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Barcafan89

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 23, 2015
57
4
England
Would it be bad to have a mac book but own an android phone or would it best to stay on one operating system because macs are the only computers I like but the note is so tempting to upgrade to with its awesome similar to s6 design and it's power and wireless charging etc.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
Do whatever you feel like doing, its not like you can't switch back if you don't like it.

Personally I prefer an iPhone with a Mac because of Apples eco system. I take calls and send messages via my iPhone on a Mac. I use handoff and continuity quite often. Safari syncs tabs between all devices. I actually prefer iTunes (I know many don't). I like how everything is synced from contacts to reminders. I enjoy iCloud Photo Library, just take a photo and its on my iMac without doing anything. And another touchy subject but AirDrop works great for me and I use it a lot.

Android on the other hand I found to not integrate nearly as well with a PC and definitely not a Mac. If you hate iTunes for transferring media then you'll tear your hair out using Android File Transfer (again just my experience). And thats about all the integration it offered (at the time).

Keeping in mind your question pertains to Android with a Mac it simply can not compare to an iPhone with a Mac.

As a standalone device, well thats a different topic entirely.
 
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The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,989
20,171
UK
nothing wrong with using both. I have an S7 edge as I love my onscreen widgets and certain apps you can't get on apple are on there. That said I have an apple watch, Iphone, Ipad, apple TV,macbook and android fits into my daily lifestyle very well.
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,721
Boston, MA
The only thing you'd miss out on is iMessage IMO. Virtually Everything else you can sync to your Mac using your google account (and/or various other accounts). This is the number one reason I scratch my head when people complain about being married to the ecosystem. Having a preference is absolutely understandable but saying that a Mac is better with an iPhone because it lets you "sync more" is just a gross misunderstanding of what is out there.

Currently the biggest limitation is between smart watches. If you have an Apple Watch it flat out won't work with anything that's not an iPhone. Android wear works with iPhones now but is much more limited than when linked with an android device.
 
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admob71

Suspended
Feb 13, 2014
903
538
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.
. If you hate iTunes for transferring media then you'll tear your hair out using Android File Transfer (again just my experience). .
You are obviously doing something wrong..
For those that do not know, AFT is a simple drag and drop program, you can see the contents of your phone file system, so you can just dump 100 albums into the music folder and hey presto, open up the music app and there it is. In what ever order you want it to be. What is hard about that.
Getting photos off your phone? Open up the camera folder and just drag all the pics onto the desktop. Done. Feel free to explain how this is hair tearingly frustrating?
Or you could just use iSyncr which is an android equivalent of itunes.. options.. it's what Android is all about.
 

M. Gustave

macrumors 68000
Jun 6, 2015
1,856
1,712
Grand Budapest Hotel
You are obviously doing something wrong..
For those that do not know, AFT is a simple drag and drop program, you can see the contents of your phone file system, so you can just dump 100 albums into the music folder and hey presto, open up the music app and there it is. In what ever order you want it to be. What is hard about that.
Getting photos off your phone? Open up the camera folder and just drag all the pics onto the desktop. Done. Feel free to explain how this is hair tearingly frustrating?
Or you could just use iSyncr which is an android equivalent of itunes.. options.. it's what Android is all about.

The user should not be exposed to the system in that way, and frankly shouldn't need to be.
 

The Game 161

macrumors Nehalem
Dec 15, 2010
30,989
20,171
UK
The only thing you'd miss out on is iMessage IMO. Virtually Everything else you can sync to your Mac using your google account (and/or various other accounts). This is the number one reason I scratch my head when people complain about being married to the ecosystem. Having a preference is absolutely understandable but saying that a Mac is better with an iPhone because it lets you "sync more" is just a gross misunderstanding of what is out there.

Currently the biggest limitation is between smart watches. If you have an Apple Watch it flat out won't work with anything that's not an iPhone. Android wear works with iPhones now but is much more limited than when linked with an android device.
with android now being able to sync all your photos via google photos and you can backup all your home screen to another phone like you can on apple. So android have made it easier to transfer
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
You are obviously doing something wrong..
For those that do not know, AFT is a simple drag and drop program, you can see the contents of your phone file system, so you can just dump 100 albums into the music folder and hey presto, open up the music app and there it is. In what ever order you want it to be. What is hard about that.
Getting photos off your phone? Open up the camera folder and just drag all the pics onto the desktop. Done. Feel free to explain how this is hair tearingly frustrating?
Or you could just use iSyncr which is an android equivalent of itunes.. options.. it's what Android is all about.

I can't get it not to crash under El Cap. It won't even open. It's obnoxious.
 

admob71

Suspended
Feb 13, 2014
903
538
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.
The user should not be exposed to the system in that way, and frankly shouldn't need to be.
Are you for real? So using the powerful computer in your hand as a real computer where you can see and access a file system shouldn't be allowed. Wow. The force is strong in this one..
[doublepost=1469274009][/doublepost]
I can't get it not to crash under El Cap. It won't even open. It's obnoxious.
You may want to check what obnoxious means..

I use it daily with my work iMac and it's flawless.

It just works!!
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
Are you for real? So using the powerful computer in your hand as a real computer where you can see and access a file system shouldn't be allowed. Wow. The force is strong in this one..
[doublepost=1469274009][/doublepost]
You may want to check what obnoxious means..

I use it daily with my work iMac and it's flawless.

It just works!!

It's definition is "extremely unpleasant". Which described my experience perfectly with the app. I did explicitly say "just my experience". I apologize if my experiences differ from yours.
 

admob71

Suspended
Feb 13, 2014
903
538
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.
It's definition is "extremely unpleasant". Which described my experience perfectly with the app. I did explicitly say "just my experience". I apologize if my experiences differ from yours.
Once again, you seem to be going out of your way to describe something that is nothing more than frustrating at best, into something akin to stepping in a pile of dog poo. Which could be described as extremely unpleasant. And that doesn't change whether it's yours, mine or a million people's experience. Is your iPhone obnoxious and extremely unpleasant when it suffers a software crash? Nope.. didn't think so..
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
Once again, you seem to be going out of your way to describe something that is nothing more than frustrating at best, into something akin to stepping in a pile of dog poo. Which could be described as extremely unpleasant. And that doesn't change whether it's yours, mine or a million people's experience. Is your iPhone obnoxious and extremely unpleasant when it suffers a software crash? Nope.. didn't think so..

You are (trying to?) manipulate what I'm saying, I said AFT is obnoxious in my experience because it crashes. Not Android or Android phones so your analogy to an iPhone doesn't work. I figured I would try it again....now it doesn't crash! Yay...but I can't get it to detect any of my Android devices after plugging it in unplugging it, reseting the phone, Mac etc.....again obnoxious...

Screen Shot 2016-07-23 at 7.55.28 AM.png

But let see if I ever called an iPhone or its behavior and apps obnoxious since you seem so confident that I haven't.

Screen Shot 2016-07-23 at 8.00.06 AM.png

Hmm two pages of me ragging on Apple....
 

admob71

Suspended
Feb 13, 2014
903
538
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND.
You are (trying to?) manipulate what I'm saying, I said AFT is obnoxious in my experience because it crashes. Not Android or Android phones so your analogy to an iPhone doesn't work. I figured I would try it again....now it doesn't crash! Yay...but I can't get it to detect any of my Android devices after plugging it in unplugging it, reseting the phone, Mac etc.....again obnoxious...

View attachment 641430

But let see if I ever called an iPhone or its behavior and apps obnoxious since you seem so confident that I haven't.

View attachment 641429

Hmm two pages of me ragging on Apple....
You are so missing the point here, a simple software malfunction is all it is, no more no less. It could be due to a variety of reasons why. Is AFT insulting your family after its refused to work? Now that would certainly be a case to call it obnoxious!!
Can you see how you were maybe being a tad over dramatic..

Ps, small tip, if it doesn't recognise your Android device, make sure it's all screen on, unlocked etc. Quit AFT, then restart it with the unlocked phone already plugged in, that has been a source of joy for me in the past. I cant say what level OS im running, it's a work one, probably mavericks, they are always slow to upgrade due to many teething issues with a new version.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,156
You are so missing the point here, a simple software malfunction is all it is, no more no less. It could be due to a variety of reasons why. Is AFT insulting your family after its refused to work? Now that would certainly be a case to call it obnoxious!!
Can you see how you were maybe being a tad over dramatic..

Ps, small tip, if it doesn't recognise your Android device, make sure it's all screen on, unlocked etc. Quit AFT, then restart it with the unlocked phone already plugged in, that has been a source of joy for me in the past. I cant say what level OS im running, it's a work one, probably mavericks, they are always slow to upgrade due to many teething issues with a new version.

Its only overly dramatic if you subjectively perceive it that way. Unpleasant, pesky, off-putting, awful and annoying are all synonyms for obnoxious as well as detestable, vile, and putrid.

Clearly when I wrote that I expected the word to be used per its definition in context. This points out how regions use words differently, where I'm from an infant crying on a bus its obnoxious to a tee or a rhythmic sound that isn't normal that will not stop, where you are from it seems it would be used in more extreme situations.
 
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Elisha

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2006
781
504
AFT is not very consistent with the latest OSX. Looks like OSX intentionally crashes it sometimes. You'll have to use whatever software that comes with your phone. Kies and Smart Switch work on Samsung and file transfer works with it.
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,721
Boston, MA
with android now being able to sync all your photos via google photos and you can backup all your home screen to another phone like you can on apple. So android have made it easier to transfer
I currently use flickr (just because I have been using it longer) to sync photos between my families iPhones as well as my one Android phone.

Google's option is nicer and more seamless but I have over 10k photos that I am just too lazy to move over lol.
[doublepost=1469293492][/doublepost]
You and I obviously disagree about the definition of a 'real computer'. Have fun in 1995, I'll be in the future if you need me.
I dopn't think it's a matter of living in 1995. I think it's a matter of not being terribly happy about relinquishing all of that control to Apple (or Microsoft, or Blackberry, or whomever else). That has little to do with where computers were in 1995 (for what it's worth computers are this way today too). I'd be lying if I said I never come across times where accesshting the file system on my phone would be a huge convenience, but I also recognize the ridiculous damage a random user who doesn't know WTF they are doing could do. My mom, specifically, comes to mind lol.
 
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M. Gustave

macrumors 68000
Jun 6, 2015
1,856
1,712
Grand Budapest Hotel
I dopn't think it's a matter of living in 1995. I think it's a matter of not being terribly happy about relinquishing all of that control to Apple...

If I can get done what I need to get done, then I haven't relinquished any control. Poking around in the file system isn't actually easier or less frustrating; it's in fact a completely arbitrary way of working, albeit one you and many others are now familiar with using. This is all about users not wanting to relinquish their familiar x86 desktop modes of working, rather than "control" vs "freedom".
You even need a desktop OS just to do what's being discussed here.
 

Elisha

macrumors 6502a
Nov 21, 2006
781
504
I currently use flickr (just because I have been using it longer) to sync photos between my families iPhones as well as my one Android phone.

Google's option is nicer and more seamless but I have over 10k photos that I am just too lazy to move over lol.
[doublepost=1469293492][/doublepost]
I dopn't think it's a matter of living in 1995. I think it's a matter of not being terribly happy about relinquishing all of that control to Apple (or Microsoft, or Blackberry, or whomever else). That has little to do with where computers were in 1995 (for what it's worth computers are this way today too). I'd be lying if I said I never come across times where accesshting the file system on my phone would be a huge convenience, but I also recognize the ridiculous damage a random user who doesn't know WTF they are doing could do. My mom, specifically, comes to mind lol.
I think you're confusing root or system access to user file access. No damage can be done in user filespace. The worst that could happen is you lose something you downloaded or created. Nothing gets messed up in the OS level.
 

lordofthereef

macrumors G5
Nov 29, 2011
13,161
3,721
Boston, MA
I think you're confusing root or system access to user file access. No damage can be done in user filespace. The worst that could happen is you lose something you downloaded or created. Nothing gets messed up in the OS level.
I was aware of this. I'm referring to people moving files to places "they shouldn't be" and therefore being completely confused about why an app is looking for something that isn't there (eg a music file, a video files, a texture).

Years ago we used to mess with files in video games to make different graphics show up in certain situations. Long story short you don't want to just move random stuff around. Most of this stuff was never under OS level, though some was depending on how the program was written.
[doublepost=1469311413][/doublepost]
If I can get done what I need to get done, then I haven't relinquished any control. Poking around in the file system isn't actually easier or less frustrating; it's in fact a completely arbitrary way of working, albeit one you and many others are now familiar with using. This is all about users not wanting to relinquish their familiar x86 desktop modes of working, rather than "control" vs "freedom".
You even need a desktop OS just to do what's being discussed here.
That's perfectly fine. I don't think anyone is saying why you're wrong (you're not). Some just do feel they are relinquishing control, hence the discussion.

I have to disagree with the mentality that it's not needed by anyone. Maybe not you. And that's perfectly fine too.

The biggest limitation of iOS for me is the inability to download a file, decide where and what opens it, and just have a space to do that. I can jump through some hoops and get the same functionality, but it's much more annoying work than say, clicking on a zip file, choosing where it downloads, and then selecting that file to open. It's just much more cumbersome than that. Luckily it's not something I generally need to do, and if I do, I don't use my phone to do it.
 
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