Coming from Android, Comparisons and Questions

[Skull One]

I took a movie of my cats this morning and attempted to email it to my wife. Too large it said. Well, if it's too large for email then maybe I can put it in dropbox.

But there is no option to do that unless you have dropbox configured to move everything over there. And I wanted this in my wife's shared folder with me.

I got it there but I had to go into dropbox on my computer and then move it to my desktop. From there I could place it in the correct dropbox location.

Am I missing something here? Is thee an easier way o do this?

Lets see if we can solve this issue for you permanently

I have tested the following "web storage" applications under iOS 6: Dropbox, Google Drive, Sky Drive (Microsoft), and Box. The test consisted of the ability to upload a 59 second movie (taken on my iPhone 4S) to a folder of my choice and play it back from that folder to see if anything was changed (IE new compression). I used stock settings to do all testing and I made sure I wasn't set for automatic syncing (which I dislike). Here are my results using A thru F scoring system.

DropBox: A. The only complaint I have is the speed at which DropBox operates. It doesn't seem to utilize your full bandwidth. Otherwise the video was 100% intact.

Google Drive: D-. While you can upload a video and it does work, Google Drive compresses the video before uploading. The resulting playback is sub par because of this compression.

Sky Drive: B. The several complaints for Microsoft's offering. First, no progress bar. Talk about "Really? You forgot to add that?". Second, the web interface and automatic sync to PC feature can get "lost" and require you to reboot the PC to resync them. Otherwise the video was 100% intact.

Box: F-. File was to large for their "standard free package". They limit to a max of 100 MB.


So at present I can only recommend DropBox as a solution to your issue. The steps needed to use DropBox in the fashion you want are as follow:

1) Launch DropBox on the iDevice.
2) Bottom row icons, click on Uploads.
3) Top row icons, click on the +.
4) Bottom of screen, click on folder to select the folder you want to use for uploading.
5) Click on Camera Roll.
6) Click on Movie.
7) Top row icons, click on Upload.

Then it is simply a matter of waiting for it to upload. Hope that helps.

 

[hookbill]

OK. I can see that working. Again, coming from Android we just tapped once and dropbox was an option. In order for this to work there are 5 additional steps.

This is the same thing I ran across on making Ringtones. Several steps instead of just one.

lol, if I keep this up everyone is going to think I'm not happy with it. That's not the case at all, heck having the battery last 24 hours is freaking amazing Better quality pictures. And the phone itself is much better then my Bionic.

I did find background pictures you can download, the only thing is you have to remember to push the button for the pic. Is that a big deal? No. Just that there is a way to do it without having to jailbreak the phone.

 

[Skull One]

OK. I can see that working. Again, coming from Android we just tapped once and dropbox was an option. In order for this to work there are 5 additional steps.

This is the same thing I ran across on making Ringtones. Several steps instead of just one.

lol, if I keep this up everyone is going to think I'm not happy with it. That's not the case at all, heck having the battery last 24 hours is freaking amazing Better quality pictures. And the phone itself is much better then my Bionic.

I did find background pictures you can download, the only thing is you have to remember to push the button for the pic. Is that a big deal? No. Just that there is a way to do it without having to jailbreak the phone.

There are soooo many things I still miss, to this day, from Android and I have been on iOS since April 2011. Integration and customization under Android is simply put, its best selling point. Right up till you look at how bad your battery life and stability can be once you load up all the nifty little toys at the same time.



Oh and I just read your signature.... What to do about that.... *BIG GRIN*

 

[mister69]

I am new here.

Came here to read on android users that made the switch.

Seems the consensus is exactly what I thought....iphone 5 has some limitations and the maps aren't as good.

But as I read....the camera and build quality is a lot better on iPhone 5.


I have a galaxy nexus and love it.


Did any of you have a hard time adjusting to the smaller screen?

 

[Highrisedrifter]

There are soooo many things I still miss, to this day, from Android and I have been on iOS since April 2011. Integration and customization under Android is simply put, its best selling point. Right up till you look at how bad your battery life and stability can be once you load up all the nifty little toys at the same time.

I also miss the customisation. Being able to have an app to block unwanted texts and phonecalls was a godsend. The problem is that the numbers get blocked and the companies go out and buy a new PAYG sim and just start all over again, so in effect the call/text blocking only lasted a day or two before exactly the same messages came back.

The best way of avoiding this is not to give your phone number out online and only give it to friends. I've not had a spam text on my phone in months and have never received a spam call on this line ever.

I am new here.

Came here to read on android users that made the switch.

Seems the consensus is exactly what I thought....iphone 5 has some limitations and the maps aren't as good.

But as I read....the camera and build quality is a lot better on iPhone 5.

I have a galaxy nexus and love it.

Did any of you have a hard time adjusting to the smaller screen?

I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 as well as the iPhone 5 and I prefer the iPhone as you can use it one handed. On the SGS3, unless you have enormous hands, you can't reach the top of the screen without shuffling the phone about and potentially dropping it. There comes a point when the screen gets too big and I think the SGS3 is just tipping the scales there.

Yes there are some issues with the maps app on iOS6 but again, i have used it flawlessly. I think that people take a perverse pleasure in ripping on the iPhone's bad points without looking at the good points. Schadenfreude is not big and it's not clever.

Both my SGS3 and my iPhone 5 have their great points and their flaws. All you need to take into consideration is: do the great points about <PHONE A> outweight the bad points? For me, the iPhone is a resounding YEs and the SGS3 is a resounding NO.

 

[mister69]

I also miss the customisation. Being able to have an app to block unwanted texts and phonecalls was a godsend. The problem is that the numbers get blocked and the companies go out and buy a new PAYG sim and just start all over again, so in effect the call/text blocking only lasted a day or two before exactly the same messages came back.

The best way of avoiding this is not to give your phone number out online and only give it to friends. I've not had a spam text on my phone in months and have never received a spam call on this line ever.



I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 as well as the iPhone 5 and I prefer the iPhone as you can use it one handed. On the SGS3, unless you have enormous hands, you can't reach the top of the screen without shuffling the phone about and potentially dropping it. There comes a point when the screen gets too big and I think the SGS3 is just tipping the scales there.

Yes there are some issues with the maps app on iOS6 but again, i have used it flawlessly. I think that people take a perverse pleasure in ripping on the iPhone's bad points without looking at the good points. Schadenfreude is not big and it's not clever.

Both my SGS3 and my iPhone 5 have their great points and their flaws. All you need to take into consideration is: do the great points about <PHONE A> outweight the bad points? For me, the iPhone is a resounding YEs and the SGS3 is a resounding NO.

Do u feel the iPhone 5 is way smaller coming from s3?

Or the iPhone is the perfect size?

 

[Danimal]

You know when Blackberry was big I loaded custom OS. I have rooted Droids (and bricked one). There is one problem I have with messing with the OS.

Usually somebody else has something news in days, possibly hours. You get on this never ending roller coaster of uninstalling and reinstalling. At some point you will lose your data and not have aproper back up. Sometimes that happens every time you instlall a hybrid, root, or jailbreak. It's all the same thing.

So no, I'm not interested in Jailbreak. I'm interested in simplicity and with Android doing such a thing as customizing your home screen didn't involve anything more then maybe purchasing and installing a widget or two.

This has not changed my mine that I prefer the iPhone. It's simply something I thought I'd be able to do without doing any hacking.

You and I have similar thinking. I will miss some things about Android when I make the jump but since I have gotten to test drive IOS I know I will be happy. Heck I am going on a month of not drinking and pop and at first I missed it....now I'm ok. I don't plan on jailbreaking either. You hit the nail on the head about the next latest and greatest thing. I like the IPhone because it just works and it's simple. BTW I will be coming from a Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

 

[Danimal]

I am new here.

Came here to read on android users that made the switch.

Seems the consensus is exactly what I thought....iphone 5 has some limitations and the maps aren't as good.

But as I read....the camera and build quality is a lot better on iPhone 5.


I have a galaxy nexus and love it.


Did any of you have a hard time adjusting to the smaller screen?

I'm not on the 5 yet and am currently using a 4s for work. As someone who had been watching to see if Verizon would get a variation of the Note because I wanted a bigger screen I am actually ok with the 4s screen and will be happy with the 5. Someone I bowl with has a 5 and she let me play around with it for a little bit the other night. I was quite happy with it. BTW I swore that I would never get an IPhone and even talked someone at work out of getting one. I felt bad when I told her that I was getting it. Since I'm a self managed IT guy I have customized my 4s as if it were my personal phone and have been basically using it fulltime the last week or two and can say I would be happy if I didn't have my Nexus anymore. I will be sending in to Verizon on a trade once I get the 5.

 

[hookbill]

You and I have similar thinking. I will miss some things about Android when I make the jump but since I have gotten to test drive IOS I know I will be happy. Heck I am going on a month of not drinking and pop and at first I missed it....now I'm ok. I don't plan on jailbreaking either. You hit the nail on the head about the next latest and greatest thing. I like the IPhone because it just works and it's simple. BTW I will be coming from a Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

Yep, when I moved from Blackberry to Android I remember setting the phone up and just staring at it like, what am I suppose to do with this.

I didn't have that issue with the iPhone. Yes, I'm still learning, I may have some unnecessary apps because I looked at PC Mag's 100 must have (I got maybe 8). But IOS is just stable and reliable. No resets or hey this app is arguing with this other app. Drove me nuts when I used 1Password that Ring Guard always popped up and it would shut off my notifications.

Things working together in harmony. I like that.

 

[zphone]

Yep, when I moved from Blackberry to Android I remember setting the phone up and just staring at it like, what am I suppose to do with this.

I didn't have that issue with the iPhone. Yes, I'm still learning, I may have some unnecessary apps because I looked at PC Mag's 100 must have (I got maybe 8). But IOS is just stable and reliable. No resets or hey this app is arguing with this other app. Drove me nuts when I used 1Password that Ring Guard always popped up and it would shut off my notifications.

Things working together in harmony. I like that.

This is both a blessing and a curse on the iPhone. The blessing is that apps are totally independent giving you a secure reliable app and data environment. The curse is that the apps are totally insulated from one another making it more difficult to share data between them. I have some ideas on how to fix this with third party apps without jailbreaking but it's unlikely apple would support such a scheme.

 

[Skull One]

This is both a blessing and a curse on the iPhone. The blessing is that apps are totally independent giving you a secure reliable app and data environment. The curse is that the apps are totally insulated from one another making it more difficult to share data between them. I have some ideas on how to fix this with third party apps without jailbreaking but it's unlikely apple would support such a scheme.

Apple has already allowed developer to solve this issue. Which is why DropBox (https://www.dropbox.com/developers/reference/sdk) and several other cloud storage systems have SDKs out.

 

[zphone]

Apple has already allowed developer to solve this issue. Which is why DropBox (https://www.dropbox.com/developers/reference/sdk) and several other cloud storage systems have SDKs out.

Skull I know you know this, but...

The problem with Dropbox and other such apps is that they keep a copy of your data, not the data itself. This works well for some things such as sharing files or photos but poorly for something like a collection or database.

The other problem is that the user has to initiate the copy and save functions. Each app is still an island each having a copy of the data you are using.

It would be much better if Dropbox had an offline file system that other applications could read and write to and then from there you would just select what you want shared online where it would automatically sync to the cloud. It would need some security where you would give certain apps full or read access to the data stored in the file system.

Problem is that takes developer cooperation and it's no standard. Apple could have easily introduced something like this as a standard.

Dropbox is pretty much the equivalent of email for apps. Sure you can share data but it is not a file system.

 

[Skull One]

You are very correct, I do know the limitations. But you definitely needed to type that up so other people can follow along with our exchange. BTW you worded it better than I can, so thank you.

The real issue at hand is security. Both iOS and Android have private key systems for each app in regards to its database container. The second you allow another app direct access to that database container you introduce the ability for malicious applications to attach to data it shouldn't have access to. Which is why the current barrier system is in place for non-jailbroken devices. Sadly that "Tier 1" security measure makes easy data exchange impossible as you so eloquently pointed out.

Of course some readers might be asking "What about Dynamic Data Exchange"? That would be a great idea if Apple allowed apps to do true multitasking and background operations. Sadly Android showed, with their first 14 versions, that if you load enough apps like that you can and will miss phone calls and text messages because the OS itself is overloaded with applications begging for CPU time.

Even if Apple were to allow a single database container that anyone could use, the user would still have to load one app, execute the dump and then launch the other app to import the data. And I doubt Apple will ever allow that scenario to occur.

As I dwell on this, at present I don't see a way to accomplish the goal and still maintain a secure OS. But then again, I only have 17 months of iOS experience, so my education on it is very far from complete.

 

[imnew2ios]

I am new here.

Came here to read on android users that made the switch.

Seems the consensus is exactly what I thought....iphone 5 has some limitations and the maps aren't as good.

But as I read....the camera and build quality is a lot better on iPhone 5.

I have a galaxy nexus and love it.

Did any of you have a hard time adjusting to the smaller screen?

No I adjusted quickly, it has such a high res screen it's like having a 4.8" screen.

 

[mister69]

Does anyone know what's faster.

Galaxy nexus or iPhone 5?