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MAGID: SMARTPHONES ARE OFTEN CLUTTERED WITH TOO…


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Analysis, News, OpinionAnalysis, News, Opinion Based on factual reporting,
although it Incorporates the expertise of the author/producer and may offer
interpretations and conclusions., Based on facts, either observed and verified
directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.,
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the author/producer’s
interpretation of facts and data.


LARRY MAGID: SMARTPHONES ARE OFTEN CLUTTERED WITH TOO MANY APPS


YOU SHOULD ALSO AT LEAST CONSIDER USING A BROWSER RATHER THAN AN APP, WHEN
POSSIBLE.


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By Larry Magid | larry@larrymagid.com |
PUBLISHED: November 18, 2021 at 8:00 a.m. | UPDATED: November 18, 2021 at 8:16
a.m.

In last week’s column, I wrote about how today’s cloud computing is reminiscent
of yesteryear’s mainframes in both positive and negative ways.  In that article,
I commented that “Smartphones are a throw-back in yet another way,” adding,
“that’s fodder for another column.” This is that column.

In the early ’90s, if you wanted to use a popular online service like AOL or
Prodigy, you had to install special software on your PC or Mac. Indeed, AOL
floppy disks and CDs were everywhere as part of the company’s effort to grow its
user base by making sure it was almost impossible not to get your hands on its
software. There was a period when I stopped buying floppy disks because I had so
many free AOL disks on-hand that I could reformat and use to store data.  The
same was true for Prodigy, Compuserve and other online services that had their
own software.

Larry Magid (Gary Reyes / Mercury News)

It hadn’t always been that way. Early online services and computer bulletin
boards worked with generic communication programs that enabled PCs to function
like computer terminals. With products like ASCII Express for the Apple II or
PC-Talk for the IBM PC, users could log on to any online service or bulletin
board. I had one piece of communications software on my Apple II that I used to
access The Source, CompuServe, my university mainframe, a myriad of local
community bulletin board systems and even other personal computers. But, as
services became more graphically oriented and complex, they started offering and
then requiring their own software, hence the balkanization of PC and Mac
communications software.


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Browser to the rescue



For PCs and Macs that all changed in the mid-90s when people started using
browsers like Netscape and Internet Explorer to access web sites. Even Prodigy,
AOL and Compuserve, dropped their proprietary software and became websites that
could be accessed by any browser. Although Internet Explorer and Netscape
dominated the early browser market, there were and still are other browsers just
like there were a myriad of character-based communications programs in the 80s
and early 90s.

Back to proprietary software

But, when we use our smartphones to access content sources, things have come
full circle back to the days of proprietary software for each service we use.
While there are web browsers for iPhones and Android phones, many of the content
sources we access have their own apps. While it is possible to access the
Washington Post or the New York Times from a smartphone browser, these content
providers highly encourage users to download their proprietary apps. And it’s
not just news sources. Many health care providers have proprietary apps. You can
access Stanford, UCSF or Sutter Health data from their websites when you’re at a
PC, but they each have dedicated apps for smartphones.

It can be annoying. Each app requires that you download and install it and takes
up storage space on your device. In some cases, apps have an additional impact
on your phone’s memory and processor, even if you’re not actively using them.
And, even with apps from reputable sources, there are always at least some
security risks, including apps that can be hacked, injected with malicious code
or impersonated by rogue apps that appear to be from a legitimate source.

PCs are increasingly browser-based



And the irony of it all is that browsers on desktop and laptops have started
taking over most of the tasks of computer operating systems to host productivity
software. Instead of using a dedicated word processing program like Microsoft
Word, many people use Google Docs to do their writing or Google Sheets as their
spreadsheet. Even complex tasks like desktop publishing are being handled by
websites like Canva that offer all the tools and storage you need to produce
brochures, booklets, business cards and other publications.  I used to use
Quicken to track my business finances, but now I use QuickBooks Online via my
browser. Although you can still install TurboTax software on your PC or Mac, the
company encourages users to file their taxes at TurboTax.com, instead. But, on
smartphones, nearly every one of these applications either requires or strongly
encourages you to download and install their app. Google Chromebooks don’t even
have a traditional operating system or standalone apps. Almost every task you do
on one of those increasingly popular laptops can be done via the browser.

Guess how many apps you have and delete ones you never use

Here’s a challenge for you. Without looking, guess how many apps you have on
your smartphone.  I knew I had a lot, so I guessed about 50. But it turns out I
have 195 apps on my phone.  And I’d have a lot more if I didn’t periodically go
through my apps to delete ones that I never use.

In many cases, these are apps that I downloaded and used once or twice, which is
why I sometimes go through and delete those that I’ll likely never use again. I
recommend that you do, too, because it not only saves storage space but can make
the phone faster and less prone to crashing because some of the apps may load
themselves into memory even if you’re not using them. Getting rid of unused apps
also makes your device more secure, because it lowers the risk of having an app
with vulnerabilities. I also highly recommend that you keep your apps
up-to-date. Both the Apple App store and Google Play store have ways to
automatically update apps.

You should also at least consider using a browser rather than an app, when
possible, although do keep your browser apps up-to-date to reduce their own
security risks. In some cases, you may discover extra functionality. For
example, the Stanford Health Care website allows you to reply to messages from
your provider while the app doesn’t. You have to instead go back and compose a
new message. Both Android and iOS allow you to place links to websites on your
home screen, which makes using a webpage as easy as using an app.


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Larry Magid is a tech journalist and internet safety activist.





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LARRY MAGID

Larry Magid is a tech journalist & internet safety activist.
larry@larrymagid.com
Follow Larry Magid @larrymagid

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