Looking at Android as an iPhone replacement (depending on what the iPhone 5 is like!)

mrochester

Hi all

I have an iPhone 4 right now that pretty much does everything that I need, but as a technology enthusiast, I'm always looking for the next best thing! Any purchase I make would be held off until the iPhone 5 is announced, but if it doesn't whett my appetite, I'd be happy to look elsewhere for my fix.

However, there are a few cushy things the iPhone does that I don't think I'd want to live without, so I'd like to ask in here to see if these are things that an Android device can do.

My main uses for my phone are internet, emails, call, texts and podcasts.

Right now I have MobileMe, and this probably wouldn't change even if I had an Android device (I know the push features won't work), but the main reason I use MobileMe is to keep all my content in sync on my desktop PC, iPhone and iPad. So what I would want an Android device to be able to do is locally sync contacts, calendars and notes with Outlook, and locally sync bookmarks with Internet Explorer. I have no interest in storing my data in the cloud on Google servers, I want it all on my desktop. Is there a simple app that'll automatically sync an Android device in this way when connected to my PC?

I also listen to Podcasts on my iPhone, and I can't be without the ability to keep podcasts in sync between my desktop and iPhone/iPad. Right now, if I listen to a podcast on my iPhone, when I connect the phone to the computer, the same podcast is marked as 'listened to' on both the computer and iPad so they no longer show as being new, and vice versa. In addition, it also syncs the position I'm up to if I only listen to part of a podcast. This is a really important feature to me, so can anyone give me any ideas of an app for Android and the PC that'll do this, if such a one exists?

I'm perfectly open to trying something new, but any apps to achieve the above things should be as simple as iTunes to use (all auto-synced when connected). If someone knows for sure that the above things can't be done with an Android device, please also post so that I'm not wasting my time hunting around for something that's not possible!

As for the device itself, I'd be after iPhone like build quality, and a data/charging socket on the bottom so that it can be stood in a dock for charging/syncing. An official dock that matches the device would be even better! (not really keen on the typically ugly 3rd party docks you can buy).

Many thanks for any advice on the matter

Michael.

JJ_Egan

By the time that IPhone 5 arrives their will be new Android models plus OS update .
As regards to the simplicity of IPhone and simple enough for a child to use .You wont really get that with Android yet .It will also depend upon phone IOS5 is a phone Android is an operating system with a large range of phones across a wide price band .

You may find that you are used to Apples way of working and wont get on with a different system .
On my Samsung Galaxy S i do everything i want but i never learnt the Apple way .

jje

mrochester

JJ_Egan wrote: »

By the time that IPhone 5 arrives their will be new Android models plus OS update .
As regards to the simplicity of IPhone and simple enough for a child to use .You wont really get that with Android yet .It will also depend upon phone IOS5 is a phone Android is an operating system with a large range of phones across a wide price band .

You may find that you are used to Apples way of working and wont get on with a different system .
On my Samsung Galaxy S i do everything i want but i never learnt the Apple way .

jje

Really I'm after something as easy as iTunes as far as plugging in the device and having it automatically sync content, but for Android.

fiendishlyclever

mrochester wrote: »

Really I'm after something as easy as iTunes as far as plugging in the device and having it automatically sync content, but for Android.

I believe DoubleTwist and WinAmp both have apps that work in a similar way and can do so over wifi too. I tried doubletwist and it even looks like iTunes! (never tried Winamp on Android).

Snakeeyes21

mrochester wrote: »

Hi all

I have an iPhone 4 right now that pretty much does everything that I need, but as a technology enthusiast, I'm always looking for the next best thing! Any purchase I make would be held off until the iPhone 5 is announced, but if it doesn't whett my appetite, I'd be happy to look elsewhere for my fix.

Really? and you chose the iphone over better android handsets that were out at the time

mrochester

Snakeeyes21 wrote: »

Really? and you chose the iphone over better android handsets that were out at the time

Well if you can enlighten me as to what program(s) will do automatic local syncing of contacts, calendars, notes, bookmarks, music, podcasts, then I may in the future own an Android device

I believe DoubleTwist and WinAmp both have apps that work in a similar way and can do so over wifi too. I tried doubletwist and it even looks like iTunes! (never tried Winamp on Android).

I've heard about DoubleTwist and I'll have to investigate that further. I use WinAmp to listen to music on the computer, but it couldn't find a single one of the podcasts I listen to when I searched for them, so that's clearly no good!

S0litaire

There's a few programs you could use...

As for contacts, calander there's google itself. it keeps all my stuff synced.

For bookmarks there's Firefox Sync function. syncs all your bookmarks, tabs, passwords between firefox on other machines/devices including andriod

I just drag and drop music and podcasts that are not streamed from my Ubuntu Music account (Do people still use Winamp!?! o_0 ) lol
So others might have a better suggestion for audio stuff..

fiendishlyclever

mrochester wrote: »

I've heard about DoubleTwist and I'll have to investigate that further. I use WinAmp to listen to music on the computer, but it couldn't find a single one of the podcasts I listen to when I searched for them, so that's clearly no good!

I got used to this on my Nokia and then an Android (using ACast). I end up visiting the podcast page, getting the RSS address for the podcast subscription and then adding it manually. Many of the podcast search tools/aggregators tend to be very US centric.

watcherman

If you're used to iTunes, DT isn't anywhere near the simplicity.

nsabournemouth

you wouldnt buy a phone based on just the ability to use itunes! Android as an OS is better and you have a wider choice of handsets to choose from.

Kate_Long

I'd certainly go for Google Android over anything iOS related! It's pretty easy to use, just not as easy and simplistic as iOS. You can certainly do more with an Android device, however you may have to sacrifice a few things. But that's the same for everyone making a switch to different technology...