Apple Continuity-like option for Android & Mac?

[Butt-Head Astronomer]

It's time for a new phone, and it looks like Android is going to win. The biggest problem with that is that I want to get Continuity set up with my MacBook.

I'm looking for services that work like Continuity. I'm particularly trying to avoid services that ship all of my data off to some third party.

I did some searching of the forums, but I'm not really awash in search term ideas.

Any suggestions?

 

[lowendlinux]

Pushbullet

 

[convergent]

It's time for a new phone, and it looks like Android is going to win. The biggest problem with that is that I want to get Continuity set up with my MacBook.

I'm looking for services that work like Continuity. I'm particularly trying to avoid services that ship all of my data off to some third party.

I did some searching of the forums, but I'm not really awash in search term ideas.

Any suggestions?

If you were using Windows 10, Microsoft is doing some great stuff with Android.

 

[mib1800]

It's time for a new phone, and it looks like Android is going to win. The biggest problem with that is that I want to get Continuity set up with my MacBook.

I'm looking for services that work like Continuity. I'm particularly trying to avoid services that ship all of my data off to some third party.

I did some searching of the forums, but I'm not really awash in search term ideas.

Any suggestions?

If you are using Samsung Galaxy phones you can look at SideSync.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

It's time for a new phone, and it looks like Android is going to win. The biggest problem with that is that I want to get Continuity set up with my MacBook.

I'm looking for services that work like Continuity. I'm particularly trying to avoid services that ship all of my data off to some third party.

I did some searching of the forums, but I'm not really awash in search term ideas.

Any suggestions?

Well when it comes to the Browser, Chrome is great and syncing tabs across devices. I actually prefer it over Handoff, as Handoff seems to freeze the app occasionally or sometimes won't kick in.

For everything else, Sidesync or Airdroid is pretty good.

Continuity with Android is basically non existent.

Windows 10 does have limited Continuity with Android. But it's nothing like iOS and MacOS at the moment.

 

[convergent]

Well when it comes to the Browser, Chrome is great and syncing tabs across devices. I actually prefer it over Handoff, as Handoff seems to freeze the app occasionally or sometimes won't kick in.

For everything else, Sidesync or Airdroid is pretty good.

Continuity with Android is basically non existent.

Windows 10 does have limited Continuity with Android. But it's nothing like iOS and MacOS at the moment.

I think Microsoft will continue to make Androids continuity with Windows 10 better and better.

 

[Michael Goff]

I think Microsoft will continue to make Androids continuity with Windows 10 better and better.

They kind of have to. It isn't like they have any other mobile strategy...

 

[convergent]

They kind of have to. It isn't like they have any other mobile strategy...

I'm sure they have other mobile strategies, but if they really put their energies into seamlessly tying Android to their stuff it could be a great thing. Is already pretty good and they are just dabbling at this point.

 

[Michael Goff]

I'm sure they have other mobile strategies, but if they really put their energies into seamlessly tying Android to their stuff it could be a great thing. Is already pretty good and they are just dabbling at this point.

If you listen to them, their main strategy is to pretend smart phones are on the way out and everyone will soon be using AR glasses. They won't make any more phones, just small computers that might be able to make calls.

 

[hallux]

I'll hype Google's Project Fi with Hangouts for this. Last week I used the Hangouts extension for Chrome to make a call to my bank's support line from my Mac, the rep never asked me to repeat anything, and she was very clear on my side. She didn't comment on any echo or anything, just seemed like a normal call. I can also read and reply to texts as long as I have Hangouts integration enabled for texting (and use Hangouts on my phone, which isn't a problem).

Overall, I can make/receive calls and texts from any internet-connected device signed in to my Google account, even if it's through the Gmail web interface.

$30/month for unlimited talk/text and 1 GB of data. $10 per GB after and any unused (even from the initial 1 GB) gets credited back on the next bill at the same rate. I'm mindful of my data usage, but even when I took a long weekend trip where I had no access to WiFi on my phone I still used less than my initial 1 GB for the month. Oh yeah, that fee includes international data roaming at no extra cost, just pay for the data used. No, it's not a plan for people with high data usage, I'm not one of those and it works well for me.

Caveat - you MUST have a Google-branded phone and have access to T-Mobile towers in your home area for initial activation.

 

[lowendlinux]

I'll hype Google's Project Fi with Hangouts for this. Last week I used the Hangouts extension for Chrome to make a call to my bank's support line from my Mac, the rep never asked me to repeat anything, and she was very clear on my side. She didn't comment on any echo or anything, just seemed like a normal call. I can also read and reply to texts as long as I have Hangouts integration enabled for texting (and use Hangouts on my phone, which isn't a problem).

Overall, I can make/receive calls and texts from any internet-connected device signed in to my Google account, even if it's through the Gmail web interface.

$30/month for unlimited talk/text and 1 GB of data. $10 per GB after and any unused (even from the initial 1 GB) gets credited back on the next bill at the same rate. I'm mindful of my data usage, but even when I took a long weekend trip where I had no access to WiFi on my phone I still used less than my initial 1 GB for the month. Oh yeah, that fee includes international data roaming at no extra cost, just pay for the data used. No, it's not a plan for people with high data usage, I'm not one of those and it works well for me.

Caveat - you MUST have a Google-branded phone and have access to T-Mobile towers in your home area for initial activation.

I can't recommend Fi enough either but for me it's less about the prices and convenience and more about the service switching