People are always asking me which is better, the iPhone or the Android? My answer to this is simple, because it is customer driven:
"What is most important to you?
[1] freedom of choice to tweak and customize, or that your
[2] phone is easy to use, with all features ready-to-go, and little configuration required?"
When you are considering the iPhone or the Android, that in a nutshell is really what it boils down to. People who get the iPhone want a device, a tool, a piece of communications equipment that works, right out-of-the-box! But there are some ... or should I rather say, many, who prefer the freedom of choice to set their own sounds and alerts, tweak and choose their own apps, and customize their phone until it suits them! I used to wonder about this until I saw the market results. It seems that Android devices currently control about 50% of the marketshare for smartphones, with Apple coming up in 2nd place at 25% of the marketshare. The remaining 25% is divided amongst a varied many of other devices that do not fall into these two categories: Android or iPhone.
My iPhone 3gs of almost 2 years, finally gave up the ghost mid-summer this year, and I was left with almost 3 months of my 2yr contract with AT&T Wireless remaining, and no iPhone! The lock switch used to close the phone after use just stopped working! I didn't, at the time know that a local vendor would fix that for me at a fraction of the cost quoted by Apple, who wanted to replace the device (at my expense) or upgrade me. I switched to a Blackberry I had available and tried to make do while I awaited for the next release of what was then believed to be the next release of the iPhone, the iPhone 5.
Falling into that category of "the tweakers", my wife knew that I wasn't going to last long with the Blackberry. I love the Blackberry! It's simple and to the point! It has many of the apps the iPhone has, but without the speed. it plays great music, but unfortunately the headphone jack wasn't compatible with my iPhone headset. I loved the messaging, the tasks tracking, and the notes - all things that the Blackberry excels in! But alas, my wife was right, it was not my iPhone "or" an Android, and many of the apps that I'd grown to depend on were just not available for the Blackberry.
iPhone Guy Goes Android - Details at 10:00!
One day while she and I were out driving around, she pointed out a Verizon store and suggested I go in and ask about the Androids I'd been so curious about lately. (yeah, I was surprised too! But ... she loves me!) I had been doing the research on the various Androids and had settled on the HTC Thunderbolt being advertised as the leading edge Android replacement for the now popular iPhone 4. (I had never cared for the squared-off design of the iPhone 4, so that phone was no temptation, at least for me) I decided on the Thunderbolt and had them set me up with the new phone, holding off on the port over of my hold phone number, pending a chance to make sure this was what I wanted. Having a jail-broken iPhone 3gs was one thing, but "this" was an Android!
The next several weeks were spend installing apps, and discovering what was, and was not, out there for the Android, that I had used on the iPhone. Many vendors do not make their app available for both the iPhone and the Androids, a choice I've never fully understood! I also found that figuring out how to get settled on my music, movies, podcasts, ebooks, etc. was a whole new world for me! With the iPhone, iTunes takes care of all of that. It's all in one place - you just choose it and go! Alas, welcome to the world of freedom of choice.
Suffice it to say, after almost 3 months of haggling and wrestling with the HTC Thunderbolt, I finally decided that despite it's many nice features, it just was not ready for market in my book! I changed over to the Droid Bionic, a choice I should have made 3 months ago! Excellent phone, easy to configure, fast, and "it works"! The camera is not upside down, or reversed (mirror image), and SKYPE works with this phone! (front camera) Now that I have a reliable phone device, it's on to the apps!
On To The Android Apps!
The very first things I needed were the basics. I needed my day-to-day stuff that I used a lot on the iPhone, things like my banking apps, my messaging apps, and the things I needed to contact my day-to-day business and personal affairs. Contacts were already settled! I'd been using Google for my email and contacts since before the iPhone so those same contacts that I had on the iPhone came over to my Android painlessly!
Let's take a look at the basics!
(these are my apps, and not necessarily everything that is out there)
BANKING:
Chase Bank Mobile | Bank of America Mobile | Wells Fargo Bank Mobile | Pay Pal Mobile
OFFICE-STYLE APPS:
Contacts* - contacts already installed - uses Google account
Calendar*- calendar already installed - uses Google account
Google Tasks - syncs tasks with Google account(s)
Notes? - like Apple, Google doesn't see a need to sync your notes - no App available
Evernote - my suggested solution for Google notes
*these apps were already installed with the phone (using Google contacts, calendar, etc.)
DAILY USE APPS:
HeyTell - a walkie talkie app for your phone (iPhone & Androids)
Shazam - use this to quickly identify as song as it's playing, and buy it if you want
SKYPE - VoIP phone calls, video conferencing, chat - Worldwide use! *(Don't install Verizon version)
Vocalyst - reads incoming text messages aloud (ON/OFF switchable) *autoreply msg for use when driving
Firefox - use Firefox on your Android, LINUX, UNIX, Mac or Windows! (sync your bookmarks!)
GTalk - *Google Talk usually comes with your Android (AIM also has GTalk packaged with it!)
Facebook - social networking at it's very best ... (lots of cool Facebook features supported with Android)
AIM - AOL instant messenger (this app also supports GTalk and Facebook chats, if activated)
Google+ - Google+ social network app
LinkedIn - LinkedIn.com business profile/resume networking service app
MySpace - MySpace social networking interface app
Twitter - Twitter social blog service app
Pandora - Pandora! Listen to streaming music tweaked to your likes, then bookmark and buy online!
QR Droid - Reads the special QR code becoming popular! (you need this one)
Reader - Google Reader app to read blogs, etc. online
Where's My Droid - Never lose your Android! (turns ringer on/up load & uses GPS to help you find it)
ENTERTAINMENT APPS:
Netflix - watch streaming movies and sitcom series for one low monthly price (*use WiFi with this)
Hulu Plus - watch streaming TV, sitcoms and shows for one low monthly price (*use WiFi with this)
Dish Network - control your Dish Network scheduling, recording, satellite receive with this app*
*add a Slingbox to it and watch your recorded TV shows from anywhere with this!
Fandango - find local movies & showtimes, buy your tickets online and skip the lines at the theater!
Zumocast - share your computers files, movies, music with your phone (Mac's, Windows but no Linux?)
Amazon - shop/buy on Amazon (your iTunes-like store for the Android)
Amazon MP3 - buy online music, etc. thru Amazone (your iTunes-like store for the Android)
Kindle - buy online books, manuals, etc. for cheaper, and read them on your Android
PowerAmp $ the very BEST music player I've seen on Android yet! Worth every penny!!
MISC APPS:
Photofunia - uses your photo image with software to place you in a scene as though you were there!
WiFi Finder - locates/measures/analyzes available nearby WiFi services and networks
Pocket Bible $ Laridian's pocket Bible, formerly "MyBible" - multiple translations right in your pocket!
*as of this writing, this was the Beta version - I've used this app since the Palm Pilot days, and through my Blackberry days, to my iPhone, and now to the Android. All of the translations I purchased went with me! All I had to do was to buy the app for the version phone - not very expensive at all. Worth it! If you install this you will have to open up your options on the Android to install outside of the usual MARKET to install it. These guys are safe ... no need to worry. Once the app is finished it will be available through the normal channels.
Please Note: There are many, many more apps to choose from ... these are just the one's that I use. If you have a suggestion of some you would like me to include, I will be more than happy to review them and add them up a later update of this article in my column.
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