Phones Looking to leave the MacBook at home, Go Android or wait for new iPhone?

[dontwalkhand]

Right now I have an iPhone 4, which is a wonderful phone, still in perfect condition, and continues to serve me well for what it does. However, I am now looking to leave the MacBook at home, just to be able to travel lighter when I am out and about.

Here is some of the work I do:

• I need to be able to download drivers for a client, and put it on a client's computer. This involves using the cellular network, downloading the ethernet/wi-fi driver for that computer to get it online. Then be able to plug the phone into the client's computer to get the driver on there (using it as a flash drive pretty much at this point). I understand this is something iOS right now can't do, but can it in iOS 6? - Keep in mind that these computers will not have any sort of internet connection as the driver for the network card would be missing. I would in this case, be using the phone to download the driver.
• Facetime (now here is the delima) with other techs or even the client to see what is wrong remotely. Facetime over cellular is coming with the new iPhone. What are some apps I can use on Android to allow me to see what the customer/client/boss is seeing?
• Be able to create an invoice on the fly. (I know I can already do this on both OSes). but being able to PRINT them as well when I need to.
• Being able to VPN into the network, and then RDP into computers that I need to take care of. Quick fixes here and there, not a long session on the computer. (both OSes take care of this as well, as I do this from my iPhone currently all the time).

Pretty much it comes down to...I actually need to use this device for work now, but that doesn't mean I don't like to play. Here is what I do with my phone now, that I don't want to lose if switching to Android is the best thing for me:

• Plug the iPhone into my car, control music directly from the dash and steering wheel controls.
• Control my Home Automation setup. (Non-issue really as there are both apps for Android as well as iOS…sorry rules BB out of the picture ).
• There is literally an app for everything! (except for downloading files and using the iPhone as a flash drive like stated above).
• Integrates well with my Apple stuff, the ecosystem is second to none.
• I own docks, connectors, you name it for iPods and iPhones. Though this will be irrelevant anyway when the next iPhone comes about.
• Watching Netflix on the road (irrelevant as well, as both platforms have a Netflix app).
• Apple TV integration.

It isn't a priority, so I am able to wait. Please what would be your honest opinion on what phone I should go with/stay with? Other than what I listed, "consumer-attracting" features such as Siri or playing games on the phone I really don't care much for. Honestly, no trolls please. I just need an honest opinion on what to do. I have my upgrade available RIGHT NOW

 

[idufour]

Reading What you want to do.... The S3 is for you.... It can do everything and is more customizable tan the iPhone enviroment....

 

[dontwalkhand]

Reading What you want to do.... The S3 is for you.... It can do everything and is more customizable tan the iPhone enviroment....

I would love to get the S3, and it is a very nice phone, but if I was going to go Android I was thinking about getting the HTC One S. I do still love my iPhone though if only it could handle the driver downloading in reality.

 

[Agent-P]

Technically you could do all the stuff in your work related list from an Android phone, but honestly I believe it would be much easier done from a computer. If you have the resources available, I'd say get an 11" MBA or a netbook for traveling lighter. They'll both be pretty lightweight and get your tasks done easier than on a phone. Just my $0.02

 

[mofunk]

Some of that stuff you do on your Macbook you can do on an iPad. The invoices on a fly. Downloading drivers can store on a jump drive or maybe iPad. I haven't tried that. But the invoices is doable. It's lighter and an extension of your iPhone.

iPhone 4s you can use more of the features with AppleTv.

Why not wait til your contract is up and get an iPhone 4??

 

[NbinHD]

Some of that stuff you do on your Macbook you can do on an iPad. The invoices on a fly. Downloading drivers can store on a jump drive or maybe iPad. I haven't tried that. But the invoices is doable. It's lighter and an extension of your iPhone.

iPhone 4s you can use more of the features with AppleTv.

Why not wait til your contract is up and get an iPhone 4??

And get an iPhone 4, he already has one. Don't you mean a iPhone 5?

 

[dontwalkhand]

Technically you could do all the stuff in your work related list from an Android phone, but honestly I believe it would be much easier done from a computer. If you have the resources available, I'd say get an 11" MBA or a netbook for traveling lighter. They'll both be pretty lightweight and get your tasks done easier than on a phone. Just my $0.02

The other issue that I forgot to mention is that, I would love to drop the $60 I am paying for the Verizon MiFi. Having one phone and one data plan with a larger cap would be nice as well.

If I could, I would switch right now to be honest, but is there a way to get to iCloud calendars and email on an Android phone?

 

[soulreaver99]

The other issue that I forgot to mention is that, I would love to drop the $60 I am paying for the Verizon MiFi. Having one phone and one data plan with a larger cap would be nice as well.

If I could, I would switch right now to be honest, but is there a way to get to iCloud calendars and email on an Android phone?

Yes, you can use the Gmail's calendar and Gmail itself on an Android. Also, you can either have your photos directly upload to Dropbox, or you can manually upload to Picasaweb. What I do with my photos is have the sync to Drop Box, drag them into Aperture (or iPhoto), do my edits, and them sync them up to Picasaweb.

The S3 basically does everything you listed above. I would however get an iPad 3 with LTE if I needed something now, or wait and see how the next generation iPhone would be.

 

[dontwalkhand]

Yes, you can use the Gmail's calendar and Gmail itself on an Android. Also, you can either have your photos directly upload to Dropbox, or you can manually upload to Picasaweb. What I do with my photos is have the sync to Drop Box, drag them into Aperture (or iPhoto), do my edits, and them sync them up to Picasaweb.

The S3 basically does everything you listed above. I would however get an iPad 3 with LTE if I needed something now, or wait and see how the next generation iPhone would be.

Well the problem now is that my calendars are setup in a way, where if I put an appointment in on the iPhone, they show up on other tech's iPhones as well as Macs through iCal (now called Calendar in Mountain Lion).

As for GMail, I meant the actual @me.com email, I am wondering if I can type in some email settings manually to gain access to that email account from a "non-supported" device.

Photos etc are a non-issue, I don't care much for photostream.

 

[ixodes]

If I could, I would switch right now to be honest, but is there a way to get to iCloud calendars and email on an Android phone?

I do this all the time. Gmail and iCloud interface very nicely. My S3 is terrific. I also have an HTC One X, but there is no expansion card slot, that's a major drawback if it's the only phone you have. The Samsung Galaxy Series are great. I've had all three. The Galaxy S, S II and S III.

The S III is just like a handheld laptop, there isn't anything you cannot do. I use mine the same way you are wanting to use it and more. I carry all kinds of files, and never use a cord except to charge it. The S III also has better battery life than my HTC One X.

Finally the SGS III has SWYPE, an incredibly fast fun and easy input method which really beats having to type.

Check it out. I've been using it for three years now.

http://www.swype.com/

 

[mofunk]

And get an iPhone 4, he already has one. Don't you mean a iPhone 5?

I put "two question marks" behind iPhone 4?? indicating the next iPhone. Since we don't know what Apple will call the next iPhone... I'm guessing it would look very similar to the iPhone 4 because Apple released two new iPhone 4s on Virgin and Sprint.