New Guy Alert

[Sourapple]

Hello,

New to the forums, and Android. Currently using iPhone. Can't wait to get Note 3. Will be first time using Android. Please feel free to send any suggestions or point me in the right direction. All suggestions are welcome.

I am not here to bash my current phone, but I can't wait to have a phone that is not so small. Messaging on it is painful and frustrating.

Thats all for now, glad to be here.

Sourapple

 

[redpill2016]

You're not the only one! I'm going from iPhone -> Note 3 as well.

Come on over and see us in the Note 3 forum

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 - Android Forums

 

[Ssith]

my first step would be googling "top 25 apps for android" and perusing the lists to see if they look like something you'd use. there are a lot of options for things like keyboards, messaging apps, and mail apps, and you need to know what you like, what you don't like, and what will work for you.

get yourself a file manager right away, since going in and finding things manually can be necessary from time to time. i recommend ES File Explorer or Astro File Manager.

 

[bjacks12]

Nova Launcher is your friend.

 

[treb1797]

Sourapple,

Welcome to the forums. Glad to have ya :thumbup:

 

[Simon_Gardner]

I'm lapping this all up since I'm getting the Note 3 as my first smartphone - period - on Tuesday/Wednesday [Sep 24/25]. I really haven't any sort of a clue.

 

[breadnatty08]

Welcome to the forums, Sourapple! :wavey:
It takes a little searching, but your best bet would be to head over to the Applications and Android Lounge forums; there's a ton of great info for changing platforms.
Also, you can scour the Play Store online ahead of time to see if the apps you use on iOS are available for Android. Reading blogs for Android as well can be helpful for finding tips, tricks, apps and anything else that would help out. One of my personal favorites is Droid-Life.

 

[Scootmien]

Welcome to the forums, Sourapple!

Also, you can scour the Play Store online ahead of time to see if the apps you use on iOS are available for Android.

Breadnatty brings up a very good point. As I run an iPhone as well as an Android phone, I found out that about 85% of the apps I liked on iOS are available for Android. I reckon that percentage is higher now though as I haven't looked for a while.

 

[TulsaTime]

I will second that. Love my nova launcher

 

[The_Chief]

Hi Sourapple and welcome to Android Forums!

First of all, we dont expect you to bash your iPhone here. Android and iOS do many of the same things, only... differently. So no bashing needed. And no personal attacks are tolerated here, so if anyone starts in with the "fanboi" garbage, LET ME KNOW

Second, and on to answering your question...

Here are my must-have Android apps, available in the Google Store:

AirDroid - allows you to wirelessly move files to the PC, and even read & answer texts and e-mails on your PC screen.

Amazon Appstore and Amazon mp3. Amazon has their own Android app store with a free app every day; and their music collection is groovy.

AVG - antivirus and anti-malware. Get used to scanning for it.

Camscanner - scan documents into file or PDF format, then e-mail, text or fax them.

Cerberus - an AWESOME anti-theft app. You can hide it from the app drawer so no one knows it's there, lock the phone, snap a pic of the phone thief remotely without their knowledge, message them, and remotely wipe the phone if it's gone for good.

Chrome Beta - my default browser. Excellent.

Dynamic Notifications - This does what the Moto X's Active notifications do: tell you what you just got with a preview, rather than just a flashing LED.

Feedly - my favorite RSS reader.

InCall Recorder - does what it says. Check local laws before using

Google Play Music - my fave music player.

SwiftKey Keyboard - the #1 Android keyboard replacement.


That's it for now. Whew!

It's great to have you here

 

[Sourapple]

Thanks so much to all who replied. I appreciate the recommendations, and will be checking in frequently to keep up on information.
I am so glad this forum exists to provide the resources that someone like myself will surely need going forward.

 

[NJRonbo]

SourApple,

Wanted to quickly add a welcome and say that I am, and forever will be, a hardcore Apple user. I own an iMac, Macbook Pro and iPad.

I owned the iPhone from #1 all the way up to #4.

When Apple announced iPhone 5 last year I realized I had enough with their tiny screen.

I have a Note II and love it. Have the Note III on preorder.

Great recommendations in this thread thus far.

I have to be honest....

I think in some ways, having all Apple devices, OS X is better than Android. I will definitely return to Apple should their rumored 6" iPhone become a reality next year.

Android is a good operating system in that you can customize to your heart's content. The only problems I see is that there is no good notification system like the iPhone has, and, I have yet to see an email program as good as the one on the iPhone. AquaMail is the closest that I could find in that department.

Good Luck.