July 15, 2012

A Google A Day...Why I'm Thinking of Switching From Apple

I'm thinking about switching to Google products...again.  Why "again"?  Because I seem to go back and forth between whether to buy Apple or Google products.  Why Google?  I already use all their cloud services to take care of my digital life.  It seems like the logical plan would be to switch to the Google devices too.  The Nexus 7 is the main cause for my recent desire to switch.  It is a pure Google device, which promises to always be up-to-date with the latest version of Android and to be the best 7" tablet out, with a quad-core processor and more.  Here's their intro video:


That, combined with the Galaxy Nexus, which would be the best Android phone available because it too runs a pure version of Android, would allow me to seamlessly switch from phone to tablet without losing information or access to my files.

The only problem I have in making the switch is the commitment I've already made to Apple.  App purchases are the biggest, and as I write this I'm realizing I don't really use many apps that cost me money, but I know they work the way i want them to work.  Really, I use the free apps like Twitter and Instagram to update my least favorite of apps, Facebook, so all my life is available to the waiting 50 people max that follow me.  I just know all my wit can not be wasted or missed.  Beyond apps, Apple's market share makes it hard to leave the devices most people are using.  From my parents to most of my coworkers, the iPhone is still the majority device.  Most of the Android people are diehards and praise their phones, but sometimes I can't tell if that's denial talking or true praise for their phones.  iPhone is everywhere and works well with other iPhones.  Android, although popular as well, does not have the market share the iPhone has.  But, maybe that's a good thing too.  Just as Apple once was the underdog, pushed to make better products, so too are Google's devices and they've continued to get better and better.  In fact, I would say from the first version to current, Android has increased in abilities and features much passed that of Apple's iOS software.

Anyway, I thought I'd post something about it.  Maybe Google will want me as a tester....ha...a guy can dream.  I actually watch a documentary last night on Google called "Inside the Mind of Google".  It made me want to work for them.  Produced by CNBC, and available to watch on Netflix or in a browser here, it was a balanced view of the company's business, weighing pros and cons on the type of business Google conducts.  With access to so much private information about so many people, Google is easily demonized.  But, I felt like from the top down, people at Google want to follow their own policies (not required by law) to protect its users privacy.  If anything, I believe I gained a deeper respect for Google and their commitment to operate within its policies and attempt to be fair, private, and reliable to its users.  If you want more on my opinion of Google, check out my old post "If I Were CEO...Google" from 2010.

2 comments:

  1. I completely agree. If you are going to switch you have to go with a "pure" android device. All the fragmentation is ridiculous. Most devices are still running 2.3 gingerbread which is unacceptable. However, after purchasing my MacBook Air I feel that everything is finally completely in sync. Everything I do instantly switches over to my iPhone. My apple tv and my air work perfect and iTunes sync on my mac is beautiful for music. My best suggestion for you would be to go get some kind of MacBook and try it out. There is a return policy, no questions asked of 14 days. See how much more convenient everything becomes.

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  2. Some thoughts,

    Are you using dropbox? It's still better than google drive but more expensive.

    Might be worth it to wait to see if the ipad mini is a reality. If so it will be a solid competitor to google nexus 7.

    I'm no apple fanboy but I would also want to protect my app investment, and there are already too many apps that I'm not sure I could replace. Also Ios 6 promises much.

    Right now I have PC + iphone + ipad + dropbox + itunes match, and I can't imagine google offering a better all-device sync scenario. Probably comprable, but I doubt better.

    Also battery life on ios devices is still better.

    Cheerio,

    - dan

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