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If Apple release a 4.8~5-inch iPhone 5S will you Android users return to iOS?
- Thread starter raptorstv
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Sweet - I'm actually looking more into the Nexus 4. My main gripe with the N7 was the lack of tablet optimized apps and as I wasn't ready for an Android device being my go-to I sold it and received an iPad mini for Christmas.
When it's in stock (if ever) the N4 would be the perfect Android test phone. I've read some good things about it and I could go with stock Android and not have to worry about any carrier/manufacturer nonsense.
I used the Nexus 4 as my Android test phone and ended up loving it.
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/1498227/
Sorry to hear you had such difficulties with it... Knowing that, I don't blame you for giving up lol. For future ref regarding AirDroid, what you do is upload a single folder of however many files you want, and then drag and drop once it's on the phone. Works in Chrome and Safari for me. Also, you can install a custom launcher that can hide carrier bloat software from your phone.
I look at the total experience in my phone choice. It would take major change for me to prefer an iPhone over Android. I'm using both right now, but I just use the iPhone as my travel phone with prepaid SIM cards in other countries.
I connect my GS3 to my MacBook Pro daily without any problems. Android File Transfer works as promised without a hitch. Your GS3 screen has to be on in order for this to work.
As far as bloatware, it has it's share but you can delete any app at will, unlike iOS where you're stuck with Apple apps like it or not.
Airplay sync in my opinion is highly overrated if you own a Mac/Apple TV/iPad. I don't need my photos to sync with all of my devices because Dropbox does this easily, and as promised.
Overall I love Android, and have moved on to the Nexus 4, and will be passing my GS3 down. Sorry it didn't work for you. It's certainly not for everyone.
Sometimes developer websites, and some are torrent download apps to get music, movies, videos, all for free without having to bother with iTunes.
There are alternate keyboards, sms apps, alternate camera apps, home screens, live wallpaper, all sorts of apps around but Apple would let you get.
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Oh the irony of an iPhone user saying a high end android phone didn't feel like it was their phone.
I was where you were, thing is you gotta give it time.
Android is the most advanced mobile operating system around.
Don't like how texts look? Change it.
Camera? Change it.
Don't like the keyboard? Change it.
No rooting required.
I can't stress how nice it is to have a dedicated back button. Using my 3rd gen iPad can be a pain when I have to reach all the way up to the top left corner to go back. Flipboard is a great example. To get back from the story you have to hit the flipboard button upper left. It's quite a reach to have to do it each time, especially when flipping through pages feels so natural only to be interrupted by having to uncomfortably reach up to go back from a story. I'm aware you can flip pages all the way back to the beginning but that's hardly a more convenient solution to going back to your main pages.
Whereas on android you can just tap back. Ditto safari on the iPad. Pain in the butt to reach up to go back. (I also love in chrome when you hit the back button on a site that has nothing to go back to, ie. it's the first page you visited on that tab, the back button automatically closes the tab for you.)
It's the little things.
Ps. The more I use my nexus 4 vs using my ipad, the more outdated iOS feels. I constantly have the urge to swipe instead of type on iOS and I still can't believe I can't. I still can't believe the keyboard hasn't changed in 5+ years. I still can't believe I can't long press to get to the "+" sign (and the quote signs) to type out that + in "5+ years" just now.
Luckily i don't demand as much from my tablet usage as i do my smartphone usage so iOS' shortcomings aren't felt as much on my ipad, but may be its time to consider an android tablet too...
Whereas on android you can just tap back. Ditto safari on the iPad. Pain in the butt to reach up to go back. (I also love in chrome when you hit the back button on a site that has nothing to go back to, ie. it's the first page you visited on that tab, the back button automatically closes the tab for you.)
It's the little things.
Ps. The more I use my nexus 4 vs using my ipad, the more outdated iOS feels. I constantly have the urge to swipe instead of type on iOS and I still can't believe I can't. I still can't believe the keyboard hasn't changed in 5+ years. I still can't believe I can't long press to get to the "+" sign (and the quote signs) to type out that + in "5+ years" just now.
Luckily i don't demand as much from my tablet usage as i do my smartphone usage so iOS' shortcomings aren't felt as much on my ipad, but may be its time to consider an android tablet too...
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Rooting is far easier than jailbreaking. I got my N7 a few days ago and the first thing I did after turning it on and making sure it worked was root it. I did it in about 5 minutes. Here's the guide I used. And you don't actually have to manually do the bit where you log into the shell through adb to keep the CWM recovery there either, just boot into recovery after flashing it, select "reboot device", and it'll ask you if you want to run a script to make it stay automatically.
Plus don't forget Nexus devices can be officially bootloader unlocked, so you don't need to hack anything to root them and you don't have to worry about updates breaking root like you do on iPhones.
As for custom ROMs I haven't bothered, rooted stock is great for me.
I run on an iMac at home and my trouble came from finding the right program to root with MacOSX - maybe I just didn't look in the right place.....I can't imagine it being any easier than jailbreaking (the program even counts down how long you should hold down the buttons to put in DFU mode) but if it's just as simple that would be fantastic. I'll have to remember the guide you linked to.
The other thing I had trouble with was backups - I was coming from an Apple point of view where all my backups were automatically done by iCloud when my device was locked and charging - do I need to root to get a proper backup or is it in the Google play store?
You need to root, it's a joke. God forbid you not be an enthusiast (and have no idea what rooting even means) and try and find a backup method for your phone. I can't believe Google still hasn't made a desktop companion app to at least handle full backups. It's so unfriendly to those who aren't all that well versed in tech.
I rooted on my MBP through the Terminal, as long as you've already got the Android SDK it's very easy if you follow the simple tutorial.
If you turn backup and restore on, your settings will be automatically backed up and your apps will be reinstalled automatically, and if you sync contacts and calendars to Google you don't have to worry about those either, but anything on the emulated SD card like pictures and videos won't be backed up so you'd have to do that manually. There are apps like Titanium Backup which assist in backing up individual apps and other data locally if you want, and you should also do a nandroid backup especially before flashing ROMs, which is as easy as choosing the backup option in your recovery and will do a full backup of your whole Android install (although again not media in the emulated SD card).
Pretty good article today on Gizmodo on Android vs iOS written by someone involved the mobile industry. Granted he's not your average joe user, he still makes good points that affect everybody with a smartphone.
http://gizmodo.com/5973073/an-iphone-lovers-confession-i-switched-to-the-nexus-4-completely
http://gizmodo.com/5973073/an-iphone-lovers-confession-i-switched-to-the-nexus-4-completely
Lol I know what you mean. Tabloid-like, not much in-depth content, but nevertheless highly entertaining
This article isn't written by them though.
Just read that article - very compelling. I'd love to buy a Nexus 4....too bad they can't stock em!!