"If you want to use jQuery for ajax, for instance, you lose all data bindings because vanilla javascript doesn't have the angular secret sauce!"
Data bindings should work as normal...if you're running into issues, try using $scope.$apply().
Angular uses jQuery, internally, so there are events you can hook into -- jQuery events.
And comparing the complexity of Angular and Backbone's internals is a bit misguided. They aren't meant to solve the same problems. Angular is complete Javascript application framework, and Backbone isn't. To use a non-foolproof analogy, if Angular were Rails, Backbone is Sinatra.
Data bindings should work as normal...if you're running into issues, try using $scope.$apply().
Angular uses jQuery, internally, so there are events you can hook into -- jQuery events.
And comparing the complexity of Angular and Backbone's internals is a bit misguided. They aren't meant to solve the same problems. Angular is complete Javascript application framework, and Backbone isn't. To use a non-foolproof analogy, if Angular were Rails, Backbone is Sinatra.