IMO, I'd strongly recommend you go Note 4. Not because it's that much more capable of a device, but rather that Android and especially the Note series really allow you to taylor the phone to your needs and the way you want to use it. Touch Wiz as noted before can easily be replaced with a new launcher. The great thing is there are a number of such modifications that ca be had and can be used interchangably too. I love Nova Pro but also use two other launchers even if it's just for the heck of it. Easy as flipping a switch.
Everything about the phone can be customized not just in appearance, but more importantly in function and behavior. It takes some time to get used to just having that ability and then over time you'll make changes. Here's a short-list of my modifications and I'm sure it is short as I can't recall all that I've done to make this Smart Phone so very smart and intuitive to how I want to use the device.
For me I started with Nova Launcher. Excellent IMO. Other
Apps/Replacements that I have are:
- Calanders
- Nova Launcher
- SMS Messangers
- Rocket Dialer - way, way faster, better looking and more powerful than the stock dialer.
- Notifications - I use one called PopUp as I really like the customization capabilities.
- Airdroid - allows for simple/seamless integration of controlling your phone, text messages, photos, files, etc right from your desktop.
- SwitchR - Rotation through open apps
- Llama - Location based configurations. Perhaps the very best reason not to get an iPhone. I have mine set so that when I walk in my office, it changes to screen on always as I have my phone docked. I have my phone automatically forward to my desk phone. Bluetooth switches to my Stereo at the office vs my car. Volumes drop and notifications go way down low.
- Tasker - Love it. Have it set to launch and do a lot of customer things.
- YouMail for Voice Mail - great free app that has long since replaced my stock Voice Mail
- Xperia Z is a great active background
- PowerAmp - Perhaps the very best sounding music app with Smart EQ
Presets that remember settings based on playback device
- iSnycr allows my iTunes to sync seamlessly thus no change needed there.
Widgets that I use are:
- Weatherbug
- Screen Always On
- Phone forward with one touch
- Hot Spot on/off
- To Do List - Very handy to have active,
- Assistive Light - great flashlight for bed time
- Shazam - one touch - great for when I'm in my car - You can "ok google" just about anything too though.
I could go on I'm sure, but overall, as you can see, I love the capabilities of the Note Series and Android in general over iOS devices. It's so nice to review documents, even PDF's that need forms completed and actually be able to do that and then sign it in Blue Ink just like it was a printout. You can't do that as easily if at all on an iOS Device. I literally review documents in Word on my Phone, create a PDF on the spot with a client and have them sign it, then print over to any wifi printer with ease just as if I was at my office. Did I mention things like way better printing capabilities and ease of printing were a huge perk. Integration with the Cloud and Google services is awesome too.
Hope this helps. I'll edit this post with new things as they come top of mind or up in this thread.
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The underlying apps remain but there's no impact to performance. Also, you can change ANY of the base apps from the Voice Mail Client to SMS, calender or dialer. In terms of cameras, I can't wait to try the Note 4 as even the Note 3 has a decent camera that when used correctly will rival and beat the iPhone.
Here's a photo from this afternoon. this bird was right outside our kitchen window (fall here thus the dead plant) and it was so calm I was able to open the window and take it's picture very close. This is cropped just a bit to frame it better. Posted in the upper right corner is a 100% crop from the original image.
