Don’t have any clue what you’re talking about.
Regarding where I get my phone(s)… I strictly purchase “Manufacturer Direct”.
Only perks I get are manufacturer related!
No BS contracts. ‘Unlocked’ is the ONLY way to go!!
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Same here. No contract B.S.
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I’m not trying to hock the products. Just putting what’s out there.
I’ve had Apple iPhones & iPads also Androids phones & tablets. My preference is heavily Apple on both products. Can’t see that changing. I also don’t ever see myself going to a Mac for a laptop. My latest laptop is a Samsung, and it is significantly better than the multiple HP & Dells I’ve had.
As far as Flir vs. Fluke. I’ve had a Flir E4 converted to an E8 for a few years. It works great for me. Are there better Flir cameras out there? Absolutely, if you want to spend the money. Are the Fluke cameras better than the Flir with the same price points? No idea.
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How is it a status symbol when everyone has one?
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FLIR has that brand name recognition as does Fluke. i would say FLIR is apple and FLUKE is Samsung. I love Samsung products and am not an Apple fan. But I own 2 FLIR cameras 
There are many players getting into the thermal imaging market.
It really depends on what you are planning on using the thermal camera for? It also depends on what you want to spend. There is lower end stuff for novices, hobbyist, or amateurs. There are lower end cameras for entry level professionals or tradesmen. You then can step it up from there. But, if you have a lower end budget, I do not think it will matter much in regard to FLIR alternative.
You can check ebay too. Some good deals on older used cameras. An older used higher end camera may serve you better than a new cheaper camera. And you may pay just as much or slightly more.
Agreed!
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I’ve owned a ton of different Fluke products over the years. My favorite being my work DMM that I could have left with, and it’s probably still sitting in the cabinet in my old office. We also had a network probe from Fluke that was amazing. It’d nail a broken network line to the foot, it’s outrageous how well it worked.
We had a Fluke firewall traffic analyzer that could figure out some spooky stuff. Quite complicated to learn though. I was probably 3 years into using it before I figured out some of the features. Great stuff, don’t get me wrong.
I don’t recall what thermal we had at my old job, I wasn’t the thermal guy. It was a Fluke or a Flir, that I’m sure of, I just don’t recall which. I would just watch because I’m a tech nerd.
Yes it is saying something different. While android phones will work for 10 years without issues, apple phones stop working well after 6 months, so apple users always have to update, while android users gets years out of their phones. There are still more android users then Apple. There are just more apple phones sold because they slow down and stop working well, forcing people to upgrade. My phone is 3 years old and still works better and takes way better photos than a brand new iPhone.
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not to mention it is wrong information, at least according to chatgpt. this is what it has to say about market share and apple and apparently apple is the leader in the us, but lags behind in the world:
As of 2024, the global smartphone market is predominantly divided between two major operating systems: Android and iOS. Here’s a breakdown of their market shares:
Global Market Share:
- Android: Approximately 70.93% of smartphones worldwide run on the Android operating system. citeturn0search0
- iOS (Apple’s Operating System): iOS holds about 28.32% of the global market share. citeturn0search0
These two operating systems collectively dominate the market, accounting for nearly 99.25% of all smartphones in use globally.
Other Operating Systems:
The remaining market share, approximately 0.75%, is occupied by other operating systems, including:
- KaiOS: Designed for feature phones, particularly popular in emerging markets.
- HarmonyOS: Developed by Huawei as an alternative to Android.
- Others: Such as Tizen (used by some Samsung devices) and older systems like Windows Phone, which have minimal presence in the current market.
US Market Share:
In the United States, the market share distribution differs significantly:
- iOS: Apple leads with a substantial 61.26% market share. citeturn0search4
- Android: Primarily represented by brands like Samsung and Motorola, holds around 38.74% of the market.
Key Smartphone Manufacturers:
The leading smartphone manufacturers and their global market shares are as follows:
- Apple: 28.38%
- Samsung: 18.4%
- Xiaomi: 13.6%
- OPPO: 9.2%
- Vivo: 8.6%
These top five brands collectively account for approximately 78.2% of the global smartphone market. citeturn0search11
Trends and Observations:
- Android’s Dominance: Android’s open-source nature and availability across various manufacturers contribute to its leading global position.
- iOS’s US Leadership: Apple’s strong brand loyalty and ecosystem integration bolster its dominance in the U.S. market.
- Emerging Markets: Brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo have gained significant market share, particularly in price-sensitive regions, by offering feature-rich smartphones at competitive prices.
In summary, the smartphone market is largely a duopoly between Android and iOS, with regional variations and emerging brands influencing the competitive landscape.
oh and @jspencer it’s a status symbol if you have it, if you don’t have one you don’t have the status. that’s the way they work. everyone who wants the “status” has one. have a great new year.
I prefer ‘Corn’!! 
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You’re right. I failed to include third world countries in my post.
Confirmed!!
The Fluke/FLIR conversation is an old one.
Back in the day, these were the competition out there. Both were good quality cameras. The only issue I found was that Fluke required proprietary software, and they were not compatible with each other. So when Bill Warner and I tried to share information, we had to use a separate platform to do so (Like Apple does). That was a big PIA.
One consideration, Flir was producing military target acquisition and navigation quality devices, while Fluke was making volt meters. That says a lot.
One thing never addressed about any cameras is about the lens. The lens is the Achilles heel of all cameras, and the spacial resolution of the pixels. No one compares cameras on these important parameters. Larry Kage and I took Lvl II together and were taught these important considerations which are never talked about these days.
We have had these conversations over the years and the best you can afford was the rule of thumb for home inspection. Things were just being developed for the public use and the market was tight. Then I would say that Flir (did not notice Fluke) got into a market of manufacturing cameras for the general public. They were crap! I was teaching at a Flir convention, where they actually interrupted me to say that the C Series that was just coming out at this convention was not capable of what I was teaching! 
During break, I went and looked at the C Camera and a B640. I could not see the HVAC air duct leak in the convention hall with the C Series that I could see with all other modes (this changed with time however, with new versions).
The first marketing ploy from Fluke, was that you could drop it off a 10 ft ladder!
All in all, for home inspection, buy what you’re trained for.
If you’re going to work off the intro classes here, buy anything you can afford (not the cheapest).
If you expect to move forward with IR to make money, “invest” in the camera you will need down the road.
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Flir is a good product, I myself have been using Fluke for 20 years now. I prefer the manual focus and its true durability that Flir does not match.I have dropped my imager several times, once to settle a bet. Can’t do that with
flir
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I’ve used Apple/Macs exclusively since the late 80s. Never had to deal with one virus. PCs are a magnet for viruses. And not as intuitive to use. So from where I’m sitting, Apple is the bar to surpass in personal computers.
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Apple computers are only good for 2 things, graphic design, and a paper weights.
I can easily upgrade my hardware and I can easily install the apple os, and install Linux and do multiple boot to those systems.
I used an apple in the 80’s and used a Microsoft
pc as well. Viruses are not an issue, just keep important files on an external drive. If you get a virus, just format the drive and reinstall. Not a problem.
Agree, going on 3 years old and still works good. price was great as well.
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