subject: The Latest Smartphones And A More Unified Brand Experience [print this page] I am a Mac girl who loves her Gmail and buys most of my digital content from Amazon. The latest smartphones and tablets, however, emphasize a unified, one brand experience and are making it harder to sustain a diverse approach. For example, due to iCloud, my Google calendar no longer automatically syncs with my iPhone, which it used to do seamlessly. Also, Amazon's Kindles are Android-based, but Google recently launched Google Play, its revamped online content store, and all Google tablet rumors point to a tablet that will primarily compete with the Kindle Fire, not the iPad. It certainly seems like Google is trying to carve out its own niche that in many ways mimics what Apple and Amazon have already done. While none of these developments prevent me from using all of the products I love, it does suggest that if I want to have the most seamless experience, I will need to select one over the others.
While all of them have their flaws, I am incredibly loyal to each brand and chafe at the idea of having to choose. With my phone contract nearing its conclusion, however, I know that my next smartphone will largely dictate how I will narrow my focus. If you had asked me six months ago, I would not have hesitated to say that I would purchase the latest version of the iPhone. Now, iCloud's incompatibility with one of my favorite Google products, the lure of the Kindle Fire, and the discussion of a Google tablet have me reconsidering. The fact that Apple products, as cool as they are, are incredibly pricy, starts to tip the scales in the other direction, but really it comes down to who has the better phone for my needs, which mostly revolves around the operating system.
I have always thought of Android versus iOS as similar to the longstanding Mac versus Windows debate. Having used both, I can say they are both excellent systems that also have their negatives, that transitioning from one to another takes a bit of patience, and, in the end, it largely comes down to personal preference and, for many of us, your current financial situation. When my budget has been tight, I have bought Windows laptops, but when my wallet allows I always choose a MacBook. Now, there are plenty of people out there who will always buy a Windows computer regardless of how flush they are, but that is when personal preference becomes the determining factor. All this is to say that I have never used an Android device and realized it was time to do some digging.
I was actually surprised but what I found. There are tons of Android versus iOS videos on YouTube, but one particular series caught my eye. While slanted towards Android, it was clear that wicked4u2c likes Apple products, too, and understands their appeal. Some of the features he showcased were actually quite intriguing, and one of the things that may sway me in the end is the level of customization available in Ice Cream Sandwich. Apple has a habit of forcing its users to do things their way, which may not always be the best way. Not to beat a dead horse, but I prefer Google calendar to iCal and Firefox to Safari. While Android certainly steers you towards Google Chrome, the ability to choose another browser is also seamlessly integrated. With Android you seem to have more options, and that is tremendously appealing.
Will it be enough to convince me to choose the Galaxy Nexus over the iPhone 4s? It is hard to say. Currently, I have Mac hardware, and there are benefits to product synergy. On the other hand, as much as I want one, I do not see an iPad 3 in my future anytime soon, so any tablet device I buy will most likely run Android. How annoying would it be to work with two very different mobile operating systems on a regular basis? Would I like the variety or would the cognitive dissonance be too severe? Perhaps, the most important thing I can do before choosing one of the latest smart phones, is to buy myself a much more affordable tablet and take Android for a spin. I may end up hating it, but I could also fall in love. Now, I just need to decide between Amazon's Kindle Fire and the highly anticipated but mysterious Google tablet that has not been formally introduced yet. If they are both primarily a digital content device, then it is time to look a little closer at Google Play, and figure out if I can have the best of both worlds. Decisions, decisions . . .
