Backing up the Galaxy Nexus

[flroots]

We're transitioning from an iPhone using iTunes to a Galaxy Nexus using Titanium Backup Pro for backup/recovery. iTunes does an 'all in one' backup with a single click from iTunes. Titanium Backup allows you to backup all apps and their associated data, but does nothing with your pics, videos, music, etc. I'm wondering how best to handle the backup (and possibly restore) of stuff Titanium doesn't backup.I've experimented with Windows Explorer and WiFi File transfer to move this stuff back and forth between phone and my Windows PC. Both seem to have their use. This is mostly an organization and efficiency question since I don't have problems doing the physical transfer. For example, it might be a good idea to create a single folder on my phone's internal SDcard and put everything there. This would make backup and restore easy. The question, though is whether all apps running on the phone could find it or rather choose to create their own folders. Ideas, please! BTW, we have made some Nandroid backups using NRT v1.5.3 and will use those in the event of a catastrophic issue.
Pete

 

[Andrew Martonik]

Titanium backup is used mostly for people who are switching ROMs or factory resetting their phone often. Its used so that when you install a new ROM or reset the phone, you can at least bring back your apps and their app data so you don't spend a whole day resetting everything up.

I think that a big thing you need to do here is rethink the paradigm of syncing your phone with a computer that is engrained in every iPhone user's mind. There really is no need to "sync" your phone with your computer. Android doesn't offer a full phone backup and sync option (not an easy one, anyways), because its largely unnecessary.

As far as saving pictures and videos, you can choose to have them uploaded privately to Picasa (Google+) or use something like Dropbox to instantly upload them (and subsequently download to your PC). I personally use both (redundancy is good) and have them auto upload on WiFi only in order to save my battery and data. Every night all of my pictures are saved, and I can delete them from my gallery.

Music is handled pretty exceptionally well by Google Music. Upload your library to the service, and have it all available on your device. Pin your favorite few albums or artists so you're not streaming them over and over again, or just let Google Music decide automatically what you listen to most and cache those things for you. Not only does this allow you to have a huge amount of music available on your phone, but it also keeps it backed up off-site from your PC as well. You can know that your music won't be lost with a PC crash.

Other files that are important? Remember 1 copy isn't a copy. If something is that important to you, it shouldn't be existing on just your phone anyways. Even if there was an option to do a complete phone backup, it doesn't mean that your important file is safe between backups.

All other settings, WiFi passwords, app purchases, mail, etc. are all backed up to your Google Account. If you ever factory reset your device or switch devices, all of that comes with you when you log into your Google Account again.

 

[flroots]

Titanium backup is used mostly for people who are switching ROMs or factory resetting their phone often. Its used so that when you install a new ROM or reset the phone, you can at least bring back your apps and their app data so you don't spend a whole day resetting everything up.

I think that a big thing you need to do here is rethink the paradigm of syncing your phone with a computer that is engrained in every iPhone user's mind. There really is no need to "sync" your phone with your computer. Android doesn't offer a full phone backup and sync option (not an easy one, anyways), because its largely unnecessary.

As far as saving pictures and videos, you can choose to have them uploaded privately to Picasa (Google+) or use something like Dropbox to instantly upload them (and subsequently download to your PC). I personally use both (redundancy is good) and have them auto upload on WiFi only in order to save my battery and data. Every night all of my pictures are saved, and I can delete them from my gallery.

Music is handled pretty exceptionally well by Google Music. Upload your library to the service, and have it all available on your device. Pin your favorite few albums or artists so you're not streaming them over and over again, or just let Google Music decide automatically what you listen to most and cache those things for you. Not only does this allow you to have a huge amount of music available on your phone, but it also keeps it backed up off-site from your PC as well. You can know that your music won't be lost with a PC crash.

Other files that are important? Remember 1 copy isn't a copy. If something is that important to you, it shouldn't be existing on just your phone anyways. Even if there was an option to do a complete phone backup, it doesn't mean that your important file is safe between backups.

All other settings, WiFi passwords, app purchases, mail, etc. are all backed up to your Google Account. If you ever factory reset your device or switch devices, all of that comes with you when you log into your Google Account again.

Thanks. Guess I'm from the old school and don't feel comfortable backing up to the cloud. Typically I backup to PC then occasionally copy those backups to an external hard drive. That way I know for sure I have it whenever needed. My problem now is an organizational one. I would like some automated and/or easy way to backup what's important from my internal sdcard folder without having to backup it all. BTW, I'm also using the gsm Galaxy Nexus on ST (AT&T).
Pete