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How do you honestly like Windows instead of MacOS? Do you have a Samsung tablet? If so how do you like it to an iPad. And how do you like the different ecosystem and integration of Android and Windows compared to iOS, iPadOS and MacOS?

Might need another thread to answer but I am really curious on how you feel about all of that, specially after the newness wears off.
I'm actually not really big into tablets or computers. I just have a work Windows computer, so what's nice is that I use Chrome on both of them, so I guess that syncs up pretty nicely.
 
I'm actually not really big into tablets or computers. I just have a work Windows computer, so what's nice is that I use Chrome on both of them, so I guess that syncs up pretty nicely.
Makes sense. Now you have more functionality with link to Windows on your s25u than you did with your iPhone. I thought since you said got rid of all Apple products you may have had a Mac or more.

Hope you continue to enjoy your new phone!
 
Makes sense. Now you have more functionality with link to Windows on your s25u than you did with your iPhone. I thought since you said got rid of all Apple products you may have had a Mac or more.

Hope you continue to enjoy your new phone!
Exactly. And it's cool. Link to Windows isn't blocked by my work. Dex is but not Link, which is fine.

Speaking of Dex, I'm still trying to find a real use case for it. It's cool, but I haven't really needed it.

And thanks!
 
Exactly. And it's cool. Link to Windows isn't blocked by my work. Dex is but not Link, which is fine.

Speaking of Dex, I'm still trying to find a real use case for it. It's cool, but I haven't really needed it.

And thanks!
DEX is one of those tools that supports the overall Samsung/Android ethos :)

Non fans like to call it the "kitchen sink" but I think it's more like having a Swiss army knife in your pocket, as when push comes to shove you can normally find a way around with Android opposed to a brick wall with IOS

I have used DEX when away on short breaks with Hotel TV's successfully especially when WiFi casting wont work
 
DEX is one of those tools that supports the overall Samsung/Android ethos :)

Non fans like to call it the "kitchen sink" but I think it's more like having a Swiss army knife in your pocket, as when push comes to shove you can normally find a way around with Android opposed to a brick wall with IOS

I have used DEX when away on short breaks with Hotel TV's successfully especially when WiFi casting wont work
Well boom there's a use case! Never thought about hotels. Probably because Chomecrast always has had issues in hotels.
 
I have used DEX when away on short breaks with Hotel TV's successfully especially when WiFi casting wont work

How does this work exactly? I've noticed some hotels are starting to bring in Chromecast and I do bring my Apple TV with me, but maybe I don't need to do that? Can I stream things from my phone to the TV in a hotel room using Dex?
 
How does this work exactly? I've noticed some hotels are starting to bring in Chromecast and I do bring my Apple TV with me, but maybe I don't need to do that? Can I stream things from my phone to the TV in a hotel room using Dex?
With DEX you can run multiple phone apps etc on the Hotel TV, a bit like using it as a monitor but Dex is actually more than that and it mimics a laptop like experience, so not just casting your phone

More often than not you cant connect wireless in Hotels but Dex will also work with the correct usb-c to hdmi cable if you cant use WiFi casting with Dex

Sure if you have a laptop with you, you could do the same, but many favourite apps are only on your phone and/or work better than the browser versions from a laptop.

I did for a while run Android apps direct on a Windows 11 laptop but now I am back on MB I haven't bothered

I guess its a bit of a niche case but at least you have a solutions when there is an important event or requirement and you want a big screen experience :)
 
Had my first real test with the camera today at my son's basketball game and decided to use Expert Raw and bump up the shutter speed a bit and it didn't disappoint. Had a couple of photos that turned out amazing and some with a little bit of blur, but Google Photos polished them up perfectly.

The next test will be Gulf Shores in 2 weeks. I'm going to try to take some professional looking pics of my wife at the beach during sunset. Probably going to try the 200mp mode for that and see how that turns out!
 
I haven't been able to drop my Apple Watch Ultra 2 with the S25 Ultra. Running the two together. My old iPhone 16 Pro is in a drawer at home keeping the watch connected along with the watch data plan. This seems to be working remarkably OK.

So my current plan is to keep this configuration going until the new Samsung watches are released in August. Then I may take a view on changing the configuration.

So I will be either all Samsung or all Apple with the introduction of the iPhone 17 Pro range from September onwards.
 
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Why is the apple draw so strong? Happy with my S25U, but I just ordered an 16PM. Really miss the watch as well, Samsungs just isn't as good. Have to compare and see what I keep.

my friend has just done exactly the same thing. He's been planning a swap to samsung for a year or so, finally got out of the ecosystem and had everything setup for the s25u. Really didn't think it was as smooth as iphone. Some stuff really got in the way for him and it's possible he could've fixed it with enough googling, but his point was he didn't have to fix anything on the iphone, it just boringly worked.

He's a security guy and some of his auth apps were clunky on android, finger print login never worked well for him despite reenrolling, as a fitness guy he massively prefers apple health, notifications (couldnt help him with that one since I agree), faceid wasnt auth'd for his banking apps and other stuff and wasnt as fast/good as on the iphone.

It got to the point where, although a very open minded and great tech guy, I could tell he was just fed up with the experience. He ended up selling everything samsung and buying a 16pm and watch again and of course he's really happy again.

Ironically, I've tried to switch him to macos for years and he keeps buying and trying but prefers windows.

Anyway, all of which is just to say it's good that we have the choice of some really excellent phones these days no matter which feels best for our personal use cases.
 
I guess I'm the only guy that uses an iPhone but when it comes to the AWU it stays in the drawer more often than my Samsung Ultra
Told ya you would like the Samsung Ultra. I probably use mine 80% of the time while my AWU2 is sitting on my nightstand. I still do prefer the Apple Watch software but I just love the look of the Samsung Ultra and the marine band is probably my favorite band on any watch.
 
Why is the apple draw so strong? Happy with my S25U, but I just ordered an 16PM. Really miss the watch as well, Samsungs just isn't as good. Have to compare and see what I keep.
Apple does a great job of keeping you tied into their ecosystem. As long as iMessage is exclusive to Apple and Facetime is semi exclusive and their devices all just work so seamlessly together the struggle to leave the Apple ecosystem will remain, at least in the US, where Apple has the majority of users and we are so reliant upon iMessage over the alternatives like Whatsapp.
 
Well I ended up ordering a S25U and was able to get the Watch 7 for $97, so I got that as well. I got a $600 trade-in for my Pixel 8 Pro, so the pain wasn't that bad.

I know it was most likely a mistake, but as much as I love my iPhone, I just get bored sometimes and need something new to play with. Boys with Toys as as they say.

As far as the notification delay, someone mentioned it might have something to do when the phone is idle. I think there might be something to that. The last 2 days I did an experiment. At noon, my Bible apps pings my iPhone with my daily Bible verse, but nothing on the Pixel. So I waited 15 minutes, still nothing, so I unlocked the phone and it came right through. So there could be something in Android which is putting some apps in a deep enough sleep that they don't receive push notifications when the phone is idle.
 
Told ya you would like the Samsung Ultra. I probably use mine 80% of the time while my AWU2 is sitting on my nightstand. I still do prefer the Apple Watch software but I just love the look of the Samsung Ultra and the marine band is probably my favorite band on any watch.
100% my friend. You were spot on
 
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As far as the notification delay, someone mentioned it might have something to do when the phone is idle. I think there might be something to that. The last 2 days I did an experiment. At noon, my Bible apps pings my iPhone with my daily Bible verse, but nothing on the Pixel. So I waited 15 minutes, still nothing, so I unlocked the phone and it came right through. So there could be something in Android which is putting some apps in a deep enough sleep that they don't receive push notifications when the phone is idle.

I read a blog from a frustrated developer who was saying the same thing. He released his app on iphone all good, then released on android and had people telling him that it wasn't updating throughout the day. So he added a prompt "turn off battery optimisation/deep sleep" etc which he felt wasn't very user friendly but helped a bit. Still not perfect though.
 
I read a blog from a frustrated developer who was saying the same thing. He released his app on iphone all good, then released on android and had people telling him that it wasn't updating throughout the day. So he added a prompt "turn off battery optimisation/deep sleep" etc which he felt wasn't very user friendly but helped a bit. Still not perfect though.
So is that something you can do on a per app basis somewhere in the Android settings?
 
One thing I've definitely noticed is that the coating on the screen is much tougher than my last 4 or 5 iPhones. Each of them would start to develop micro scratches after about 2-3 weeks of use. Not one on my S25 Ultra so far. It could be dumb luck too but definitely interesting.
 
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One thing I've definitely noticed is that the coating on the screen is much tougher than my last 4 or 5 iPhones. Each of them would start to develop micro scratches after about 2-3 weeks of use. Not one on my S25 Ultra so far. It could be dumb luck too but definitely interesting.
Yes, it's a lot better than my late S24U .
 
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I think I just figured out the Apple pull that you guys were talking about in the morning yesterday. With Android you have so many options when it comes to tweaking your device the way you want. Yesterday I had a lot of fun with it and probably used about 5 different icon packs, wallpapers, configurations just to try things out and by the end of the day, I was tired by it and suddenly had the feeling that with the iPhone, I would just set my configuration and not think about it. Suddenly I felt the pull and even started looking for deals.

So I think I figured this whole thing out on a psychological level. As humans, the feeling of being locked in and having things chosen for you provides a feeling of comfort. Yes, the brand has something to do with it too of course but my overwhelming feeling was one of being overwhelmed by the end of the day and feeling like I just need to calm down. The ironic part of all of it is that you can do the same thing on Android. Set your configuration and stick with it.

So this is why I think so many people that switch struggle over the first couple of months. They're given choice and their brain is wired to resist it.
 
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