Do you give consideration to your tech ecosystem?

[anon(10092459)]

I was having a conversation with a family member this weekend and the conversation turned to technology. We got around to software and ecosystems, specifically browsers. He mentioned that he uses Firefox on his laptop and Chrome on his Moto. I asked why two different browsers and not just one or the other and he basically said he hadn't really thought about it.

We talked some more about his services and his approach is multiple service providers, but with no real rhyme or reason outside of they "do the job" and that's fine. For me though, services play a big role in my considerations.

I've considered a lot of them. Samsung, which I think could be huge if they flesh it all the way out. Microsoft, great approach IMO... except they seem to be not focused on the consumer space right now. Even Apple, great system just not for me.

Ultimately, I went all in with Google for various reasons. But I'm curious if other users give their services much thought from a comprehensive viewpoint?

 

[SpookDroid]

I do when it comes to how easy it is to move from one device to another (or in the case of apps, how easy it is to keep the same stuff I had before should I switch phones... in terms of data/settings/app saves, however, Apple is MILES ahead of Android on that front). BUT I understand why your friend might be inclined to use different things on different devices. Chrome is good if you want to move from one place to another and keep things in sync, but on PC it is still a resource hog. Firefox is starting to offer a more streamlined experience without the toll on the system's performance...but on Mobile they don't. On mobile you have a myriad of options, and one might choose the Samsung browser (which doesn't have a PC-equivalent) only because it supports plug ins like ad blockers.

Office on desktop is great, but their mobile offerings are just either too expensive or lacking features that other free/cheaper options do offer on mobile. Google's Office-like apps are just too bare bones to be a suitable alternative to power users on desktop, but might be perfectly fine to just view and do minor edits while on the go.

 

[anon(10092459)]

Office on desktop is great, but their mobile offerings are just either too expensive or lacking features that other free/cheaper options do offer on mobile. Google's Office-like apps are just too bare bones to be a suitable alternative to power users on desktop, but might be perfectly fine to just view and do minor edits while on the go.

I hear you on this. About 5 years ago, I was about 60% Google and 40% MS... MS for real work and G for, as you said, light edits and mobile work. I had (and still have) a Dell Inspirion as my primary, then bought a Chromebook for on the go/travel. I really like(d) MS suite of offerings, but drifted to Google over time.

 

[chanchan05]

I'm in for what works best for me, as long as it's compatible with each other. Which sort of rules Apple out for a lot. I prefer Windows for my computer, and I use several other programs which would either be too expensive if I go Apple or would just cause problems.

I am using a mix of Google, Microsoft and Samsung. Samsung stuff generally sync with either Google or Microsoft, or both, so it's in use because it works well with the phone. The latest generation of Samsung browser for example is IMO better than Chrome on mobiles, and syncs bookmarks with Chrome. Using the Samsung version of apps also gives freebies, for example, the Samsung Kindle gives you a free one book every month. The great thing is I love fantasy series novels, and often the selections for free download are the first books in a series, so I can check it out without spending to see if the rest are worth it. Downloading the games from Samsung Stores also gives you discounts (free card packs for Hearthstone for example worth up to 5-10USD).
Microsoft works for me well, mainly because I am on Windows. But also, IMO they'd offer the cheapest stuff. They're offering Office365+1TB OneDrive for 5.99, Dropbox has storage of 8.25, Google is 1TB per user for 10USD.

Google is cheapest if you go multiple user for yourself, but that sort of makes things more complicated than it should be. It's not like I'm going to use up 1TB of cloud anytime soon for myself, and if I'm going to go multiple users, I can make multiple accounts on Box for 50GB free storage. It's the addition of Office 365 which makes the MS option the one I want.

 

[anon(10092459)]

I'm in for what works best for me, as long as it's compatible with each other. Which sort of rules Apple out for a lot. I prefer Windows for my computer, and I use several other programs which would either be too expensive if I go Apple or would just cause problems.

Man, I understand this! Around 2007, my tech set up was Dell Desktop and a LG flip phone. I flirted with Apple and bought a MacBook Pro. Great machine, but all of my work was in MS Office. Whenever I tried, to work with the "work" suite that Apple offered, it never translated properly when I would transfer files to MS Office. Obviously things have changed over the last decade, but at that time the MBP just didn't fit well with my needs.

They're offering Office365+1TB OneDrive for 5.99

That's an attractive offering. I know MS kinda missed mobile and have had to retrench, but their new strategy, offering MS Edge, MS Launcher , doing more work in PWA's etc. , I think is a solid "Plan B" strategy choice for them. If MS was still at my center, I think I would see things on mobile a bit differently for sure.

I'm looking in more detail at Samsung's suite of services. I think they could be very attractive if you put a lot of their services at the center and utilize other services as just support/fill in. Admittedly, I need to look at their offer as a comprehensive system, and not just an app here and there.

 

[Almeuit]

I used to not really think about it. I am a heavy Google user so using Google services on Android or iPhone was always something that I could do.

Now with Smart Homes I definitely start to consider it a little more. Such as my last stint with iPhone X the reminders set by my Google Home didn't always sync as seamlessly as it does on Android. That is due to Apple obviously wanting their stuff to be used more and they aren't as nice to 3rd parties and what they can do in the back ground. I have 3 Google Home devices and I want to get a 4th (a Google Home Max) one day. I also have Nest products (owned by Google) which include a Thermostat, 2x Smoke Detectors, Nest Hello Doorbell, and Nest Cam Outdoor IQ. I plan to possibly buy 2 more outdoor cams (probably the older version for the corners of the house).

Due to all this I consider Google to be my main go to even in the home now and I want stuff to work well together. I love Apple stuff but I don't want to spend as much as they want for a speaker that I must have an iPhone + Apple stuff to use. I do have Fire TV (one 4k and 1 Fire TV Cube) so I do dabble in Alexa but she is definitely secondary. I mainly use the Cube for turning the TV on/off and launching apps. The Google Assistant to me is simply the best. It understands me the easiest -- no matter how I say it (looking at you Alexa) -- and it ties into Google Services on my Android phone flawlessly. It also has access to a wealth of information from things like Google Maps.

So for me I would say .. yep. My first go to is usually always Google. I like Amazon stuff some... and I forgot to mention I do have an Apple TV 4k + my gf is all iPhone/iPad/Watch. I like Apple products and I would love to use them but it is hard to do so when my "ecosystem" is more so Google and while Apple will play with Google ... they do not always play as nicely as I would like.

 

[anon(10092459)]

I also have Nest products (owned by Google) which include a Thermostat, 2x Smoke Detectors, Nest Hello Doorbell, and Nest Cam Outdoor IQ.

I'm thinking about this as well, at the moment.

The Google Assistant to me is simply the best. It understands me the easiest -- no matter how I say it (looking at you Alexa) -- and it ties into Google Services on my Android phone flawlessly. It also has access to a wealth of information from things like Google Maps.

I think the technology that Google has developed has really been the glue for me. I was with Google mainly, and some Microsoft, before; but with GA becoming a primary point of engagement for me in 2016 cemented my decision to go fully with Google's system. I have 2 Google homes (one is a mini), at the moment, and that style of computing really appealed to me.

The cross-platform nature of Google was important to me too. Access to my Google account on any hardware device played an important part in my decision, for sure. For the future, I'm really excited about what they're doing with machine learning and their AI platform.

As far as Apple goes, I've peeked over that wall a handful of times over the years and recently dipped my toe in the Apple pond by buying an iPad Pro. Great piece of hardware, for sure. But I'll be dang if iOS doesn't bite me one way or another. Most recently, I ran into frustrations with the VPN that I use across all my devices. For months, the ad blocker that's built into the VPN service worked great cross platform and with Chrome, but recently it stop working on the iPad because they replaced it with the Safari content blocker. I wrote the developer, like "what gives?"

They were kind enough to write me back with their response. "Our ad blocker was a nice feature, but we were forced to remove it due to changes in the App Store policy. While not our fault, we're sorry anyway for the inconvenience". Incidentally, the service still works as intended on my other devices.

Now, Apple completely has the right and privilege to do that, but for a user like me it was just another reminder that I can't get too deep with them because of the controlled nature of their system.

I think MS had a chance for me to go their way too, but because... mobile.

 

[anon(10092459)]

Samsung's set up is coming together nicely too ... Will have to see what all they do with it .. Monitor Bixby's development

 

[Almeuit]

Samsung's set up is coming together nicely too ... Will have to see what all they do with it .. Monitor Bixby's development

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nxf1RbIF1E0

Yeah I don't think I could go fully into it. I would then be bound to Samsung only phones. For me that is a no go simply because they are not reliable on security updates.

 

[chanchan05]

Yeah I don't think I could go fully into it. I would then be bound to Samsung only phones. For me that is a no go simply because they are not reliable on security updates.

I find it funny how their ads seem directed to the one place in the world where their security updates are least reliable (US). LOL. Asian countries in my experience get their updates relatively in a reliable schedule. For the 2 years I had my S7 Edge, I got security updates monthly at about the 2nd or 3rd week of the month except right before a major OS update (Nougat and Oreo) where they get delayed by 1-2mos.

 

[SpookDroid]

Google just needs to get it together and not release 7 apps that do the same or overlap in function, 5 products that kinda sorta do similar things, but work differently depending on what you have. THEN I'd be willing to go all in. Samsung is building a nice ecosystem, but they also duplicate apps and services and something you can use on their latest and greatest might not work across older devices (S-Notes fiasco, anyone?). Same for hardware... I mean, how many VR sets people have lying around if you got it as a promo with a new phone just because the older model won't work, and DeX just seems to be doing the same? But at least they work across platforms, unlike Apple stuff.

 

[Inders99]

I'm kinda all over the place, I prefer Android over iPhone for some reason, not really sure why anymore since I don't use a launcher or customize it but it's what I'm used to. For all else I prefer Apple products, i.e., laptop, desktop, pads, etc. Microsoft Office for work stuff, a PC for my accounting program for my business, Samsung browser for my S7 because it supports ad blockers and I find it's easier to get around on than chrome, Samsung messaging platform backed up with SMS Backup+, Safari for my computers, and Google for a lot of things.

So in response to the original question, I guess I don't pay any attention to an ecosystem, none of them complete seem to be attractive to me and I'd just feel locked in, so far what I do works good for me.

My fall-back eco-system is Google, but for an impressive company they sure as heck have some fragmented and redundant products.

 

[Almeuit]

I find it funny how their ads seem directed to the one place in the world where their security updates are least reliable (US). LOL. Asian countries in my experience get their updates relatively in a reliable schedule. For the 2 years I had my S7 Edge, I got security updates monthly at about the 2nd or 3rd week of the month except right before a major OS update (Nougat and Oreo) where they get delayed by 1-2mos.

Yeah that's good for people there but not for me since I am in the US. Hence why I'm pretty much Pixel or iPhone nowadays.

 

[anon(10092459)]

I'm kinda all over the place, I prefer Android over iPhone for some reason, not really sure why anymore since I don't use a launcher or customize it but it's what I'm used to. For all else I prefer Apple products, i.e., laptop, desktop, pads, etc. Microsoft Office for work stuff, a PC for my accounting program for my business, Samsung browser for my S7 because it supports ad blockers and I find it's easier to get around on than chrome, Samsung messaging platform backed up with SMS Backup+, Safari for my computers, and Google for a lot of things.

So in response to the original question, I guess I don't pay any attention to an ecosystem, none of them complete seem to be attractive to me and I'd just feel locked in, so far what I do works good for me.

My fall-back eco-system is Google, but for an impressive company they sure as heck have some fragmented and redundant products.

Your set up is really interesting. It's most interesting that the iPhone is not in your line up. Usually, the iPhone is the gateway product to the other devices. Looks like you came at it from your own unique direction, indifferent to brand, and work with the tech that works best for what you got going on.

 

[Inders99]

Your set up is really interesting. It's most interesting that the iPhone is not in your line up. Usually, the iPhone is the gateway product to the other devices. Looks like you came at it from your own unique direction, indifferent to brand, and work with the tech that works best for what you got going on.

I think at the core is my dislike for getting mired in any ecosystem. Maybe that flexibility has kept me away from iPhones, plus the fact that I don't really want to "fit-in" with that crowd/mindset.

 

[Rukbat]

For the desktop, I'm still using a dual boot of Windows (10 right now) and Linux - Windows because I've been using it since before Windows 3 (which was a program running in DOS). Linux for ... well, the obvious.

For browsers, Firefox. Again because of long-time familiarity. I started using it when it came out, liked it better than Netscape, and have stayed with it. (And Firebug and FirePHP made me a lot more productive.)

I stuck with Samsung for years, but I've "gone over to the dark side" - I run a Pixel 2 now. Fast updates, 3 year support (which means that even if I want to keep running the latest version of Android, I can keep a phone for 4 years).

Not much thought to "ecosystem", just to what I prefer.

 

[LeoRex]

I use me a ton of Google services... The ability to maintain a presence across platforms is the key. Google's ecosystem is almost totally platform and OEM agnostic... iOS, Windows and even Linux users can play in the Google pool.

Apple is a hardware company, and they need to sell phones to make money.. their entire ecosystem is designed to lock in users to Apple products... Want to use your iPhone and your desktop seamlessly together? Better hope there's an apple logo on that laptop or your pretty much SOL.

Samsung's also a hardware seller, but their stuff is even more restricted since a) they can't write software worth a damn and b) they don't even offer all their services on all of their own phone models.

The only other tech giant that has a clue is Microsoft... When they abandoned winMo, they shifted focus on expanding and enhancing their offerings on other platforms. They are building quite a viable Android ecosystem... OneDrive, Office, Cortana, etc... They may not be as good as their Google counterparts on mobile, but they are viable.

Amazon is in the mix, of course, but they have a single minded goal to funnel you through Amazon.com to buy more stuff... They are pretty much nonexistent in the consumer productivity space. Which is odd since AWS is a business juggernaut. Would it kill them to try to develop a Office/Docs competitor? Guess it's all for the best since it would just likely come with a quick toggle to buy Bounty in bulk.

 

[cwbcpa]

I definitely do. I use almost all of Google's services. I attempted to dive into the Apple ecosystem last year and immediately felt trapped. On top of that, I don't care for any of the Apple services like iCloud, iTunes, etc... I understand the simplicity of it all makes it attractive to many people. I just don't like it.

I use a Windows laptop at home, windows desktop at work and a Note 8 for my phone. My kids are all in on Google services at school and they have Chromebooks. I could probably get away with a Chromebook at home myself. Google's services work well on everything I have and as long as that's the case I don't see a reason to switch.

I just converted my son to Android and he loves it. Working on the wife and daughter now. They like their iPhones but also like what they see from the Android side so we will see.

 

[Almeuit]

I definitely do. I use almost all of Google's services. I attempted to dive into the Apple ecosystem last year and immediately felt trapped. On top of that, I don't care for any of the Apple services like iCloud, iTunes, etc... I understand the simplicity of it all makes it attractive to many people. I just don't like it.

I use a Windows laptop at home, windows desktop at work and a Note 8 for my phone. My kids are all in on Google services at school and they have Chromebooks. I could probably get away with a Chromebook at home myself. Google's services work well on everything I have and as long as that's the case I don't see a reason to switch.

I just converted my son to Android and he loves it. Working on the wife and daughter now. They like their iPhones but also like what they see from the Android side so we will see.

Yeah if you are all in on Apple it is wonderful. Their phones are great and whatnot but if you only have one product or so it can start to be painful at times. Such as I recently found a messaging app on Android called Pulse SMS (love it btw) and I now can use it on my phone, the web, and my Windows PC. I wouldn't be able to have something like that on Apple unless I had a Macbook or something versus just an app due to their restrictions.

I have tried the iPhone X two times now. This most recent time was good -- I was rocking everything (and living with the shortcomings) until I found out that reminders weren't always syncing with iPhone. Such as I would use my Google Home speakers and sometimes it would pop on the iPhone and other times it wouldn't. I use reminders heavily from the web, Google Homes, etc. so I need this. That pretty much broke me using an iPhone. Of course if I used Siri only and the Apple Reminders app only that would work flawlessly but... That would only work on the phone unless I had a Macbook pro or something else (I am sure you are seeing the repeating thing here).

Pretty much like @LeoRex said they try and trap you in. While I don't blame them for it the shortcomings are hard to live by since I am so used to Android and just being able to do it. I am just use to Google and how they work everywhere but also allow some more things (like Pulse SMS) to work.

 

[anon(10092459)]

The only other tech giant that has a clue is Microsoft... When they abandoned winMo, they shifted focus on expanding and enhancing their offerings on other platforms. They are building quite a viable Android ecosystem... OneDrive, Office, Cortana, etc... They may not be as good as their Google counterparts on mobile, but they are viable.

I know a lot of people have counted MS out of the mobile space because of what happened with windows mobile, but I think they're building an attractive offering and a solid "plan b" strategy for mobile. I am all in on Google, but I do keep an eye on what MS has got cooking.

I use a Windows laptop at home, windows desktop at work and a Note 8 for my phone. My kids are all in on Google services at school and they have Chromebooks. I could probably get away with a Chromebook at home myself. Google's services work well on everything I have and as long as that's the case I don't see a reason to switch.

This is something that's become such a high priority for me over the last few years... multi-device, cross platform functionality. For whatever reason, it's important for me to be able to access my files and information on any device in the world. To be able to function and not miss a beat, no matter what, is one of the benefits that makes Google's services attractive to me.

Such as I recently found a messaging app on Android called Pulse SMS (love it btw) and I now can use it on my phone, the web, and my Windows PC.

I'm loving Pulse too, right now. Really great total solution for the very reasons you mentioned.