Help Very difficult time transitioning from iPhone 5 to the S4

[Shockwave78]

To the OP

As a iPhone user since day one, along with halving usually a few of every of iPhone ever released I I'll say this.

Google SMOKES apple as far as syncing your music, photos and everything else. The trick is you need it all link to your google account.

I have been dying to switch away from the iPhone for a couple years now and nothing has still done that, the Note 2 has been the closest. But when all this started and I tried my first serious android phone (galaxy nexus for Verizon) I was surprised as hell that everything I had synced to my phone immediately after I signed into the phone the first time after booting it up.

If you do what I am about to say you will have seems less integration on your s4 and any android phone you buy in the future.

- start a gmail account
- sync all your photos to google picas
- sync all your music to google music

If you do this your stuff will sync 1000x better than iCloud does. Trust me I know. I still am using the iPhone 5 but iCloud is just horrible compared how easy google sync yours stuff. Sign in once to your phone and you are done.

 

[rkkeller]

Then I discovered Smart Switch.... this program is even better! I am able to select certain sets of data from my iPhone backup... awesome! Except that it gets to 1% during the transfer and freezes EVERY TIME.

Itunes and iPhone is plug and play... no headaches. I have 12 more days in the window for returning the S4 and if I cant get this sorted, its going back.

Anyone have any tips or advice?

I would check your computer for problems as I have an iPhone 5 64gb and synced with iTunes then Smart Switch with no problems at all.

Kies also works fine, no problems at all.

 

[lotus49]

It's a major switch over. Apple owns people and that is the reason I will never use them.

This just isn't true.

If you want to get Apple products to work properly together you have the option to hand over all your data to Apple but if you don't everything still works well.

If you don't hand your data over to Google, things are painful and you have to resort to kludgy workarounds.

If you are happy to fully assimilated by Google, good luck to you but I'd like to have the option. Apple gives me that choice (but takes away lots of other choices unfortunately).

 

[trublond]

This just isn't true.

If you want to get Apple products to work properly together you have the option to hand over all your data to Apple but if you don't everything still works well.

If you don't hand your data over to Google, things are painful and you have to resort to kludgy workarounds.

If you are happy to fully assimilated by Google, good luck to you but I'd like to have the option. Apple gives me that choice (but takes away lots of other choices unfortunately).

Have you downloaded and installed Kies from the Samsung site. It if very iTunes-ish minus the store. I installed it this morning on my macbook and it works pretty well. I was able to transfer music and photos and it was able to back up my phone. There is also a wireless option so you don't have to physically connect it. This might take care of you concerns.

 

[lotus49]

Have you downloaded and installed Kies from the Samsung site. It if very iTunes-ish minus the store. I installed it this morning on my macbook and it works pretty well. I was able to transfer music and photos and it was able to back up my phone. There is also a wireless option so you don't have to physically connect it. This might take care of you concerns.

I have but I haven't used it except to check for updates.

I used to have an S2 and Kies used to have a terrible reputation and it was fully justified. That was two years ago though so perhaps they have improved it since then.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it another try.

 

[andromatix]

AirDroid = 'Amen'

 

[jackdubl]

I use an app called Wifi File Transfer Pro to move files from/to my PC to/from my phone. Works great.

 

[Szadzik]

Do oMacs really not have SD card slots/ readers?

 

[lotus49]

Do oMacs really not have SD card slots/ readers?

No but it's easy enough to manage that.

You can either use USB card readers or an ExpressCard/34 card reader. I think Apple (quite rightly) decided that the formats change so frequently that anything they put in would be obsolete quickly. I have a Linux laptop with an SD card slot but I don't use SD cards any more as all my devices either still use CF (ie my DSLR camera) or micro SD cards (ie my phone and Android tablet). Consequently I have to use an adapter of one sort or another whether I use a computer with an SD card slot or not.

 

[NatGreen]

I'm in the same boat as the original poster.

I'm having a hell of a time syncing my music with my S4 with iTunes on my Mac.
I've tried Double Twist (which was crap) and so many other ones and none of them worked properly or allowed me to have playlists.

The one I like best so far is TuneSync which works well BUT (and it is a big one), for the life of me I can't get it to copy the music to my external SD card.

I've tried almost every pathway it allows me to select and the one I think it should be, it won't allow me to write to that folder.

Extremely frustrating. The iPhone definitely has this whole process down in comparison.

I do like the S4 better for other things but since I use it most for music, this is a big let down.

Any advice how to get TunSync to sync on my SD card would be helpful.

 

[WalkaboutDavid]

I'm in the same boat as the original poster.

I'm having a hell of a time syncing my music with my S4 with iTunes on my Mac.
I've tried Double Twist (which was crap) and so many other ones and none of them worked properly or allowed me to have playlists.

The one I like best so far is TuneSync which works well BUT (and it is a big one), for the life of me I can't get it to copy the music to my external SD card.

I've tried almost every pathway it allows me to select and the one I think it should be, it won't allow me to write to that folder.

Extremely frustrating. The iPhone definitely has this whole process down in comparison.

I do like the S4 better for other things but since I use it most for music, this is a big let down.

Any advice how to get TunSync to sync on my SD card would be helpful.

isync works flawlessly and I've never had trouble syncing music from itunes to my SD card. In fact, it works as well as it does on my various iPods.

 

[Randy06]

So I myself have a question. With any of these ways to transfer music, say I download a few new songs on to iTunes..... Do any of these ways sync them automatically or wirelessly?

 

[WalkaboutDavid]

So I myself have a question. With any of these ways to transfer music, say I download a few new songs on to iTunes..... Do any of these ways sync them automatically or wirelessly?

I don't use Macs much, but on the PC, there are definitely wireless options. I do most of my syncs via WiFi with iSyncr.

 

[chrissyo29]

I was thinking the same thing.LOve Dropbox!!!

 

[lotus49]

I have just had a look at Kies after iSyncr crapped out on me today and it is still completely useless to me.

Like many if not most people, I use iTunes to manage all my music and I need some integration with that. I hoped that Kies would recognise the large amount of music that I have on my Mac but sadly not and I am not about to start trying to manage music in two applications.

I absolutely hate the pathetic inability of Android phones to sync elegantly, it drives me bonkers. I yearn for the days when iTunes did it all for me without ever causing me a moment's confusion or misbehaving.

 

[WalkaboutDavid]

I have just had a look at Kies after iSyncr crapped out on me today and it is still completely useless to me.

Like many if not most people, I use iTunes to manage all my music and I need some integration with that. I hoped that Kies would recognise the large amount of music that I have on my Mac but sadly not and I am not about to start trying to manage music in two applications.

I absolutely hate the pathetic inability of Android phones to sync elegantly, it drives me bonkers. I yearn for the days when iTunes did it all for me without ever causing me a moment's confusion or misbehaving.

The problem here is that you are trying to get a Google phone to play nicely with a proprietary Apple system. It is not at all surprising to me that iTunes on a MAC doesn't place nicely with an Android OS phone. ]

It works OK for me with my PC, using iTunes and iSyncr. But, in general, I find it much easier to just download music from Amazon and then move it over via drop-and-drag. I don't miss iTunes much either, which I always found clunky.

 

[nizmoz]

No but it's easy enough to manage that.

You can either use USB card readers or an ExpressCard/34 card reader. I think Apple (quite rightly) decided that the formats change so frequently that anything they put in would be obsolete quickly. I have a Linux laptop with an SD card slot but I don't use SD cards any more as all my devices either still use CF (ie my DSLR camera) or micro SD cards (ie my phone and Android tablet). Consequently I have to use an adapter of one sort or another whether I use a computer with an SD card slot or not.

MACs DO have SD Card slots. MBA's, MBP's, IMACs' MAC Pros.

 

[androidpod]

Actually I found transitioning from my iPhone 5 easy and fun.

Here's how:
First it's important to remember you are changing platforms. It's just like moving from a PC to a Mac.

If you don't compare it to what you're used to it's faster and easier to learn.

Download the user guide and read it

Slow down and give yourself time to get used to the differences.

Learn your new Android phone as it came out of the box.

Don't rush into rooting or other modifications that may not suit you once you've learned Android.

If you follow these tips you'll have an enjoyable experience with your new Android phone.

The Galaxy S4 is fast and fun just as it comes. Give TouchWiz a try before being so quick to believe those who don't like it.

I find my S4 a terrific phone.

 

[jj14x]

You are quite right that some of this would have been easier were I just to hand over all my data to Google but I don't want to do that.

With Apple, the option to use iCloud is there but I haven't taken it. I am reluctant to trust anyone with sensitive information unnecessarily so I want my data to be stored on my Mac, not on either Google's or Apple's servers.

I don't mean to sound this to sound offensive or rude in any way (so if this does sound that way, I apologize in advance), but do you actually believe that data is stored solely on a Mac and/or i<Device>? Email contacts, appointments etc are not already on Apple/Microsoft/Google/ <etc> servers?

Well, I take that back. If one stores their contacts, appointments etc in a text file or a similar document format, maybe you are right. But if one uses Outlook or thunderbird or even the iphone contact list, these large companies already have all your data.
Heck, even smaller companies were stealing data from iphones till last year

Oh, and someday when you have some spare time, try to run a network sniffer on your LAN to WAN connection to see the amount of data that iTunes sends to Apple servers every time your computer is on - makes you wonder why it sends all that data, and exactly what is being sent!

Don't get me wrong - I understand the need for privacy, but honestly, I don't expect to have privacy if I use any internet connected computer/phone etc.

Also, the 50GB Dropbox account I now have (actually 55 as I already had a 5GB Dropbox account) and 15GB for Google+ (which I don't want to join) will only store half of my music let alone all my photos.

So, if you don't trust online storage, how do you access your music/photos when you are not at home near your computer? If 70GB (55+15) is only enough for half your music, I'm suspecting you aren't storing all that data (music/photo) on your phone. (BTW, what phone do you currently have? iPhone? Or an Android Phone?)

I never said any of this couldn't be done with an Android phone, but iTunes works seamlessly and a single program did everything I need. In the Android world it's a ragbag of ugly (and they are ugly) programs plus total surrender to the Googleborg before any of this can be done

trublond summed it up pretty well - the stock applications that google installs by default on an android device (play music, gmail, google+) basically does all the sync once you sign in. Again, assuming you are ok with storing the data with Google. If you think these apps are "ragbag of ugly programs", I don't know what to say. Compared to the option of installing iTunes on my computer, I'd gladly install the 2002 (or even earlier) version of Norton on my computer (yes, that piece of bloated crap - still gives me nightmares).

and we have barely touched on the issue of backing up, which opens a whole new can of worms.

Backing up an iphone? use itunes on the computer. Are you away from home? traveling on work/vacation? Phone has problems? Tough luck. Wait till you get back home. And hope to have a recent backup available on itunes.

With Google/Android, all personal data is automatically backed up! Mail, contacts, calendar, documents, music, pictures, video...
Any other data type can be easily auto-backed up and sync'd to dropbox/box using a variety of auto-backup apps.


To sum up, if Apple's ecosystem works for you, great! Use it. If Android works better for you, great! Use it! This is androidforums.com - so obviously, you will find a lot of folks who really really like Android.

Funny how avi8tir (op) didn't really post after the first question, and this got into an Android vs iOS debate

But if op is still around, hopefully you got your issues addressed. If you still have questions, do ask - as you can see, there are a lot of very helpful folks around, who will give you useful suggestions.

 

[prerunnerseth]

The problem here is that you are trying to get a Google phone to play nicely with a proprietary Apple system. It is not at all surprising to me that iTunes on a MAC doesn't place nicely with an Android OS phone. ]

It works OK for me with my PC, using iTunes and iSyncr. But, in general, I find it much easier to just download music from Amazon and then move it over via drop-and-drag. I don't miss iTunes much either, which I always found clunky.

Bingo bango. OP is trying to get his Android to work with Apples Ecosystem. Its not syncing that's bad on android. Its syncing with iTunes that's bad. If you use Google's ecosystem for your contacts, calendars, and music then things are seamless. Google's calendar is awesome. I can make changes on my phone or on the pc. i can share my work calendar with my personal. I see my wifes calendar. As well as all the contacts. I keep everything in google and its all perfect. I cant say much for music as I dont use my phone for music. The reality is apple has their hooks in you with iTunes and it isn't by mistake. Once you have all your stuff in iTunes then you're stuck with apple devices if you want it to all work perfectly.

 

[jdCaptivate]

I plug my phone into my computer. . Open up my iTunes folder, drag and drop whatever I want onto my micro sd.

Done.

 

[lotus49]

... do you actually believe that data is stored solely on a Mac and/or i<Device>? Email contacts, appointments etc are not already on Apple/Microsoft/Google/ <etc> servers?...

Yes, I do believe that Apple has not illegally stolen my data. As you point out, one can run a sniffer and they would long have been found out if they were doing this and there would have been an almighty fuss. If I use iCloud, Apple has my data, if I don't, they don't.

So, if you don't trust online storage, how do you access your music/photos when you are not at home near your computer? If 70GB (55+15) is only enough for half your music, I'm suspecting you aren't storing all that data (music/photo) on your phone. (BTW, what phone do you currently have? iPhone? Or an Android Phone?)

It's not that I don't trust online storage, I just don't trust Apple or Google. I obviously cannot store all my music and photos on my phone as I have far too much. I don't access any of my 700GB of photos online and I have just copied about 22GB of music onto my phone.

I have an S4 and an iPhone 5 so I am familiar with both. I prefer the S4 but syncing and backing up are a million times easier and more reliable with my iPhone.

...assuming you are ok with storing the data with Google...

As I said, I'm not and anyway, Google wouldn't give me enough space.

Backing up an iphone? use itunes on the computer. Are you away from home? traveling on work/vacation? Phone has problems?

It's never happened and I am very happy to take that risk.

With Google/Android, all personal data is automatically backed up! Mail, contacts, calendar, documents, music, pictures, video...

There isn't enough space. I have more than 1.5TB of music, photographs and videos, although I don't actually care about accessing photographs and videos away from home.

To sum up, if Apple's ecosystem works for you, great! Use it. If Android works better for you, great! Use it! This is androidforums.com - so obviously, you will find a lot of folks who really really like Android.

I like Android. I just wish I could sync properly. I am not prepared to hand over all my data to either Apple or Google and, in any event, Google wouldn't give me enough space to manage my music online. I don't think it's not too much to ask that I can do the same with an Android phone that I can do with my iPhone.

 

[jj14x]

Fair enough. I (my opinion only) believe that there is no practical way on earth that I can keep my Email/contact/calendar information out of various data mining companies. Email, by its very nature, has to be transmitted across servers, and at the very minimum, the transmitting and recipient servers will have copies of it. Same thing with contact Email addresses. Contact addresses and Calendar information - sure. Local copies could work - but is cumbersome to me, to not have that information available to me on other devices.
But given that you are sensitive/careful about that information, I see your point about not wanting to share that.

Yes, I do believe that Apple has not illegally stolen my data. As you point out, one can run a sniffer and they would long have been found out if they were doing this and there would have been an almighty fuss. If I use iCloud, Apple has my data, if I don't, they don't.

Whether Apple has illegally stolen data or did that legally based on the fine print in their agreements/T&Cs, all I can tell you is this - I have run a sniffer, and while I couldn't see the exact data being sent (encrypted), I don't see any reason for itunes to be sending several gigs of data every week (not talking about receiving updates - I'm strictly referring to outbound transmissions) to Apple (and other) servers. I noticed this because my connectivity was painfully slowing down (I was on a low-speed internet connection then), and was forced to figure out what was using up the bandwidth.

No, I have never used iCloud, and this is with iTunes years ago, when I had just downloaded and installed iTunes for use with my iPod. The only "Accept" button I had clicked was the one needed to launch iTunes.

Refer my link to the article explaining where apps were pulling your data illegally.

It's not that I don't trust online storage, I just don't trust Apple or Google.

Ok. I don't really mean to get into an argument, but this is something that I have debated about (with myself) for a long time. "Why?" So, what if I store my contacts/calendar on Google servers? Besides the obvious advantages, what exactly are the issues with that? (I'm not saying that it is perfectly ok/safe to do so -I don't know, and this is a genuine question).
I use "Google now", and find it incredibly useful. Obviously, it works only if I store my info with Google.
What can google do with it?

• Will they spam my friends/co-workers on my contact list? (no evidence yet)
• Will they use it to help the govt if I do something illegal? (well, govt will get what they want - regardless of what you share, and what you don't)
• Will they use my information to show me ads on the browser? They are going to show me ads no matter what. This just lets them show me relevant ads (which I promptly block using adblock.)

Again, please understand that I am in no way trying to argue that it is ok to share your information with the giants. It is your info, and you have your reasons for your choice. Perfectly valid, because it pertains to you.
Personally, I gave in a while ago, because I didn't see a reason to not do that. Who knows, I may regret that choice in a few years

I have an S4 and an iPhone 5 so I am familiar with both. I prefer the S4 but syncing and backing up are a million times easier and more reliable with my iPhone.
...

I like Android. I just wish I could sync properly.
...
I don't think it's not too much to ask that I can do the same with an Android phone that I can do with my iPhone.

Agreed. Google doesn't really make it easy to keep your information to yourself. Not only that, they really don't encourage us to use non-google applications. Unless you are a paying google-apps user, you can't really sync your outlook contacts/calendar with google - there are third party applications that claim to do that, but why wouldn't google offer that? Because they want people to use their services. Sucks that they don't encourage syncing with other online services, but it is their choice.

Thanks for this (civil) discussion - it is appreciated

 

[hbryder]

I know that the S4 is an amazing phone. But this transition is about to drive me CRAZY!

The simplcity of syncing an iphone is great. Unless I am missing something (like, missing a train wreck right in front of my eyes) syncing the S4 is a nightmare.

FYI I have the 32GB with a 64GB mem card installed.

I have downloaded Kia and Smart Switch. Kia crashes 90% of the time... I cannot get it to load anything properly onto the phone....

I have about 18,000 photos on my PC... about 30GB or so. All organized into folders by date or event. Nice and neat. Yet when I transfer them to my phone, I lose all organization and it just throws all of them into one folder called "PICTURES"... so all of the structure from my PC is lost.

Music.... again.... about 30GB.... Kia crashes every time.

Then I discovered Smart Switch.... this program is even better! I am able to select certain sets of data from my iPhone backup... awesome! Except that it gets to 1% during the transfer and freezes EVERY TIME.

Itunes and iPhone is plug and play... no headaches. I have 12 more days in the window for returning the S4 and if I cant get this sorted, its going back.

Anyone have any tips or advice?

Have you tried Airdroid. I found it to be easier and more user friendly than kies

 

[hbryder]

This just isn't true.

If you want to get Apple products to work properly together you have the option to hand over all your data to Apple but if you don't everything still works well.

If you don't hand your data over to Google, things are painful and you have to resort to kludgy workarounds.

If you are happy to fully assimilated by Google, good luck to you but I'd like to have the option. Apple gives me that choice (but takes away lots of other choices unfortunately).

I'm not sure if you have tried this but Airdroid works quite nicely, it's done over your wireless network so it's as secure as your network is.