Note 4 as a Samsung device and not a Google Device....

[mumfoau]

As I sit here having a little lunch, I find myself wondering how my Note would behave if I used it as a Samsung device as opposed to a google device. As that thought hit me, I began looking through and disabling/uninstalling all the apps that were simply duplicates of on board Samsung apps like Google Play Music and Google Calendar as an example. Does anyone else do this?

 

[muzzy996]

Nope, I do the opposite. On my rooted t-mobile variant I freeze a lot of samsung apps and services instead. Goggles apps and services are integrated into more things than samsung. Just chrome integration alone is a big deal to me.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

 

[natehoy]

I've been a part of the Googlesphere a lot longer than I've been a part of the Sammysphere. In fact, I've been a part of the Googlesphere a lot longer than Android has existed. So for me that doesn't make sense, and I tend to stay away from Samsung-specific services.

However, I am curious as to how complete the Sammysphere has become. If anyone can pull off an Android phone without the full suite of GApps, it would be Samsung.

 

[kathy13xia]

I did not notice the difference since it is still an Android phone and I can download applications from Android shop.

 

[PookiePrancer]

Samsung is on crack if it thinks I'll ever choose their ecosystem. I've tried it (from using their apps, to devices like the Gear S), and it SUCKS.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[beh]

If Samsung has an App to do something I want I prefer it over a Google version. In addition, with the Note series the special actions like multi-window, S pen, etc. don't have Google counterparts..Additonally, many Google apps don't allow the multi-window function from the recent app menu. And with Google apps you have to very carefully read the fine print to see who has rights to use your information and how.

 

[muzzy996]

If Samsung has an App to do something I want I prefer it over a Google version. In addition, with the Note series the special actions like multi-window, S pen, etc. don't have Google counterparts..Additonally, many Google apps don't allow the multi-window function from the recent app menu. And with Google apps you have to very carefully read the fine print to see who has rights to use your information and how.

This is true, and forcing Google Apps to support multi-window via a utility/hack will work but window scaling won't always work properly for them since they aren't natively supporting it. As for the fine print, it's not as if other options are completely devoid of that.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

 

[eljeffe58]

This is really an interesting discussion. I'm looking forward to more opinions.

 

[muzzy996]

Yeah I'm interested to see detailed opinions on specific apps and services that people find better on Samsung vs Google.

Not quite the same thing but one example for me is I like using Action Note more than Google Keep for jotting down quick notes. My problem though is with Action Note it's harder for me to share my notes with my family if needed whereas with Keep I'm able to do that (my wife and son have iOS devices so they access shared notes using Safari on their ipad/iphones).

 

[mumfoau]

It's actually not terrible. The only Google apps I'm using are the ones that don't have a Samsung equivalent so at this moment I'm only using:

GMail
Google Keep
Google App (Google Now)
Google+
Hangouts (could disable since I don't hangout much at all)

All other google apps that I don't use are disabled or uninstalled on my stock 5.0.1, Verizon, Un-rooted Note 4.

 

[beh]

It's actually not terrible. The only Google apps I'm using are the ones that don't have a Samsung equivalent so at this moment I'm only using:

GMail
Google Keep
Google App (Google Now)
Google+
Hangouts (could disable since I don't hangout much at all)

All other google apps that I don't use are disabled or uninstalled on my stock 5.0.1, Verizon, Un-rooted Note 4.

Actually, I find the Samsung email app far superior to GMail as to features and ability to handle all types of email accounts.

 

[beh]

As for the fine print, it's not as if other options are completely devoid of that.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

This is of course true, but the extent of Googles right to use private individual's data in some of their apps is way beyond the pale in my mind. But that is a personal opinion and other's mileage most likely will vary.

 

[mumfoau]

Actually, I find the Samsung email app far superior to GMail as to features and ability to handle all types of email accounts.

Was considering using it but when I opened it a note at the bottom stated to "for Gmail account, use Gmail app." I'm an exclusive Google user so that's fine

 

[steelrain82]

Tagged

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[muzzy996]

Curious if anyone uses scrapbook frequently and does so on more than one device. I never got into using it because I want the ability to see my scrapbook items on all of my devices including my Mac and Windows machines. The compromise that I came up with is using pushbullet and installing their plugin on my computers.

I think if there was an easier way to get all samsung synced content on all platforms that'd be great. Supposedly there is a content viewer but it's not well documented or widely marketed.

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

 

[Trees]

Was considering using it but when I opened it a note at the bottom stated to "for Gmail account, use Gmail app." I'm an exclusive Google user so that's fine

I think you can still use a non-Gmail app to access Gmail, but will lose out on the categories like Important and Priority Inbox. I've disabled Gmail in the past as I wasn't a fan of the Social and other categories, but now that those categories can be turned off, the Gmail app is o.k. for me.

 

[kobe008]

The nice thing about using Google apps is if you ever went with a different android phone vendor you would already have everything. If you are using Samsung apps and went with a Moto phone for instance you'd have to change to either Google or Moto apps at that time.

 

[mumfoau]

Everything that I'm interested in taking between devices (contacts, calendar) is backup to Google so I'm good there

 

[PookiePrancer]

Actually, I find the Samsung email app far superior to GMail as to features and ability to handle all types of email accounts.

Gmail can handle other accounts now. And if you're using Gmail, you're using it regardless of which app accesses it.

One app from Samsung I do prefer is Calendar.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[muzzy996]

Yeah I like the default Calendar app as well. So far despite the warnings that I've seen on my Note Pro I'm finding that using the native calendar app with my google calendars is working out fine. I sync my Google calendar with my company exchange account using gsyncit so going Samsung account isn't an option for that service for me.