Of course not, one is much more useful to judge on how much a bigger a device is versus another (Surface area)
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Galaxy Note iOS defectors. Do you have any regrets?
- Thread starter mellofello
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Of course not, one is much more useful to judge on how much a bigger a device is versus another (Surface area)
Alright, you said it, I didn't.
Last math lesson:
Area of rectangle = length x width (you recognize those last two, I hope).
But I can admit when I was wrong--my previous example was area, not surface area. Point is, you are talking out of your....
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Have you tried putting it in your pocket? I was surprised the everyone who tried putting mine in their pocket after assuming it would be uncomfortable said they were way impressed by the size ... it's so thin that it doesn't feel bulky.
No one compares smartphones using surface area.
No comment, absolutly no comment.
I thought I would miss the exact same things but surprisingly, I don't miss iMessage at all. Sure it's convenient that I could text from my Mac and iPad but it was slow and buggy. I would rather just send a regular text message and if I wanted to do it from my desktop or ANY desktop, I could use AirDroid. Also GroupMe works on all platforms and there is a web based application that works quite well too.
As for iTunes Match, GooglePlay Music is lightyears ahead of it and one of the best features is... it's COMPLETELY FREE and works much better. In fact it will sync your iTunes songs, albums, and playlists perfectly and you can listen to your music on your Android device, desktop, iOS (you can use third party apps like Melodies which work perfectly), or anything with a web browser.
And finally, Chrome is as smooth as Safari on the Note II, Galaxy SIII, or any high end Android device. In fact I think it's "snappier" than Safari and intuitive as well.
The one thing that I do miss however, is being able to use the iPhone 5 as a camera. It's shaped perfectly for that function and taking pictures with the volume button is very convenient. The photo quality is about the same but I think the Note II/Galaxy S3 take better close up shots, and the iPhone takes better landscape and low lights. I'm not sure if I could give up the use of the "back" button on the Note for these functions though because right now I can't live without it. It's a fair tradeoff between the two devices.
LOL - I know how you feel. Here you go, this should shut everyone up:
iPad Mini vs Note II vs iPhone 5 - Top View
iPad Mini vs Note II vs iPhone 5 - Side View
I miss two things on my Galaxy Note 2 from my iphone 4. Exchange support and ibooks. I use touchdown on my GN2 and imho, its just not close to ios built in Exchange support. And I have really come to enjoy reading books on the iphone 4.
If I hadn't had found Visual VoiceMail for android, that may have been a deal killer. Going back to mid 90's voicemail was brutal for a week or so.
Other than that, Galaxy Note 2 blows my iphone out of the water. Its a much better phone, I can do remote work more easily on the device, and great movie viewer. I love not having to carry a tablet and a phone.
If I hadn't had found Visual VoiceMail for android, that may have been a deal killer. Going back to mid 90's voicemail was brutal for a week or so.
Other than that, Galaxy Note 2 blows my iphone out of the water. Its a much better phone, I can do remote work more easily on the device, and great movie viewer. I love not having to carry a tablet and a phone.
I own an iPhone 5, an iPad mini and a RAZR M. While the OP asked specifically about the Note 2, there have been a number of comments comparing iOS to Android so I feel safe to chime in, despite the fact I find the Note 2 to be too huge for me to consider.
Updates
I really can't stand the Android OS update process but app updates are often better than iOS. A number of apps can be set to "auto-update" but the whole carrier update mess Android is stuck in is a huge turnoff. I like having iOS updates come from Apple, not Verizon or At&t or whoever, so while Android wins narrowly for app updates, iOS wins handily overall.
Walled Garden
I love the app wifi analyzer and use it all the time. It's an outrage I would have to j/b to get such a useful app on iOS. But I do like "curated" computing so in the app category iOS wins narrowly over Android.
Screen
I have screen envy when my Nexus 2 and Galaxy S3 wielding buddies walk by. 768 width pixel resolution is a nice thing to have and brings a phone a lot closer to a desktop replacement. In fact having the same resolution on my iPad mini that I had on my iPad 1 is one of my favorite things about the device along with ligher weight. Here is an area where Apple is clearly feeling competitive pressure. I would not be surprised to see a larger iPhone 5s or 6 in the coming months though I doubt I would try to use a 5 in phone as if it were a tablet. I really like the Moleskine form factor of the iPad mini. It's a perfect device to take to classes and meetings.
Ecosystem
I like the Apple ecosystem better on almost all counts. There are a few small exceptions. The Android gallery app gets populated with all the albums I have in Picasa within minutes of logging in. That's nice. I like google docs and the ability to edit docs in any browser. Apple needs to up their iWork game rather than assuming the only way I can edit an iWork doc is on my Mac or on an iThing. In fairness I should also mention that I love photostream in general and shared photostreams in particular.
As a user carrying around both, I won't claim I wish my job would give me an iPhone. I've already got one and while I love the way my Apple gear, I don't mind keeping a foot in both ecosystems. No regrets 'cuz I'm a fence-sitter.
Updates
I really can't stand the Android OS update process but app updates are often better than iOS. A number of apps can be set to "auto-update" but the whole carrier update mess Android is stuck in is a huge turnoff. I like having iOS updates come from Apple, not Verizon or At&t or whoever, so while Android wins narrowly for app updates, iOS wins handily overall.
Walled Garden
I love the app wifi analyzer and use it all the time. It's an outrage I would have to j/b to get such a useful app on iOS. But I do like "curated" computing so in the app category iOS wins narrowly over Android.
Screen
I have screen envy when my Nexus 2 and Galaxy S3 wielding buddies walk by. 768 width pixel resolution is a nice thing to have and brings a phone a lot closer to a desktop replacement. In fact having the same resolution on my iPad mini that I had on my iPad 1 is one of my favorite things about the device along with ligher weight. Here is an area where Apple is clearly feeling competitive pressure. I would not be surprised to see a larger iPhone 5s or 6 in the coming months though I doubt I would try to use a 5 in phone as if it were a tablet. I really like the Moleskine form factor of the iPad mini. It's a perfect device to take to classes and meetings.
Ecosystem
I like the Apple ecosystem better on almost all counts. There are a few small exceptions. The Android gallery app gets populated with all the albums I have in Picasa within minutes of logging in. That's nice. I like google docs and the ability to edit docs in any browser. Apple needs to up their iWork game rather than assuming the only way I can edit an iWork doc is on my Mac or on an iThing. In fairness I should also mention that I love photostream in general and shared photostreams in particular.
As a user carrying around both, I won't claim I wish my job would give me an iPhone. I've already got one and while I love the way my Apple gear, I don't mind keeping a foot in both ecosystems. No regrets 'cuz I'm a fence-sitter.
What are you needing from exchange on your note that it's not doing? I've found that i can use exchange on my note just as well as the desktop client or web edition. Everything is synced and folders work just as well.
Got the note 2. God it is sweet. So fast. So big. S pen works great and will allow me to save a few trees by jotting notes.
Android has finally come of age this generation. It dies not feel as polished as ios but it is capable of so much more.
As someone who waited in line for day one of the first iphone it pains me to say it but I will not be returning to iphone anytime soon.
The cutting edge is no longer a appke product
Android has finally come of age this generation. It dies not feel as polished as ios but it is capable of so much more.
As someone who waited in line for day one of the first iphone it pains me to say it but I will not be returning to iphone anytime soon.
The cutting edge is no longer a appke product
I am right there with you. I was 100% iPhone till the disappointment that was the iPhone 5 woke me up.
In my case I went first to a Nexus 4. It was a wake-up call as to what I was missing with the iPhone.
Saw the screen of the Note 2 and loved--and the battery life.
With my Nexus 4 I was not able to sell my iPhone 4S because I thought I might return to it. The Note 2 sealed the deal: I cannot go back to an iPhone. Even if the rumored 4.8" iPhone is true it won't matter because I have already been spoiled by the features of my Note 2 that iOS will never have. I absolutely love waving my hand over it to check on notifications. If I even have to thanks to the notification light.
Michael
What are you guys finding that so amazing over the iPhone??? I have a Nexus and I'm not seeing anything that it will do that the iPhone can't. ?? What am I missing?? And yes I agree with the poster above about Touchdown, it's an absolute let down that a OS this big cant deal with exchange in a decent way.
Had the Note 2 for almost 2 weeks. Totally got over iMessage in about two days. Its buggy, slow and unreliable anyway. Using Facebook Messenger to chat across multiple platforms. People say a lot of people have iMessage and it's more convenient, but the people who matter to me will have Facebook Messenger installed already anyway.
I am loving the big screen but had to sacrifice the ease of one handed functionality with the iPhone which was more comfortable to hold. I figured that being able to READ the screen is more important.
I have started to discover some really awesome apps when started to completely break away from the iPhone. For instance, I am really starting to appreciate Evernote more instead of relying on Apples default Notes app. And OMG, Astrid is an amazing Task/To-Do list program which smokes Reminders. As for playing music, Ive always been a fan of Google Play which is years ahead of Apples Music Match. And finally, for piece of mind which heaven forbid I lose my phone or it gets stolen, Cerberus which has just about every feature the most paranoid person wants such as taking pictures of someone who inputs an incorrect passcode on your phone and tracking down their location, etc.
The Note 2 / Galaxy S3 takes really great closeup shots which is good for food photos! iPhone 5 on the other hand is better for landscape and low light shots but both cameras are pretty darn close in terms of overall quality. One of the things that I do miss is being able to use the volume button to take pictures and the shape of the iPhone 5 is perfect to use as an actual camera.
Both are really great devices but it really depends what you need out of your portable device. If you want a simple phone to send emails, text messages, take pictures and post on Facebook, the iPhone is great. Now if you want a smartphone that does EVERYTHING else and need the screen real estate for tasks that are suited to you the Note 2 is an excellent solution. Theres of course always the option of getting the Galaxy S3 which is sort of in between the two, but if you were to go big, you might as well get the best
My iPhone 5 and iPad have both been collecting dust since I switched over...
I am loving the big screen but had to sacrifice the ease of one handed functionality with the iPhone which was more comfortable to hold. I figured that being able to READ the screen is more important.
I have started to discover some really awesome apps when started to completely break away from the iPhone. For instance, I am really starting to appreciate Evernote more instead of relying on Apples default Notes app. And OMG, Astrid is an amazing Task/To-Do list program which smokes Reminders. As for playing music, Ive always been a fan of Google Play which is years ahead of Apples Music Match. And finally, for piece of mind which heaven forbid I lose my phone or it gets stolen, Cerberus which has just about every feature the most paranoid person wants such as taking pictures of someone who inputs an incorrect passcode on your phone and tracking down their location, etc.
The Note 2 / Galaxy S3 takes really great closeup shots which is good for food photos! iPhone 5 on the other hand is better for landscape and low light shots but both cameras are pretty darn close in terms of overall quality. One of the things that I do miss is being able to use the volume button to take pictures and the shape of the iPhone 5 is perfect to use as an actual camera.
Both are really great devices but it really depends what you need out of your portable device. If you want a simple phone to send emails, text messages, take pictures and post on Facebook, the iPhone is great. Now if you want a smartphone that does EVERYTHING else and need the screen real estate for tasks that are suited to you the Note 2 is an excellent solution. Theres of course always the option of getting the Galaxy S3 which is sort of in between the two, but if you were to go big, you might as well get the best
My iPhone 5 and iPad have both been collecting dust since I switched over...
- A camera that has features more in line with 2013 than 2003.
- A screen that wows me like the iPhone did (back in 2007).
- A pop-up browser so I am not yanked into Safari for everything.
- Toggles so I don't have to endure the danged Settings app for every little thing.
- Wave my hand over the device to see notifications. Amazing.
- A screen that is not the size of a postage stamp.
- Being able to set Chrome as my default browser.
- Etc., etc.
Michael
Bruh, you can not only take pictures using the volume rocker, but you can even take pictures using your VOICE!!! Look through the settings within the camera app. Glad you enjoy the Note 2. Make sure you install Adobe flash on your phone which will then be enabled in the stock browser.
1-My 5's screen is a wow factor but I'm use to great screen on my phones. Haven't played with a note to make an informed opinion on it but this isn't anything that Android has over the iPhone.
2-I use Safari, it's a great browser.(I use a Mac and aiPad also) The Reader function is great and something I wish Android had. The Android browsers offer nothing over Safari that I can see.
3-I will agree on this one, the toggles are a nice feature. I'd prefer if iOS implements them that thy be in the NC. I don't use Widgets, they're redundant waste of space,time and battery.
4-That's device specific I guess but I keep my phone in my pocket and on my console. When something happens I'm notified. If I'm outside doing whatever and I'm away from my phone for a few hours I look at my phone for what's been missed. The waving thing seems gimmicky to me, much the way FaceUnlock is. Cool no doubt, but once the novelty wears off I'd doubt I'd use it.
5- The screen size hype. I really wanted to see if a bigger screen was useful and if Android is a far as a lot say they are. So far I much prefer the size of the iPhone creek for my phone. To call it a postage stamp is funny, next to my iPad mini it does look small but it serves its purpose well. I guess if you can't afford two devices the solution may be a phablet or whatever they're called. For me the note is way to big to even try to be phone for daily use. 4.5 is stretching it. Again, I have a mini so screen size isn't that big to me but I can see where it would benefit others.
6-Again, something that I don't have a issue with. Safari is a great browser and offers 95% of the features that the others offer so I haven't found a need to switch.
I will say this, Mail, specifically Exchange support is absolutely dreadful on Android. If you can recommend a decent app(not touchdown,it's crap) would be great.
I would agree with most of this, but in the end, I much prefer to have a phone that's small enough to fit in my pocket, big enough to replace a small tablet, and powerful enough to convert into a small computer connected to a 27" monitor and running up to four different apps at one time on two different screens.
The iPad 4 can't even handle that, let alone the iPhone. What ultimately pushed me over the edge was all of the positives about the iPhone. In the end, it just looks good . . . . that's it. Great screen, decent camera, great build quality, etc.
I never hear to much about what it can actually DO, and when I do hear about it those features stem around jailbreaking or 3rd party apps that have Android equivalents.
The Note 2 had functionality and UI tweaks that I found useful out of the box.
Huh? One of things the iphone is getting beat up most about is the small size of its screen. Many people are not wowed by the iPhone 5's screen. So, yea, the screen is an issue. Doesn't really matter how bright it is: few care about that vs. size. As for me, I prefer AMOLED so the iPhone doesn't really wow me. Now out of LCD displays, I will say it is very well done, albeit too small. I also know they can make it bigger and still make it bright: look at the iPad mini.
The reader function is needed for Safari on the iPhone for two reasons: One, the screen is so narrow that trying to read web pages in portrait is a chore and, two, that is further exacerbated by the fact that you can't increase text size.
As for what Chrome has over Safari I can think of several right off the top of my head: no (ridiculous in 2013) 8-tab limitation, ability to increase text size without zooming the whole page, and the ability to view the page as you would on a desktop browser (for sites that do not give you that option). And you get those benefits in Chrome whether you are on Android or iOS.
So while you might like Safari, I have preferred Chrome on iOS over Safari since before I bought an Android phone. Now that I have an Android phone it lets me keep tabs in sync between my iPad (albeit crippled), Note 2, macs, and PC. Apple doesn't give me that opportunity with Safari since they don't make Safari for Android.
Spoken like someone who doesn't understand them. Also, what do you think toggles are?
Waving my hand to see notifications is amazing, not a gimmick. My phone is on the kitchen counter while I am getting coffee and breakfast in the morning. If my hands are wet I just wave one over the phone and do not need to touch it.
I might use it less in the future but only because I will have better configured my LED notification colors. Right now it is blue for texts and whatsapp. Once I change that I won't have to do anything to know what kind of notification I have waiting without doing anything but glance at the phone.
You can't call a notification LED a gimmick as it was useful before the iPhone ever came out. It was one of the things I missed when I got my first iPhone in 2007. I had it on my prior phone, albeit much more simplistic than what I have now.
"Can't afford." Really? What kind of argument is that. As if the iPad mini is going to fit in my front pocket. Jeez.
You, maybe. Meanwhile you are advocating being locked into a single solution whereas I am asking for choice. See the difference? If you like Safari I say more power to you--use it. When I say I prefer Chrome you just bring up Safari again. Ugh.
I'm sorry but this I just cannot take seriously. Touchdown has a 4.3 star rating out of over 12,000 ratings. "Crap" would never be that high.
Michael
I have been getting a lot of hate from my iphone toting friends. This surprised me. They say that they are comfortable with the screen size on iphone but I could see that they were going through the same process I was when I first saw the note. Secretly feeling that it would be nice to have a bit more real estate to let those apps shine.
I would be willing to bet that the iphone screen will be a minimum of 5 inches by 2015.
Once a huge screen is no longer a technical challenge it is the natural progression IMO
For apple to not offer a phone that caters to people who want what was once a big screen but is now the industry standard is going to cozy them a huge amount of customers.
I would be willing to bet that the iphone screen will be a minimum of 5 inches by 2015.
Once a huge screen is no longer a technical challenge it is the natural progression IMO
For apple to not offer a phone that caters to people who want what was once a big screen but is now the industry standard is going to cozy them a huge amount of customers.
It's websites and forums that seem to be "beating up" the iPhones screen size. Sales don't reflect that I the general public. Remember, those that are here and other forums have a general interest in tech. That's maybe 15% of the people that actually buy a Smartphone.
This is the great thing about choices in products. You prefer AMOLED and I prefer LCD . That's personal preference and not something that Android has an advantage in, nor a disadvantage.
Reader wasn't designed to be used for better reading in portrait mode although it does help on certain pages. Most of the web have there pages laid into columns. Double tap zoom(on both OS's) gets you where you need. Reader was designed to allow you to read with out all the other things on the page getting in the way. When you're reading a long article(desktop or mobile) its just a much nicer experience. Why do think its in OSX? it certainly isn't needed for reading web pages yet I use it all the time on my retina MBP. If it was designed to solve an issue of small text you wouldn't see it in OSX. I have chrome but rarely use it on Android, I prefer FF to be honest and like you said, Apple doesn't make Safari for android. I might have as many as 5-6 tabs open at one time so I've never noticed this but I can't honestly believe that it is a issue for 99% of the population.
I understand them fine and it depends on where they are located as to what you would call them. If there on the home screen then yes, it's a widget, if its in the NC then it's just a toggle. Android has both so the option is out there. That's the customization part but pulling down the shade and hitting the same switch from anywhere is much easier than going back to home,then the page the widgets on, then hitting what you want. I do wish iOS had them and as I said, I think they need to be in the NC. Same as Android. Widgets are redundant unless like I said it a social one. I rarely use either so they provide zero functionality to me. Weather, should be in NC. I don't need to see it every time I turn the screen on. If there's an alert, the app notifies me in the NC on both OS's. Email, all new emails are in the NC, no need to have a widget. If I need to do something in email I open the app. The only function I can see a email widget providing is a quick compose but them that's more of a shortcut than a widget. Clocks, redundant, Widgets for apps,redundant. Some use them and that's great but I wouldn't call it an advantage having them vs not.Spoken like someone who doesn't understand them. Also, what do you think toggles are?
Great example, I haven't thought of that and that is a nice feature but its limited to certain models.(if there's a way to get that on my Nexus please let me know) As far as on my iPhone, if I'm doing the same the screen comes on and gives me a preview so I can glance at it then. Once I sit down to breakfast I can pick up my phone and go through the ones that need my attention. From your example I can see where I would come in handy. As far as LED light, I'm not calling that a gimmick but its something that I don't miss or need. My phone is on my side like it has been since I had a star-tac so I know when something's come in. When its not on my side, my phone is the least important thing to me. We. I get back to it, I check my phone. I have my iPhone set to notify me 3 times for texts so if I am at my desk and walk into another room when I come back I don't miss it because I haven't checked my phone. If its a email, it's shows on my desktop. The only place I wish I could change the setting for repeated alerts is phone calls. This is where the LED light would come in for me but its not a huge issue and I can see where it comes in for others.
The mini does fit in the front pockets of all my suits and slacks. It goes with me everywhere. If I go into a restaurant I generally leave it in the car unless I'm alone then I take it. Not a hassle at all. If I'm in jeans it's still with me although it doesn't fit in my front pockets I'm generally doing something where the last thing I want to be doing is staring at a screen. I do that enough throughout the week. Plus, my phone will handle anything I need to do regardless of screen size. So yes, if you can't afford two devices it a meet in the middle solution to have a 4.5-5" phone. I can see that but if you had a Nexus7 or iPad/mini I don't think screen size of your phone is that huge of a deal. It does what you need and if you want a larger screen you have another device that's much better than a 5" phone. Regardless of Android or iOS.
I do see the difference, I can see where having a choice of default browser would benefit you. Links in email,web pages and so on. I'm not advocating being locked into a single solution I was merely stating why/what I use. My original question was what are the advantages that I'm missing/not seeing in Android.
It is crap and maybe that's not the most eloquent word but for a lack of a better term that's it. Ratings on the stores don't mean much other than helping the original decision about purchase. I've downloaded many iOS apps that were 4-5 stars and ask myself after using them "how in the world did it get that".
I have repeatedly received email where touchdown doesn't/won't download the full content. Not to mention attachments. These are big things for me. So yes, for me the app is crap, for others maybe not but I rely on email to take care of my Franchise's and get things accomplished with put having to make multiple phone calls. I will try others but right now it's very disappointing.
Thank you for your reply as I always enjoy these conversations with others. It's educational.
Oh, its all there, its just many more clicks to get to the stuff that I need than in my iphone. I find the aesthetics on the iphone calendar/email to be more pleasing to my eye. This is a fairly small criticism for this phone, and I find it to be a limitation of Android in general, so this is geared more to the Android development field than the actual phone.
I was just blown away by this phone after using an HTC One X for a while. The screen on the HTC One X was very nice, but the hardware problems, OY VEY! Also, I dont understand the criticism of the interface on the Samsungs. I've used vanilla Android on a Nexus 7 and the experience is overrated in my opinion.