Apple Convert: Can i keep my same set-up?

[amirac]

Hello everyone. I'll try to make this short.

I'm a previous Android user who bought an iPhone and MacBook, but despised not having the customization options i'm used to with Windows and Android (even after jailbreaking) and want to go back Android without sacrificing much of my workflow.

Generally, i believe Apple's position in modern technology is one of creating a dependent culture by ways of consumerism and clever marketing, but im not here to bash . . . they're great devices. Just not for me anymore.

Going through multiple iDevices, my last straw was when normally removable internal computer components were soldered to the motherboard in the new retina MacBook Pros--so i sold my MacBook Pro (originally because i had water damage which affirmed my decision even more) and got a laptop PC with Windows OS.

Oh, how i missed having decent specs and high resolution screen at an affordable price.

. . .

My current set-up is a non smart-phone, iPod Touch 5th Gen 64gb and said Windows laptop. I carry both the phone and ipod with me daily.

I use the iPod as a media tablet of sorts with heavy use of all features. I'm a freelance photographer and use a variety of apps, most of the 64gb device storage,listen to music, imessage, check email, ipod camera, social media etc excessively. It's really useful. My phone just handle my calls and texts.

I'd like to, if possible, keep this set up without sacrificing much.

. . .

Are there non-phone devices with Android OS (or maybe Windows 8 ) that would fit this set-up? An iPod Touch equivalent?

I've been researching tablets and was amazed by how many there are outside of iPads. However, they're generally over 8" and can't fit in my pocket. (if that's my only option then i'll consider it)

Preferably with microSD storage, but i wouldnt mind internal.


Thank you.
I look forward to owning my devices once again.

 

[Italo]

First, I can't think of anything you would want to shoot pictures with. There are 7" tablets like the Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab line. The Galaxy Tab has a SD card slot, so you could add as much storage as you need. Any Android device should be able to handle music, messaging, email, social media, browsing, etc. iMessage is an Apple thing. So, you would have to use something else, like WhatsApp.

 

[nickdalzell]

I don't think there are any decent 4" Android tablets at all. There was the Samsung Galaxy Player but even it seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth all of a sudden. The rest are 7" and the smaller ones cheesy budget tablets you wouldn't want.

MS doesn't make any small Surface tablets. Plus they cost far more than even the cheapest iPad and lack tons of apps. The cheapest Surface RT here is $499.

 

[chanchan05]

You can always buy an Android phone and not activate it on a network.

 

[amirac]

...There are 7" tablets like the Nexus 7 or Galaxy Tab line. The Galaxy Tab has a SD card slot, so you could add as much storage as you need...

I just read about the Nexus 7's. I've also read there are rumors of a Nexus 8 with some improvements. As i'm not in a rush, i kind of want to see how the Nexus 8 prices. I like what i'm seeing so far compared to the Galaxy Tab. I think i could deal with a 7" device.

You can always buy an Android phone and not activate it on a network.

I've considered that as well. Kinda iffy on battery life as i'm sure the cellular capability takes a chunk of the batter life even if not in use.

 

[chanchan05]

Nope the cellular won't use battery. Just set it in airplane mode.

 

[nickdalzell]

WiFi also works within airplane mode.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Hi there, amirac, and welcome to Android Forums.

You've gotten some great responses so far, and there's not much I can add. But I did want to address this:

I'm a previous Android user who bought an iPhone and MacBook, but despised not having the customization options i'm used to with Windows and Android

If you think THOSE offer customization options, you ought to try Linux! My favorite distribution is Kubuntu, and it's not an exaggeration to say that it's possible to spend all day every day customizing it and never having time to do anything else.

Here's a shot of one of my computers. The desktop cube is just one of many visual effects you can enable--and customize. Each side of the cube represents another desktop. I don't think windows has stolen the multiple desktop concept yet--and we've only had it in the UNIX/Linux world since...oh, 1970! You can have separate wallpaper and widgets on each desktop. I always set mine to 9 because I like how that looks on the desktop cube, but you can have more or less depending on taste.

Oh, how i missed having decent specs and high resolution screen at an affordable price.

Linux. Free. So you spend your hard-earned $$$ on great hardware, not proprietary software.

Anyway, if you're interested in learning more about Linux, please pop in on our Computers & IT board. We'll be happy to discuss it.

 

[nickdalzell]

That Compiz cube would be nice if you could do things such as interact with those three screens simultaneously. Other than that it's needless video card hogging eye candy.

 

[mikedt]

WiFi also works within airplane mode.

Yup, because there's often WiFi on planes these days. In fact I could have been online for almost the whole time between London and Beijing, if I was prepared to pay $50....which I didn't.

 

[MoodyBlues]

That Compiz cube would be nice if you could do things such as interact with those three screens simultaneously. Other than that it's needless video card hogging eye candy.

I'm not sure what type of interaction you're thinking of, but I know there are various things that can be done. So...let's take this to the Linux uber-thread rather than completely hijack this thread!

 

[breadnatty08]

You can always buy an Android phone and not activate it on a network.

This is what I've done with my Moto G. I don't have it activated but use it as a media player at work. I used it very briefly tied to T-Mo to try out their service and between the two times never saw much of a hit to battery life with a cell connection.

 

[nickdalzell]

Whenever I had that cube setup, if it's visible as in your screen shot all you can do is look at it. You cannot open apps with it displayed. It will just return to normal view if you click on anything. It would be neat if you could open apps, decide to play music or video on one screen while surfing the Web on the other, while editing via GIMP on the third. True multitasking in the most eye-catching manner. Sigh...

 

[MoodyBlues]

Whenever I had that cube setup, if it's visible as in your screen shot all you can do is look at it. You cannot open apps with it displayed.

I'm trying to figure out how that would work. :hmmmm:

Keeping in mind that each side of the cube is simply a graphical representation of each desktop, you're basically saying you want programs to be able to run...on NO desktop?

Let's look at windows with its "we still only have one desktop!" model. Can you run an application outside of that one desktop? Like dangling in mid-air over the computer? :laugh: I don't think so. Yet that's what you're expecting with Linux.

Programs run on desktops. The cube is just a pretty way of looking at all your desktops, and rotating it to choose the desktop you want [or just for fun when you're bored ]. When the cube is displayed you're not on any desktop.

It will just return to normal view if you click on anything. It would be neat if you could open apps, decide to play music or video on one screen while surfing the Web on the other, while editing via GIMP on the third. True multitasking in the most eye-catching manner. Sigh...

Well, since it's *nix, of course true multitasking is right there at your fingertips. If you want to have the GIMP running on one desktop, your web browser on another, and music/video on another, but want to access all of them easily, you can either switch desktops [via any number of user-specified methods, such as scrolling with a trackball] to go to each one or use 'all desktops' to have them displayed everywhere.

 

[nickdalzell]

Perhaps i'm just expecting Linux to be a lot like those cool flat designs seen in many sci fi shows, where their glass desk becomes a monitor and they're flipping through 3-D stacked representations of apps from many different desktops or virtual workstations. that's something i'd like to see. seeing only a stacked bunch of apps on one desktop is so Windows 98. i'd give anything for those cubed desktops to be interacted with simultaneously and be able to 'pull' apps and arrange them within the cube but outside the desktop showing into it. it needs added functions otherwise it's just eye candy. a fancy version of Android's recent app switcher but otherwise useless.

 

[neudof]

Just buy a galaxy note 3 and have 1 device for everything you need