Long time iPhone user just switched to Note II

[VXXTRADER]

I've been an iphone user since it first came out and recently got the iphone 5. The iphone 5 was nice but the only real improvement over the 4 was LTE capabilities. My wife's plan was eligible for an upgrade so I used that to get me a Note II and gave her my iphone 5.

What I like about the Note II:

Screen size- nice for surfing, watching tv, netflix, videos, and using the kindle app.

Battery life - a little better than the iphone 5.

Tethering- I wanted free tethering w/o jailbreaking and I still have the unlimited data plan from ATT and I didn't want to give that up plus pay a monthly fee.

What I dont like:

The android operating system is a bit clunky and not as smooth as IOS. IOS is more user friendly.

The screen size is nice but not as crisp as the retina on the iphone 5.

The note II came with way too many bloatware APPs that I will never use.

The bottom line: If Apple were to offer a phone with a bigger screen I would switch in a minute!! But until then, I will keep the Note II.

 

[Vegastouch]

Android is very user friendly as well but you need a few weeks or so at least to really get used to it.

 

[Tig Bitties]

Root the phone. Install a nice stock TW ROM like cleanROM or JediX. Deletes the crap bloatware, and makes phone faster/smoother, with more custom options, and improves battery life.

Then try a launcher, like Nova, can change grid pattern to 5 x 6, which is very popular for this phone. Stock grid is 4 x 4 and ridiculous Samsung made that standard, on such a large screen.

And just coming from iOS is a major shock to your brain, going to Android. It does take weeks or a full month, not just days to get comfortable with the change.

I did it, and couldn't be happier. Jellybean Android is very very nice. No plans to go back to an iPhone.

Battery life is night and day better than the iPhone 5. I can go 24 - 36 hours on a single charge. Then can pop in another battery in 60 seconds, get another 24 hours right away

 

[sentinelsx]

The thing with android is, you need to set it up to your liking to be comfortable with it. And no I am not talking about root or custom ROMs. Today's devices are good enough without hackery.

Apple just tends to set everything up for you. Android says "here I am, set me up to however you need and then use me". They are both right choices for right individuals. You just have a longer time getting used to android because it is not ios.

That said, once the Xperia ZL launches and reviewers confirm good battery life with LTE, I will switch to it from an iPhone. I don't like AMOLEDs, and I don't like how the note is pretty much the only choice (in Canada) with amazing battery life. Plus a good camera. If the Xperia nails all three (Good LCD, camera, battery) in one package, they got my money.

 

[Stuntman06]

The android operating system is a bit clunky and not as smooth as IOS. IOS is more user friendly.

I would say that iOS is just different than Android. There are enough subtle differences between the two that it will take some time to get use to if you are use to one and then switch to the other. I found the same thing when I first started using iOS after being very familiar with Android. Some things just didn't make sense to me.

The note II came with way too many bloatware APPs that I will never use.

I just ignore them. I only put apps I use on my home screen and almost never see any of these bloat apps.

 

[Mikhailov]

I agree. It took me about two weeks to play around with Android. I rooted, installed custom ROMs, and customized the screen to my liking. Now I just use the phone as my daily driver and it's nice. Love the screen. Still might jump back to Apple because I'm an iSheep at heart, but the Note II really is a nice phone.

 

[powerwagon]

Just disable the bloat ware that you no longer want on your phone...easy enough.

 

[gnr319]

Android is just as, if not, more user friendly than iOS. iOS just has the advantage of being first and more familiar.

Give it more time. I went back to an iPhone 5 after the Note 2 and had to re-learn iOS.

 

[chris2k5]

Root the phone. Install a nice stock TW ROM like cleanROM or JediX. Deletes the crap bloatware, and makes phone faster/smoother, with more custom options, and improves battery life.

Then try a launcher, like Nova, can change grid pattern to 5 x 6, which is very popular for this phone. Stock grid is 4 x 4 and ridiculous Samsung made that standard, on such a large screen.

And just coming from iOS is a major shock to your brain, going to Android. It does take weeks or a full month, not just days to get comfortable with the change.

I did it, and couldn't be happier. Jellybean Android is very very nice. No plans to go back to an iPhone.

Battery life is night and day better than the iPhone 5. I can go 24 - 36 hours on a single charge. Then can pop in another battery in 60 seconds, get another 24 hours right away

Great. You pay $600+ for a phone and you have to install a new OS and root it to make it work right... Great value...

 

[Diseal3]

Great. You pay $600+ for a phone and you have to install a new OS and root it to make it work right... Great value...

Great another MacRumors troll posting information irrelevant to anything. Rooting the device does not make it "work right" it makes it work how YOU want it. No different than jailbreaking.

As for the OP, you can try various touchwiz's roms as well as developers add some cool little quirks to each ROM while keeping the cool S Pen options. Stay open minded and it will certainly be a awesome experience with that device.

 

[chris2k5]

Great another MacRumors troll posting information irrelevant to anything. Rooting the device does not make it "work right" it makes it work how YOU want it. No different than jailbreaking.

As for the OP, you can try various touchwiz's roms as well as developers add some cool little quirks to each ROM while keeping the cool S Pen options. Stay open minded and it will certainly be a awesome experience with that device.

Working right = how you want it to work

So it's the same thing. It should come out of the box working right but it doesn't.

 

[Vegastouch]

Working right = how you want it to work

So it's the same thing. It should come out of the box working right but it doesn't.

You need to learn the difference. It isnt the same thing. Customization is getting it how you want it to work. It works just fine out of the box without doing anything except setting up your email and contacts.
And you dont have to root it if you dont want to. I havent and dont feel i need to and i rooted my Galaxy S 1 using ROMs all the time. My GS3 works really good so dont have to do those things.

But you know, just because you root the phone doesnt mean you will use custom ROMs. There are other reasons to root it. Some Apps that are pretty cool only work it the phone is rooted so there are other reasons.

 

[mib1800]

Working right = how you want it to work

So it's the same thing. It should come out of the box working right but it doesn't.

I thought iphone has way more not working right out of box incl
-retarded email wrt to attachments
-cannot share data to any share provider
-limited multi tasking capability

to name a few

 

[sentinelsx]

Working right = how you want it to work

So it's the same thing. It should come out of the box working right but it doesn't.

Considering I have to jailbreak my iPhone 5 to "work right", something is wrong......


Also today's android phones don't require this hackery IMO. I used my gs3 bone stock and never complained. Was a pleasant surprise to finally see android leap from geek friendly to mainstream friendly.

 

[daveathall]

Out of the box I found that my Nexus 4 and SGS3 were as easy and intuitive to set up as my iPhones I previously had. I have found no reason to root or flash either of them. IMHO it is another of the myths that are spread by people that have no experience with flagship Android phones. If Android phones were that difficult to set up they wouldn't sell in the 100s of millions that they have so far.

 

[chris2k5]

Out of the box I found that my Nexus 4 and SGS3 were as easy and intuitive to set up as my iPhones I previously had. I have found no reason to root or flash either of them. IMHO it is another of the myths that are spread by people that have no experience with flagship Android phones. If Android phones were that difficult to set up they wouldn't sell in the 100s of millions that they have so far.

Cause most of the Android phones sold outside the US and high end markets are low-end devices due to most people not being able to afford an iPhone.

 

[onthecouchagain]

There's no question that at this point in time it's easier to accomplish the same tasks in Android than in iOS. Just look and count how many steps it takes to turn on wifi or private browsing for example (then again to turn it off). The iOS settings menu is a mess too. I constantly have to search for where I want to go; it's not always obvious. Likewise some apps settings are in the app while others are in the general iOS settings. With android there's always a dedicated menu button no matter what screen you're on or app you're in.

The aforementioned ability to attach directly from mail or share to any app you want is also another up on iOS.

And typing... Don't even get me started on the iOS keyboard. Typing on Android is actually a pleasure. Swiping is intuitive and fast. And when SwiftKey predicts full sentences for you, it's an amazing feeling. It's rare but sometimes they get it just right all the way to the end of the sentence. It impresses every time it happens. Conversely typing anything remotely long or serious on iOS is an exercise in frustration: lack of control over your dictionary, lack of suggestion bars, unresponsive keys (I've had so many missed presses), a ridiculously stupid auto correct - don't forget the iOS keyboard gave birth to the internet phenomenon known as "damn you iPhone auto correct". And worse, the keyboard hasn't been updated in years.

 

[daveathall]

Cause most of the Android phones sold outside the US and high end markets are low-end devices due to most people not being able to afford an iPhone.

You think that Android phones are difficult to set up straight from the box?

 

[Dr McKay]

Can you not simply remove the apps? Heck I can even disable the built in Google apps on my phone.

 

[SeanR1]

Working right = how you want it to work

So it's the same thing. It should come out of the box working right but it doesn't.

Good thing no one has to jailbreak an iPhone to make it work how they want (work right). Oh that's right, 7 million people have in less than a week.

 

[chris2k5]

You think that Android phones are difficult to set up straight from the box?

Did I say that in the reply you quoted? Please read it again.

 

[daveathall]

Did I say that in the reply you quoted? Please read it again.

I was asking you a question, Please read my question again.

Just in case there is any confusion I will ask again. Do you think that Android phones are difficult to set up out of the box?

i'm expecting the "No but some of my friends asked me to set up their Android phone" answer.

 

[chris2k5]

I was asking you a question, Please read my question again.

Just in case there is any confusion I will ask again. Do you think that Android phones are difficult to set up out of the box?

i'm expecting the "No but some of my friends asked me to set up their Android phone" answer.

Irrelevant question for the quoting but yes Android phones are difficult to set up out of the box.

 

[daveathall]

Irrelevant question for the quoting but yes Android phones are difficult to set up out of the box.

Our opinions differ.

 

[Zwhaler]

Irrelevant question for the quoting but yes Android phones are difficult to set up out of the box.

Actually, it's not. But one wouldn't know this unless they have first hand experience, instead resorting to false generalizations.