Reasons to Switch from iOS to Android

Reasons to Switch from iOS to Android - Intro

OK! I have already made up mu mind to leave iOS, but here for those who are considering it is list of reasons why you might want too, and some reasons why it is probably easier then you think.

This comes from the perspective of a PC user who just wants a working phone, and does want to kneel on the door step of his local Apple Store in a trance like stupor every time they release a new model.

Reasons to Switch from iOS to Android - The Stick

I have been driven away from the iPhone and iOS by two events in the last year. . . . .

1. The Slow Update Thing. . . . . I do not like to waste things. The thought of African kids picking apart my old electronics and dying early deaths weighs on my mind. The first thing I do when I get a new phone is put it in a bomb proof case. My iPhone 4S was in a otter box armour for it entire life, and was pristine. So you can imagine when Apple broke it (on purpose it seems) with an an update, I was a bit miffed. It was so laggy I just had to upgrade, and being a fool I went for and iPhone 6 which had. . . . . 
2. The Battery Thing . . . . . . I did not update my phone this time around, which is hard work because Apple nags you to update, just like a spoilt child might nag you for the latest games console. So I expected long life, but alas my phone started cutting out at random intervals, when the battery was below 50%. Very annoying, often in the middle of calls, or when relying on navigation at a traffic junction. . . this is the battery problem Apple were trying to hide with their slow slow update. 

So that's it. I now have 2 bits of e-waste likely bound for India, or Africa because of Apple. I also paid £500 - £600 for these, bits of junk. I am not going back for more. 

Reasons to Switch from iOS to Android - The Carrot

I have been tempted by Android Phones for the following reasons . . . . 

1. Waaaaaaay Cheaper . . . . You can get a cracking Android Phone for £200, you can get an OK one for £120. You can get a absolute rocket ship for £400. And we are still only half way to the price of last years iPhone. 
2. Freeeeeedom. . . (of a sort) You can actually choose your OS version. Imagine that! Being able to install what ever software version you like on your phone (which you own). Amazing. Very Novel.
3. Expand Memory Cheaply. . . Apple charge you £100+ for extra memory. Most android phones have a slot for a SD card, so you can add extra memory for £11.
4. Take Music With You. . . . with iTunes and a few click you can export all your purchased music to MP3 and then put it on you new phone, often using the windows file system.
5. Take Some Apps Too . . . . some apps are available on google play as well as iTunes, it is possible to transfer licenses on some, such as copilot GPS.
6. Battery Life . . . . my latest phone lasts for 3 days between charges. Imagine that. 
7. Knowledge of OS not specific to brand. Many many companies OS android OS, so once you have learnt to use it you can change manufacture without having to learn a new system.

Reasons to Switch from iOS to Android - Further Discussion

Apple used to make market leading phones. But others have now caught up. Save some money and buy and Android Phone. 

Waste Transfer Station Permit

Illustrator Devon 

VW Polo 9N 1.9 TDI or SDI - Power Steering Observations

VW Polo 9N 1.9 TDI or SDI - Power Steering Observations

The VW Polo 9N 1.9 TDI or SDI variant has a power steering pump that is located in a strange place.

To top up the fluid you will need to remove the battery (13mm socket set with extender) and also the battery tray (13mm socket with extender and perhaps knuckle).

The a battery tray is also partially attached to the air filter housing, so you will need to wrestle around that too. This video shows the location:

The pump is a 12v electric pump, and is accessed from underneath the car it looks like this:

In the video above you can only see the green cap poking up. The rest is tucked away and is accessed behind the bumper.

VW Polo 9N 1.9 TDI or SDI - Stiff / Lumpy Steering

If you have lumpy / stiff / intermittent power steering then it is likely that you have low power steering fluid levels. You should top up your power steering fluid level. BUT. . .before you do have a look under the car, is there oil dribbling out near the power steering rack. You may have a leak.

If you do have a leak you could either take it to the garage, and pay them £400 for a new rack, or you can use some power steering sealant. I have used the "Lucas" branded stuff and it is good. It gets consistently good reviews by everybody that uses it.

VW Polo 9N 1.9 TDI or SDI - Without Power Steering

I am a fit, well fed, 6ft tall man, who liked wrestling alligators (made up that last part) the steering in a vw polo is reeeeally heavy without power steering. Much much heavier than an old car designed without power steering.Forums are full of storey of people installing manual racks and then going back to power steering.

Environmental Permit Applications  

Can You Jump Start a Car with a Motor Bike?

Can You Jump Start a Car with a Motor Bike? 

This is a common question on the web, with lots of dissipated information between you tube, forums and product reviews. So I have tried to summarise here.

In short this will work if you have a large bike and a small car. You will not be able to jump start a pick up truck with a scooter.

Its all about amps (CCA). A motor bike battery of any size will likely provide a maximum of 300 amps, but more often will be 200 amps.

A car will need 200 amps as a minimum, so the larger your bike, hopefully the larger its battery, and the better luck you will have.

Damage to Either System

The main thing to watch here is voltage. Both system should be 12v otherwise you will damage teh lower voltage one. Bear in mind that most 12V system runs at 14 - 15V (which is confusing).

The only problem I can foresee is that if after you jump start the car, the jump leads are left attached for too long, causing the car's alternator to charge the bikes battery too quickly.

Case Study 1 - Jump Start a Large Pick Up with a 250cc Bike

PROBABLY NOT - This doesn't doesn't work. A large diesel engine will require 500 - 600 amps plus current to start, and a small motor cycle battery will not provide enough current.

Case Study 2 - Jump Start a Small Petrol Car (1.5l) with a Power Bike (900cc)

PROBABLY YES - This would likely work OK, as the two systems are more closely matched in terms of their current requirements at start up. 

A Note on Battery Chemistry

The above applies for all types of Lead Acid battery which are the norm in most bikes and cars. However some upgrade batteries for Motor Bikes use lithium technology. The graph below shows that  lithium batteries but out more amps for their size than lead acid equivalent. 

The (red) line above shows lithium performance, vs lead acid performance (blue). So we can see that whilst a small lead acid battery will not get above 300 amps, a lithium battery can supply up to 1000 amps. Which would be plenty for even a moderate diesel engine start up.

Illustrator Devon