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Thinking of Switching from iPhone to Android


Glenn Reed

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My first and only smartphone has been an Apple iPhone 5 that I have had for 2 1/2 years, and it has served me well, and continues to do so. Based on some things my carrier (Sprint) is doing, it looks like it makes sense to upgrade my phone now, so I started thinking about what to do.

 

Originally, it was a no brainer to just go to the iPhone 6. It works exactly the same way my current phone does, just (hopefully) faster/better and so on.

 

Then along came a wrinkle. My wife and I are going on vacation, and the place we're going to stay has no Internet service. I was thinking about just renting a mobile hotspot, but then I became aware of another option.

 

If I had an Android phone, there are ways to turn it into a mobile hotspot and then we could use our (true) unlimited data plan and get our internet that way.

 

So that's the way I'm leaning now. If any of you have made the switch, I would be very interested in hearing your thoughts, good and bad, about how that went for you.

 

Thanks,

 

Glenn

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So you are going someplace with no internet access, but you are sure that there will be a good enough cell signal to use your phone as a hot spot?

 

If its just about using your phone as a hotspot, your iPhone should be able to do that as well (unless Sprint strips that feature out). I tether my iPad and laptop to mine when traveling all the time and have never had an issue......unless I'm in an area where the cell signal is not strong or stuck in the stoneage of only Edge/3G signals. In that case, surfing the web can get a little tedious.

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Thanks Keith.

 

So you are going someplace with no internet access, but you are sure that there will be a good enough cell signal to use your phone as a hot spot?

 

Yes. It's a particular condo complex in Ocean City MD, plenty of cell service, but the complex was never wired for Internet. Most of the condo owners have not chosen to add that service to their TV packages either. They have a service that's supposed to give wireless access, but it's expensive and the signal is crap.

 

If its just about using your phone as a hotspot, your iPhone should be able to do that as well (unless Sprint strips that feature out).

 

Yep, Sprint strips that out, and because of the nature of iPhone software distribution, hacks/workarounds are not available. Sprint strips it out of their Android models as well, but it can be brought back to life rather easily from what I'm seeing.

 

Another point, this would give me the option to use the cell data for my laptop when I am on other trips as well, including those where I'm on the bike. (Assuming cell service, I know. And some of the best places for riding don't have that, so this won't solve that problem.) I have to be able to provide customer service, including getting on client's servers remotely, on very short notice. So this isn't just about the vacation, that's the driving factor that got me thinking about this whole idea.

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If you do leave Apple (and I did and since returned) be prepared to deal with text hell. Anyone who used to send iMessages will still try to, and will not know to switch to text messages in order to reach you. It's a particularly nasty goodbye gift.

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Jake, I'm confused (as usual...)

 

I don't get a choice to send iMessages, the phone just makes this decision on it's own. At least that's how it looks to me.

 

Are you saying other Apple users, with whom I have texted using the Messages app, will somehow need to do things differently if I do make the switch?

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Not to mention Android being a much bigger target for malware, and having a less "cohesive" app environment.

 

FWIW, I'm not an "Apple fanboy" (I do have Apple products) -- just pointing out potential problems. Switching to Apple has its own "issues" (monolithic, draconian control over the ecosystem, etc.).

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Mark, yes, I understand that your first sentence comes about because of your second. Because of the openness, I will have the opportunity to make it do what I want, but it will be more prone to the possibility of malware. Tradeoffs, there are tradeoffs everywhere.

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Are you saying other Apple users, with whom I have texted using the Messages app, will somehow need to do things differently if I do make the switch?

 

Yup. I experienced what Jake is referring. My oldest son switched from an iPhone and when I tried to text him, the transmission failed. It was trying to send as an iMessage. You'll have to resend it as a regular text message and the phone will relearn the contact as a regular text. Everyone that has texted you in the past with an iPhone will likely have this problem the first time they try and text you.

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Danny caddyshack Noonan

The assumption that you can hotspot should be verified somehow with Sprint. Carriers are blocking hotspot unless you specifically pay for it....regardless of the data plan.

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Cool. That just means I have a built in excuse when they ask why I didn't answer their question! :rofl:

 

OR.... they CALL you!!, and you have to actually speak to them. And nobody wants that. :rofl:

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Iphones are for the elite. Android is for the people.

 

Power to the people! :Cool:

I'm egalitarian, I have both since I have an iphone for work and I haven't gotten comfortable with the exchange emulator for droid yet.

 

I guess that makes me for the elite people, you know, GS riders!

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If Sprint is blocking the hot spot feature, I'd switch carriers. It comes with Verizon data plans, no extra charge (at least all of them that I'm aware of). I had a bad experience with Sprint several years ago...there's no way I'd go with Sprint again.

 

And you will likely have issues with texting if you switch to Android. You need to deregister your number from iMessage. Here's a link I found, I'm sure there are others... Deregister

 

I've had both Android and Apple. There are some really nice Android phones out there these days. How painful it would be to switch depends a lot on how into the Apple world you are. While there are equivalent Android (Google) features for almost all the Apple stuff, switching from one to the other is often not easy...if you have a lot of iTunes stuff, for instance. And if you want to share things like calendars between them it can be a PITA to set up. We've gravitated to almost all Apple, mostly because of interoperability issues. I'm not a fanboy of either...they both have their pros and cons. Both Apple and Google are evil in their own ways.

 

Either phone would probably be just fine but I would sure ditch Sprint...just my $0.02 worth...

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I switched to a Samsung 5 months ago, and IMO the best thing i ever did regarding cell phones.

I had 3 iphones previously, and am now an android man for life.

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"...I haven't gotten comfortable with the exchange emulator for droid yet."

 

WTF :rofl: I'm lost.

 

It's for integrating with our work email system.

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"...I haven't gotten comfortable with the exchange emulator for droid yet."

 

WTF :rofl: I'm lost.

 

It's for integrating with our work email system.

 

There is an official Microsoft Outlook client for Android, I'm running it for connection to my work email which is on Exchange.

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I'm late to the party on this thread but here's my experience - not with Sprint but Verizon...

 

Earlier this year, decided to finally retire my old Palm Pre+ which was no longer being supported and woefully inadequate in several ways. Time for new tech, so Samsung GS5 was my choice as another android device. The old plan featured unlimited mobile data plus "free" 5GB/mo hotspot (limited time promo offer at plan start). Bought the GS5 outright vs new contract and tried to migrate the grandfathered plan features to the new phone. No problem on unlimited mobile data but Verizon would not honor the free hotspot, stating the old plan was for 3G no longer offered vs 4G. Tried to use the hotspot feature on the GS5 and device says to contact Verizon to sign up for extra cost monthly usage subscription. Bah - instead, installed PdaNet+ FoxFi which bypasses subscription checkstep protocol and utilizes mobile broadband, to the maximum of your monthly plan allocation - which in my case is unlimited! :grin:

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