[el_presidente]

> Like many people, I'm trying to step back from google/facebook snooping, and this would be a solid step toward such big brothering.

Google seems to be working on this. If you've ever seen someone without a Google account try to use Android for the first time you can see how much effort they are putting into stopping people from using their products.

[chrisrhoden]

Yeah. It's super easy to activate your iPhone without an iTunes account with a credit card on file.

...wait.

[el_presidente]

I've never used an iPhone. At the time, I was comparing the experience with setting up my DSi. It lets you download things without making an account or having a credit card.* In fact, before downloading Angry Birds for Chrome I had never needed to sign up to download anything. (You also need to be online and signed in to play the game.)

*The DSi Shop is a big pile of fail, but that is unrelated.

[chrisrhoden]

Cool, and I see what you're saying, but there's a specific reason that these things are set up the way that they are.

It's about ensuring that the same experience exists whether you're spending money or not. The reasoning goes, if it's painful to spend money the first time, many people will never set things up if they can get away with free stuff. But if you're required to have an account with a credit card already set up to even get a free thing, then you're more likely to spend money when the time comes. This is also why installing a free app on your iPhone requires you to enter your password and confirm your purchase.

Google's implementation of this is worse than Apple's, because they don't demand your credit card information until the first time you try to purchase something. But ultimately, they're both driving at the same thing, and it's hard to argue with the fact that they're pretty successful at it.

As for your DSi, I hope you never lose or damage it. The lack of accounts for the store means that your purchases are bound to the device and are non-transferrable.

[tomrod]

I've never used android--is it difficult then?

[biafra]

Not at all if your Android device does not support the Google Accounts in the first place.

It was really difficult with the ADP1/G1 back in 2008. But meanwhile it is not that difficult if you don't want to use the Google services.

[drivebyacct2]

>Google seems to be working on this. If you've ever seen someone without a Google account try to use Android for the first time you can see how much effort they are putting into stopping people from using their products.

You press the "skip" button and then don't try to launch Gmail or Google Play or anything else that understandably needs a Google account.

What is so... appalling about that. There is no effort to "stop people" from using an Android phone without Google. Further it's a pretty silly attack on Google given their competitors and the fact that you bought... a Google Android phone...

(edit: speaking about the Nexus line of phones which I would tend to argue best reflects Google's "effort".)