If you could start over...

[sddabrow]

Hey guys,

With the release of the Nexus line yesterday, I was thinking about some things.

I am a Note 3 user with a Macbook Air and ipad 2. I have been debating getting the latest iPhone purely for imessage and the continuity/handoff features being released.

However after watching the Nexus lines come out, it is tempting to run with all Android L products. The one thing holding me back is no continuity, I would love texting from my tablet.. I currently use Airdroid for the PC but isn't seamless.

TLDR:
So I was curious to hear everyone's thoughts. If you could start all over with your PC, Tablet, Phone, and watch which ecosystem would you choose and why?

 

[TechGod]

Its confusing. I wouldn't be able to choose.

 

[Twixt]

Its confusing. I wouldn't be able to choose.

I started with an 80% AAPL ecosystem. At this point Android was not mature at all. I am now phasing out to increase my non AAPL share.
My wife wants to keep AAPL gear for her own usage so I have to keep both systems co existing...

 

[flybub]

Kinda in the same boat here. Bought a Macbook (my first mac) a couple months ago and I love using this thing. I have a 13 Moto X and considered getting an ipad but my note 10.1 does just fine for now. As of now I'm leaning to the Note4, Nexus 6, or Droid Turbo. I used an iPhone4s for 6 months and I don't think I could go back to iOS on a phone. The continuity stuff is nice but I really don't think I would use it too much.

 

[Oohara]

Hey guys,

With the release of the Nexus line yesterday, I was thinking about some things.

I am a Note 3 user with a Macbook Air and ipad 2. I have been debating getting the latest iPhone purely for imessage and the continuity/handoff features being released.

However after watching the Nexus lines come out, it is tempting to run with all Android L products. The one thing holding me back is no continuity, I would love texting from my tablet.. I currently use Airdroid for the PC but isn't seamless.

TLDR:
So I was curious to hear everyone's thoughts. If you could start all over with your PC, Tablet, Phone, and watch which ecosystem would you choose and why?

With MightyText you can text from all your Android devices including tablets. It also works on Macs, currently only through the browser but a native Mac client is in the works.

Right now I use Pushbullet* for unified notifications across Android and Mac, these let you quick reply to SMS directly from the notification even on Mac (Chrome plugin - just keep Chrome open in the background if you prefer Safari for other stuff) which works very nicely. Then I use MightyText to send text messages which are not direct replies. This may sound complicated but in actual use it is totally seamless and smooth, I almost never need to pick up my phone when using my other devices other than for phone calls.

To me the best ecosystem is the combination of Apple and Android. This gives me the best of both worlds which to me is a greater luxury than anything offered by Apple/Continuity/Handoff. I don't care much about continuing to write the same email or documents etc. when switching between computer and phone/tablet, Gmail/Dropbox/Drive takes care of that anyway.

* Pushbullet also has other advantages, like pushing links and files between computer and mobile devices, and this functionality is getting more and more versatile all the time with frequent updates.

 

[mrex]

pc: windows for a primary pc because it just works on everywhere with everything... nothing wrong in my mbpr either but i do my all work things by windows (we have win os at work)

phone: android, it gives more than windows/ios

tablet: windows (sp3)

current setup: zenbook/mbpr, oneplus one, note10.1 (sold my ipad air). i can do all my things crossplatformly so i dont need to be tied on something. i dont care how much money i have spent for apps - those apps were apps i needed/wanted anyway...

 

[Dontazemebro]

I've always been a pc guy but I'm not opposed to owning a mac. I just could never justify it when I could find a likewise machine of comparable value for a better price.

 

[lyceumHQ]

I've had iPhones for around 5 years now, I also have an iPad. If I could go back I'd go android in a second, more bang for buck. Cheaper. Better spec, more customisation out of the box. No having to rely on a jailbreak for things like XBMC and MovieBox on my iPad Etc.

But now I have around 2k worth of iOS apps and that's a lot of cash to just write off should I change to android. So I do feel somewhat trapped in the apple ecosystem. If I don't go iPhone/iPad I lose all the apps I've bought and have to buy again.

I have always and will always have a windows PC. I can build a machine with better hardware than a mac for a lot less than a mac would cost. There's no way I could justify buying a mac. Even if I had a massive lottery win and cash was no object, I'd still go with windows.

I plan to get an android tablet as I mainly use my tablet for XBMC and moviebox and with android I don't have to wait or worry wether a jailbreak is available to install them. But I'm still not 100% sure wether I'll go with the iPhone 6 or moto g/x for my phone this upgrade.

 

[sddabrow]

Yeah Showbox on my Note 3 casting to my Samsung smart TV is something I'm not sure I could live without. I suppose this could be created with Jailbroken iPhone to Apple TV or Chrome cast though.

 

[Sensamic]

I already did that years ago and now it's perfect: iMac (must be a Mac. No PC here thanks), Android tablet (has to be a Nexus one. I've got the 7 2013 and before that had the 10) and Android phone (SGS5 now, SGS3 before).

Before this setup I had an iPad 1 and iPhone 4.

 

[jamezr]

I've always been a pc guy but I'm not opposed to owning a mac. I just could never justify it when I could find a likewise machine of comparable value for a better price.

I have both at home......
But my friends all say the same thing to me......

 

[gotluck]

Pushbullet/ airdroid are close enough to continuity for me and cross platform

I can't use a Mac at work so ios continuity lock in has been a huge turn off for me personally

I like OSX but have difficulty justifying the price and they don't make a Mac with a regular desktop gpu.

 

[Savor]

I was reading an article from PhoneDog with some guy NOT having platform loyalty to any of them. As the platform changes, so does his wants. I think both platform and brand loyalty is for the blind and closed-minded. People should try to be more platform agnostic. They generally are all good depending what you are looking for or feeling for that time.

I wouldn't change anything if I could go back in time. Apple's iOS helped raised me the same way Nintendo did in video game consoles. But eventually I grew out of Nintendo just like I wanted to escape Apple's ecosystem. But back in 2008, iOS or iPhone OS was so ahead of everybody. I wouldn't be able to enjoy Android if it wasn't for the early jailbreaking scene my 1.1.4 days. It took a long time for Android to catch up and for Windows Phone to be released. I would still use iOS prior to 2013. Zero regrets. By 2013 and after, it seems Google and Android OEM's have excited me the most. Every few months, there is always an Android device I put on my wishlist. Turbo charging is a useful feature found on Nexus 6.

Eventually they are like songs. Some days you grow tired of them. Some days you still love it. Moods change. Taste change. Platforms change. We gravitate towards those that matches our current wants and needs. I remember Kim Kardashian tweeting BlackBerry 4 life back in 2011 with the Bold 9900. After a couple months she became an iPhone 4s owner and has used iOS ever since. Maybe for me, my next will be Windows Phone. With iOS, I had 3 years as a daily driver and 5 years overall. Android is 3 yrs with 2 yrs as daily driver. I only used WP for six months. My taste will change again.

Stay agnostic or you will miss out.

 

[Destroysall]

I love Apple, but no lie, Android is becoming very promising.

 

[I7guy]

Phone no doubt iphone, desktop and laptop windows.

 

[sddabrow]

I got Pushbullet and MightyText, thanks for the heads up. Works great with my MacAir!

Now my iPad2 is the outlier.. might have to pick up the Nexus 9.

 

[ChrisTX]

I'm in the same boat. I've been a Mac user for many years including pre iPhone, and also an iPad, and Apple TV user. However since the S3 I've owned several Android devices including the S4, Nexus 4, and now Note 3. I'm contemplating a return to the iPhone 6+ because of iCloud and the continuity between all of my devices. However the Nexus 6 looks really sweet and I just really love Android. Decisions decisions.

 

[Oohara]

I got Pushbullet and MightyText, thanks for the heads up. Works great with my MacAir!

Now my iPad2 is the outlier.. might have to pick up the Nexus 9.

MightyText works on iPad too, through the browser. I wasn't sure but I just tested it. So handy. You just have to live without the synced notifications on it.

 

[mclld]

I am not into the whole ecosystem bandwagon. I use what I like and have no loyalty

 

[Savor]

If I could start over and pick my gadgets right now...

I really wouldn't change anything except having a laptop again. Not into tablets, but a phablet will do like Asus Padfone 7.

But if I could choose...

Smartphones - Two Androids. If I can choose two for 2014, OnePlus One and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact are the same and different enough to make it less overkill while still being complimentary enough. Imagine a 24 SOT between them? This is would be a better duo than iPhone 6 AND 6 Plus which would look redundant and doesn't cover each other's flaws/compromises.

Tablet - None since iPads and tablets with NO PHONE CAPABILITY offline are generally giant portable media players which I see going extinct once companies start adding phone capabilities onto their 7-10 inch tablets. But a phablet? OnePlus One.

Laptop - Maybe a cheap Asus Windows 7. I would only need the computer for storage space and some backups. If I wanted to print or play games online, I can go to an internet cafe and pay 50 cents to use for one hour.

 

[Wrathwitch]

I wouldn't change anything either.

First PC was HP. Pretty weak but let me play Diablo II which is why I bought it.

First smart phone: (shudders) HTC windows phone, Blackberry Storm (my carrier wasn't carrying the first iPhone, which I REALLY wanted. Then iPhone4.

iP4 changed my whole mobile world no poop. I loved that phone for the 2 years I had it. Gave it to my mom who is happily using it.

I nibbled on the SGS3 as it seemed like the first viable Android phone for me and it worked great up until about 6 months ago. I was hoping iPhone 6 would woo me back but no such luck.

My longest lasting computer is an iMac 27" quad core circa 2009. I have a monster PC for gaming purposes and an iPad3 and Galaxy TabS (smaller one). I enjoy them all.

Continuity to me just means that it wants me to be further chained to my computer/tablets etc. It also means that if I get pulled into that crap that i might get set in my ways and find it uncomfortable to try new things.

I think its ok to have that message waiting for you when you get back home on your iPad rather than have to have everything always beeping at you throughout the day.

 

[TechGod]

I wouldn't change anything either.

First PC was HP. Pretty weak but let me play Diablo II which is why I bought it.

First smart phone: (shudders) HTC windows phone, Blackberry Storm (my carrier wasn't carrying the first iPhone, which I REALLY wanted. Then iPhone4.

iP4 changed my whole mobile world no poop. I loved that phone for the 2 years I had it. Gave it to my mom who is happily using it.

I nibbled on the SGS3 as it seemed like the first viable Android phone for me and it worked great up until about 6 months ago. I was hoping iPhone 6 would woo me back but no such luck.

My longest lasting computer is an iMac 27" quad core circa 2009. I have a monster PC for gaming purposes and an iPad3 and Galaxy TabS (smaller one). I enjoy them all.

Continuity to me just means that it wants me to be further chained to my computer/tablets etc. It also means that if I get pulled into that crap that i might get set in my ways and find it uncomfortable to try new things.

I think its ok to have that message waiting for you when you get back home on your iPad rather than have to have everything always beeping at you throughout the day.

I don't see it that way. I see continuity as a useful tool which will make life way more convenient.

 

[Jibbajabba]

Hey guys,

With the release of the Nexus line yesterday, I was thinking about some things.

I am a Note 3 user with a Macbook Air and ipad 2. I have been debating getting the latest iPhone purely for imessage and the continuity/handoff features being released.

However after watching the Nexus lines come out, it is tempting to run with all Android L products. The one thing holding me back is no continuity, I would love texting from my tablet.. I currently use Airdroid for the PC but isn't seamless.

TLDR:
So I was curious to hear everyone's thoughts. If you could start all over with your PC, Tablet, Phone, and watch which ecosystem would you choose and why?

No home line, would refuse to have a mobile / cell and maybe a tablet for the odd internet session.

Sod all that nonsense. So which ecosystem ? None ... OK, none is wrong, I may have some old Nokia with 'Snake' where the battery lasts all week.

Back in the day people had to come around if they want to see / hear from you. Now people moan if you don't pickup your phone immediately, assuming you MUST have a reception so you MUST be reachable.

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I am not into the whole ecosystem bandwagon. I use what I like and have no loyalty

That too. Whatever works coming upgrade time.