been so good to me. The Droid OS isn't perfect, but its the best alternative to the iPhone OS out there.

I love my Droid Eris and will be upgrading again to whatever the newest Droid phone is in November.

[Fringe]

 Just got the Droid last week and really love it. There's more free apps available for the Droid than the iPhone and last I heard it will be sometime next year before Verizon gets the iPhone. Plus Android 2.2 update will be here by next week and should make the phone even better.

Android 2.2 review

 

[sevfiv]

I don't have Verizon but I'll give a plug for Android...

[marmer]

To clarify:

There are several models of phones sold by Verizon using the model name "Droid."

There is the original Droid, with the sliding keyboard. Apparently an updated model, called Droid 2, is due in August.

There is the Droid Incredible, which is made by HTC instead of Motorola, and which has a spectacular Samsung AMOLED display and no physical keyboard. It is out now, but not readily available because of problems with Samsung being able to deliver enough displays to meet the demand. I think it either does or soon will run Android 2.2.

There is the Droid X, which is larger than the Droid Incredible and the iPhone, due out July 15. It is made by Motorola and also has no sliding keyboard. Early reviews say it is really a little too big for some comfortable use and the screen washes out in bright sunlight. On the other hand, it apparently has a really good camera and unusually good battery life, for a smartphone. The Droid X will ship with Android 2.1 and will be updated "over-the-air" in August to Android 2.2.

There have been Verizon iPhone rumors as long as there have been iPhones, but as I said earlier, it's not going to happen anytime soon. Here is a recent and fairly credible article from Bloomberg: Bloomberg article from CNET Even leaving aside the still hefty tech hurdles and the AT&T exclusivity contract, why would Verizon release so many significant new Droid models this year if an iPhone release were imminent. No, they're betting the at least medium-term smartphone farm on Android.

[samagon]

having used the iPhone for 2 years (a 3g) and having used winmo devices before that, and now I'm on an android phone (N1), I can say the android fits my style.

The biggest thing that puts android above iOS for me is widgets.

in the iPhone you have icons that open apps, once open, they will download information and present it to you. Weather, Sports, whatever you want. But, to get that information, you have to open the app and it has to fetch the data. the interface is very stale and not interactive at all.

in Android you have those widgets, they can sit on your 'desktop' and display data immediately. right now I've got a weather widget, sports widget, news widget, calendar widget and a few others. at a glance I can see what upcoming appointments I have, weather outlook, how my sports teams are doing, and what is hot in the news. if I wanted to do all of that on my iPhone, I'd have to open 4 different apps and wait for it to load the data. I have a phone for convenience and to be able to see what's going on quickly.

that, for me, is the biggest thing android has over apple, very fast.

some users complain of battery life issues, I've only had the phone for a short period of time now so I can't really comment, but it seems to be comparable to the 3g iPhone in that I have to plug it in every night.

where the iPhone really shines is it's capacity and the apps available, games mostly, aside from games, I have been able to find a comparable app for the android easily. I think that is going to be changing soon, especially after the 2.2 release becomes more prevalent. the biggest thing holding the OS back was the space available for apps, with 2.2 it can now install the app on the SD card, allowing app makers more space for their apps, and we can see more graphic intense games become available. angry birds, bejeweled blitz, etc.

anyway, they are both good devices, I came to loath the iphone though with the lack of interaction unless you opened an application, that was the biggest thing I missed from my winmo days, and that is the biggest thing I enjoy in the android platform.

oh yeah, and one thing that may have you unhappy with android is the updates to the OS, if you get a device that is just the device with no added UI stuff from the handset manufacturer, you will probably get very quick updates (on my N1 I'm up to date at 2.2), but with other UI stuff put on the device from manufacturers, you have to wait for them to update their software and then they will release the updates. for instance, 2.2 isn't going to be available for the EVO until Q4 of this year, and likely late Q4. If you are happy with the interface they give you though, and aren't bothered by not having the latest and greatest stuff available, it isn't a big deal.

[20thStDad]

My wife has the T-Mobile MyTouch Slide (HTC) and it's pretty slick. It does drain the battery, but that's because she plays and talks on it all damn day. Reception has been great. As for apps, we haven't even scratched the surface but have found a couple dozen useful ones (more discussed here ). The display on it is great, though I admit after seeing my brother-in-law's iPhone 4 it looked better.

One thing you have to do is make sure to kill apps you aren't using, otherwise battery life drains quicker (advanced task manager, thanks Jeebus!).

[bachanon]

droid x is sounding better and better. i miss having a bigger phone. i have big hands and big pockets. i like a heftier phone...the better camera features are plus....and, getting to stay with verizon is major part of it.

[Fringe]

droid x is sounding better and better.  i miss having a bigger phone.  i have big hands and big pockets.  i like a heftier phone...the better camera features are plus....and, getting to stay with verizon is major part of it.

Have I got a phone for you. 

[editor]

i've been coveting iphones for years now, but did not want to leave verizon. now, i hear iphone will soon be available through verizon.

People have been predicting iPhone on Verizon "next month" every month since 2007. I believe it will happen some day. But I will also only believe it when I see it. The latest credible rumor pegs it at January, 2011.

my cell phone connoisseur friends are saying "droid x" is superior for phone service, connection to apple. thoughts o wise ones?

Droid X isn't out, so no one can really say if it's better. it's supposed to be very good, though. I saw a dummy unit in a store the other day, and it's a little large for my pockets. But it would be good if you keep your phone in a briefcase, or purse, or if you have larger pants than I do.

[editor]

 Just got the Droid last week and really love it. There's more free apps available for the Droid than the iPhone and last I heard it will be sometime next year before Verizon gets the iPhone. Plus Android 2.2 update will be here by next week and should make the phone even better.

There aren't more free apps for Droid than iPhone. There is a larger percentage of free apps for Droid than iPhone. Here's a chart illustrating what you've heard:

While the percentage of free Android apps is larger, the absolute number of free iPhone apps is greater.

A lot of people have been pinning their hopes on Android 2.2. it's supposed to be much improved. But one of the things that worries me about the Android ecosystem is the quickness with which phones get EOLed.

For example, the iPhone I will hopefully replace in two weeks was released in June, 2007. Only now, in July, 2010, does it no longer qualify for the latest OS upgrade and new features.

I saw an interesting chart showing that Android phones tend to get kicked out of upgrades within a year. Some phones were EOLed within six months! So while 2.2 may be a great thing (or 2.3, 2.4, etc...), there's a fairly poor chance that your phone will be upgradable. It's like being back in the flip phone era when you got a phone and if it didn't work right, you were stuck with it.

[editor]

If anyone's considering that "4G" Evo phone from Sprint (which runs on the Clear network), do a quick google for the New York Times review. The phone's a disaster. One thing that sticks out in my mind about it is that if you use it's much-touted hotspot feature, you drain the battery in ONE HOUR! And even without using that feature, the reviewer (I think it was David Pogue) usually ran out of battery by lunchtime.

I believe 4G is the future, and even now I'm typing this on a 4G connection. But the chips are simply too power hungry for handsets.

[sevfiv]

Aaaaand - a lot of those free Android apps are trash..

[ricco67]

Droid X isn't out, so no one can really say if it's better. it's supposed to be very good, though. I saw a dummy unit in a store the other day, and it's a little large for my pockets. But it would be good if you keep your phone in a briefcase, or purse, or if you have larger pants than I do.

Yeah, we all know you love wearing those snug fitting pants, Ed.

That's why I swear to the brand of pants that I buy. Roomie pockets!

[marmer]

My Verizon flip phone gets way better reception in my building than my colleagues' iPhones do. And I don't want to leave Verizon. Yes, I know that there are a higher percentage of free apps for Android and also a higher percentage of junk. That said, the absence of a Cisco VPN client for Android worries me. Of course, I don't have VPN on my flip phone, either!

[ricco67]

My Verizon flip phone gets way better reception in my building than my colleagues' iPhones do. And I don't want to leave Verizon. Yes, I know that there are a higher percentage of free apps for Android and also a higher percentage of junk. That said, the absence of a Cisco VPN client for Android worries me. Of course, I don't have VPN on my flip phone, either!

Well, my phone finally died a nasty death (backlight stopped working), so I wound up with an Android Cliqe Blurr today. It's looking good so far, but to tell you the truth, the phones are getting a bit integrated with stuff.

Kinda' makes me wonder what the future holds for computing and socializing overall.

RIP G1. You took a beating better than an Ugly Redheaded stepchild.

[barracuda]

People have been predicting iPhone on Verizon "next month" every month since 2007. I believe it will happen some day. But I will also only believe it when I see it. The latest credible rumor pegs it at January, 2011.

Droid X isn't out, so no one can really say if it's better. it's supposed to be very good, though. I saw a dummy unit in a store the other day, and it's a little large for my pockets. But it would be good if you keep your phone in a briefcase, or purse, or if you have larger pants than I do.

I had the same impression with the original Droid. Many smartphone makers seem to think everyone wants a huge screen and a huge phone. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I prefer a phone that I can hold in one hand and that actually fits in my pocket, not one that requires wearing a nerd holster.

For anyone that appreciates good interface design, you might look at webOS (created by Palm, now owned by HP). The Palm Pre/Pixi phone hardware is out-of-date, but I think the interface is the most cleverly designed and ultimately the easiest to use of any major smartphone offerings.

The way in which webOS handles multitasking is so ingenious that I'm surprised nobody has copied it. Basically, you swipe between running apps using your finger, almost as if you're running a touch-screen version of Exposé on a Mac. For example, you can have open a web page, centralized email inbox, calendar, facebook, pandora, and even a 3D game, all running simultaneously on the phone. When you need to check your calendar or go back to the web page from another app, you simply swipe between running apps, without having to reopen anything. The web page resumes where you left off, without having to reload. Your calender and phone apps can be open right next to each other, so when you're dialing into a conference call, you can actually see the conference ID without having to write it down on paper first. It is really a beautiful thing that has to be experienced firsthand to really appreciate.

The Pre Plus also has free mobile hotspot with Verizon, which kills the battery but is a great bonus when you need it.

The downsides are the phone hardware and small app catalog. The phone hardware is a bit clunky and outdated, especially compared to the iPhone 4. WebOS devices all include physical keyboards, which means a slightly smaller screen and a sliding form-factor (for the Pre & Pre Plus) that can be problematic. Now that the merger is finalized, there may be some new hardware announcements coming from HP. I'm not 100% convinced of HP's ability to carry through with great phone hardware, but I'll have to wait and see, as they definitely have the OS down. If they fail, I'll probably be getting the iPhone when it eventually comes to Verizon.

[marmer]

People have been predicting iPhone on Verizon "next month" every month since 2007. I believe it will happen some day. But I will also only believe it when I see it. The latest credible rumor pegs it at January, 2011.

I would agree that that is the earliest possible time, and even then hard to believe. It would require a fairly major redesign of the iPhone for the Verizon network, even leaving aside the exclusivity contract with AT&T.

Droid X isn't out, so no one can really say if it's better. it's supposed to be very good, though. I saw a dummy unit in a store the other day, and it's a little large for my pockets. But it would be good if you keep your phone in a briefcase, or purse, or if you have larger pants than I do.

There have been several credible industry reviews published even though it isn't out for general sale. One of the most impressive aspects has been very good battery life for a smart phone. Many reviewers agree that it is slightly too large to handle comfortably, that the display, in spite of size, is inferior to the iPhone or the Droid Incredible (though still pretty good), that the camera, in spite of the 8MP rating, is not as good as some other phone cameras, and that the advertised 720p HD video is not terribly impressive. For me battery life and Verizon phone coverage are more important than video or camera specs, and I'm a big guy, with big hands, big pants, and big pockets. Not to be confused with DEEP pockets.

[samagon]

If anyone's considering that "4G" Evo phone from Sprint (which runs on the Clear network), do a quick google for the New York Times review. The phone's a disaster. One thing that sticks out in my mind about it is that if you use it's much-touted hotspot feature, you drain the battery in ONE HOUR! And even without using that feature, the reviewer (I think it was David Pogue) usually ran out of battery by lunchtime.

I believe 4G is the future, and even now I'm typing this on a 4G connection. But the chips are simply too power hungry for handsets.

You can't base the battery life of every device on one handset. I've got the nexus one and get better battery life out of it than I did my iPhone 3g. A lot better.

I can also use it as a mobile hotspot, yeah it drains quick, but I plug it into the computer when I have that enabled (truth is I just tether it, which is just as good for just me) if I want to have more devices connect then I can switch it to a hotspot and leave it plugged into my computer.

Regarding your post earlier on apps, yeah there's over 150k apps in the appstore, and only 80k in the android marketplace, but I also can say with some level of certainty that quantity doesn't always beat out quality, how many of those apps are worth actually having on your phone? And with the recent issues of apps being found in the appstore that are bogus? Makes me wonder how much time apple spends denying political satire and porn and how much time is spent keeping out the real threat (malicious apps).

Anyway, they are both great phones and each have a laundry list of suck attached to them.

[editor]

You can't base the battery life of every device on one handset.

I can when I'm talking about 4G battery life, and there's only one 4G handset in existence.

I've got the nexus one and get better battery life out of it than I did my iPhone 3g. A lot better.

I don't doubt it. But I was talking about 4G phones, not 3G phones.

I can also use it as a mobile hotspot, yeah it drains quick, but I plug it into the computer when I have that enabled (truth is I just tether it, which is just as good for just me) if I want to have more devices connect then I can switch it to a hotspot and leave it plugged into my computer.

I've been doing that with my original iPhone since 2007. I expect to continue doing that with my new iPhone when it arrives later this month. What was your point?

Regarding your post earlier on apps, yeah there's over 150k apps in the appstore, and only 80k in the android marketplace, but I also can say with some level of certainty that quantity doesn't always beat out quality, how many of those apps are worth actually having on your phone?

There are currently 229,000 apps in the iTunes US app store. There have been more than 270,000 available so far. I can't speak to the number of apps in the Android app store, but 80,000 sounds about right.

You're the first person I've ever heard lauding the quality of the apps in the Android store. Everything I've read to this point has been people lamenting the crapware in there.

And with the recent issues of apps being found in the appstore that are bogus?

There are no bogus apps. The problem was developers buying stolen iTunes passwords from Chinese web sites and then using those passwords to purchase their own apps to inflate their rankings in the iTunes store.

Makes me wonder how much time apple spends denying political satire and porn and how much time is spent keeping out the real threat (malicious apps).

There's lots of political satire on the iTunes store. Apple filtered out two apps that involved personal attacks and the authors used it as a PR opportunity. Looks like it worked, because you fell for it.

I'm more than happy with the way that Apple curates the iTunes store. I don't want to have to wade through pornography when I'm searching for something. Pornography is not part of my life, and is not the part of the majority of Americans' lives. If it was, then Apple would allow it and call it a "business decision."

There are no malicious apps. You keep making stuff up. Name one malicious app in the iTunes app store. You can't.

The wild west that is the Android app store, on the other hand, has all kinds of bad apps. PBS has an article a few months ago about fake banking apps for Android that pretend to be from your bank, but really just harvest your login and banking and credit card information.

Google has already had to pull the kill switch a number of times because of apps that didn't do what they claimed, were taking people's personal information, and doing other nasty things. Apple has never remotely killed a public app. Even apps that were later removed from its store for violating certain rules.

From CNet:

About 20 percent of the 48,000 apps in the Android marketplace allow a third-party application access to sensitive or private information, according to a report released on Tuesday

some of the apps were found to have the ability to do things like make calls and send text messages without requiring interaction from the mobile user. For instance, 5 percent of the apps can place calls to any number and 2 percent can allow an app to send unknown SMS messages to premium numbers that incur expensive charges

You seem to have a lot of fears about smartphones. But those fears come from your use of Android. You shouldn't ascribe them to Apple. It's a whole different ecosystem.

Anyway, they are both great phones and each have a laundry list of suck attached to them.

No phone will ever be everything to everyone. But I feel like we're getting a lot closer now than we were just ten years ago. Or even five years ago. It's interesting to see how the major players have changed from Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola to HTC, Apple, and RIM. I think that kind of turnover shows healthy competition in the industry.

[Jeebus]

There are no malicious apps. You keep making stuff up. Name one malicious app in the iTunes app store. You can't.

The wild west that is the Android app store, on the other hand, has all kinds of bad apps. PBS has an article a few months ago about fake banking apps for Android that pretend to be from your bank, but really just harvest your login and banking and credit card information.

Google has already had to pull the kill switch a number of times because of apps that didn't do what they claimed, were taking people's personal information, and doing other nasty things. Apple has never remotely killed a public app. Even apps that were later removed from its store for violating certain rules.

From CNet:

About 20 percent of the 48,000 apps in the Android marketplace allow a third-party application access to sensitive or private information, according to a report released on Tuesday

some of the apps were found to have the ability to do things like make calls and send text messages without requiring interaction from the mobile user. For instance, 5 percent of the apps can place calls to any number and 2 percent can allow an app to send unknown SMS messages to premium numbers that incur expensive charges

You seem to have a lot of fears about smartphones. But those fears come from your use of Android. You shouldn't ascribe them to Apple. It's a whole different ecosystem.

I think its up to each user to know what they're using. Its no one else's fault but their own if they don't take just two minutes to ensure that an app requesting any vital information is legit.

You are right that Android is the wild west, but in that same vein is where the best development will always occur.

No phone will ever be everything to everyone. But I feel like we're getting a lot closer now than we were just ten years ago. Or even five years ago. It's interesting to see how the major players have changed from Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola to HTC, Apple, and RIM. I think that kind of turnover shows healthy competition in the industry.

Agree.

[RedScare]

No phone will ever be everything to everyone. But I feel like we're getting a lot closer now than we were just ten years ago. Or even five years ago. It's interesting to see how the major players have changed from Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola to HTC, Apple, and RIM. I think that kind of turnover shows healthy competition in the industry.

Turnover? I wouldn't call 2-4% of the cell phone market (Apple and RIM) turnover, when Nokia is in the 30-35% range. Even in the smartphone market, Nokia is at roughly 35%, triple its next closest competitor. If we're talking which brands make tech bloggers all tingly and giddy, sure, Apple and RIM are on top, but like automobiles, the number of Chevys dwarfs the number of Porsches sold, even if the auto blogs are all talking about the new Cayman.

Nokia's crushing share of the market is down from nearly half to 30%, but that does not equate to turnover, and definitely not from Apple and RIM. The share was cut into most substantially by Samsung and LG.

[editor]

I think its up to each user to know what they're using. Its no one else's fault but their own if they don't take just two minutes to ensure that an app requesting any vital information is legit.

You're absolutely right. But the problem with the apps that Google killed and the other ones highlighted is that the Android user has no way of knowing that the app is taking their information, or doing other things without their permission. Well-behaved apps always ask for permission, but not all Android apps are well behaved. It's the reason iPhone apps are so heavily sandboxed.

You are right that Android is the wild west, but in that same vein is where the best development will always occur.

This is almost always correct. Hopefully it will be this time, too.

[editor]

Turnover? I wouldn't call 2-4% of the cell phone market (Apple and RIM) turnover, when Nokia is in the 30-35% range.

We're not discussing the market for disposable 1980's-style candybar phones that Nokia dumps on Africa. We're talking about smartphone platforms.

Even in the smartphone market, Nokia is at roughly 35%, triple its next closest competitor.

There's no need to make up numbers, or guess. Real statistics are available on the internet. In fact, ComScore updated the numbers just two days ago (source):

• RIM: 42.1%
  
• Apple: 25.4%
  
• Microsoft: 15.1%
  
• Android: 9.0%
  
• Palm: 5.4%
  

Nokia is a non-factor in the modern smartphone market. Sure, it has a couple of devices that run older Microsoft mobile OSes, but Nokia is yesterday's news. The only way it stays afloat is by selling pre-paid phones in the third world.

If we're talking which brands make tech bloggers all tingly and giddy, sure, Apple and RIM are on top, but like automobiles, the number of Chevys dwarfs the number of Porsches sold, even if the auto blogs are all talking about the new Cayman.

Sure, that's one metric. But we weren't discussing who pumps out the largest number of mobile phones. We were talking about innovative platforms in the mobile space. There's a reason that the majority of new phones scramble to copy Android or iPhone, or both.

Nokia's crushing share of the market is down from nearly half to 30%, but that does not equate to turnover, and definitely not from Apple and RIM. The share was cut into most substantially by Samsung and LG.

Since you're still focused on Nokia, I'm not sure how having 8% market share among OEM phones counts as being market dominant (source, as of May 7, 2010)

• Samsung: 21.9%
  
• Motorola: 21.9%
  
• LG: 21.8%
  
• RIM: 8.3%
  
• Nokia: 8.3%
  

These are figures for all cell phones in the United States used by people age 13+. It's interesting to note that Nokia is down almost a full percentage point in just four months.

I used to have a Symbian phone. Symbian was a great idea, but it came three years too late, and was too slow and buggy for the hardware. Nokia clung to it for way too long.

Nokia recently sold its mobile data platform to Renesas. This is the same technology currently used in every data connected Nokia phone. What does that say? It says Nokia's not going to bother competing in the smartphone space, and is going to put everything on non-feature phones in emerging markets. And when that runs dry? Maybe it will go back to logging and making paper.

You know me well enough to know that I have a general disdain for technology bloggers. The mobile phone industry is going through its biggest change since the switch from AMPS to digital. Nokia is being left behind.

[editor]

Now that RedScare's got me thinking about grandpa cell phones, it reminds me of the phone I miss the most:

This is a picture of the Ericsson GH688. I had the AMPS version through Cincinnati Bell (roamed on AT&T among others). Loved that phone. Dragged it all across the country and was able to make phone calls while people standing next to me were getting "No Service" because it was analog.

I eventually dumped it when I started traveling internationally and needed GSM capability.

[RedScare]

We're not discussing the market for disposable 1980's-style candybar phones that Nokia dumps on Africa. We're talking about smartphone platforms.

Not only did you not say smartphones, you specifically insinuated cellphones. Let me quote you directly...

It's interesting to see how the major players have changed from Nokia, Ericsson, and Motorola to HTC, Apple, and RIM.

Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola were the Big Three of cellphones. Why would you mention them if you weren't talking about the entire market? Now, having pointed out that you are changing the metric, let me say that I agree that Apple, RIM and HTC are leaving Nokia in the smartphone dust. Even LG and Palm are beating Nokia in that market. However, as long as smartphone service costs $100 or more a month, there will always be a market for cellphones. I want to believe that as the market saturates the price will come down, but that is not how the market has worked historically. There is a massive market that cannot or will not afford $100 phone plans.

EDIT: Oh, and I was a Motorola bag phone guy.

[editor]

There is a massive market that cannot or will not afford $100 phone plans.

There are plenty of sub-$100/month smartphone plans. I pay something like $70/month for my iPhone. I looked into moving it to T-Mobile a few months ago, and the price would have been around $50/month.

EDIT: Oh, and I was a Motorola bag phone guy.

Yeah, I had one of those, too. Not my own -- it was assigned to me by my employer. I can't believe I didn't lose more weight dragging that thing, plus a giant 2-way radio, plus a Marantz around with me everywhere I went.