Frustrated and ready for something new......

[totallygone]

Hello Android Central.I am new both to Androids and to this forum. A little background history on myself.

I have always carried two device around with me, an iphone and a blackberry. One for work and one for my own personal use. I recently bought the blackberry z10......I am addicted to bbm......however....there are NO apps for the device. I seem to not even be able to get simple apps such as CNN or BBC. I am an ER doc, and very few medical apps work on this thing......The twitter app does not work.......I consider apps like twitter and facebook to be basic apps that all new gadgets should have and should work flawlessly. Well....I have given up and will be coming over to Android.

The only question now is whether I will purchase the Samsung Galaxy note 2 or the Samsung galaxy s4.........difficult decision....:'(

 

[Paul627g]

Welcome to AC.

That is a tough choice to make which platform will suit your needs. My wife is a FNP and she relies on many apps for her daily things like coding (ICD 9, etc.) for patients and drug reference guides with things constantly changing in the guidelines for healthcare.

She's also heavy into social media like Twitter, FB and LinkedIn. I think you will be happy here on Android and find the apps to suit your needs.

As for your decision.. Yeah thats a tough one..

Good luck and enjoy the forums.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to a fellow MD! I use the following apps, which are free:

Medscape, which I find to be as comprehensive as ePocrates, but faster
Calculate by QxMD
Skyscape is ok for the free Archimedes calculator and a couple of other goodies, but most of the other add-ons cost quite a bit.

I also have UpToDate, but it ain't free. If you have a bunch of CME dollars to spend, you might want to purchase a subscription.

 

[Paul627g]

Thanks for the input B. Diddy! I was hoping that you came along and saw this thread being a fellow MD.

+1 on the Epocrates too.. Wife has used that for a few years also, although recently it appears as if they pulled back on some of the resources it handled...

 

[totallygone]

Thanks for the responses. Yip, I definitely use Up to Date.....I need that app everywhere. My Skyscape app had been resetting itself on my z10 very distressful.

Medscape and medpage are definitely apps I am looking forward to on my android device.

I also want to see how the Lancet, New England Journal of medicine and British medical Journal apps also function.

I can't wait to get my new device.


Http://www.sleepydoctordiaries.com
Sent from my blackberry using Tapatalk

 

[Golfdriver97]

Hello Android Central.I am new both to Androids and to this forum. A little background history on myself.

I have always carried two device around with me, an iphone and a blackberry. One for work and one for my own personal use. I recently bought the blackberry z10......I am addicted to bbm......however....there are NO apps for the device. I seem to not even be able to get simple apps such as CNN or BBC. I am an ER doc, and very few medical apps work on this thing......The twitter app does not work.......I consider apps like twitter and facebook to be basic apps that all new gadgets should have and should work flawlessly. Well....I have given up and will be coming over to Android.

The only question now is whether I will purchase the Samsung Galaxy note 2 or the Samsung galaxy s4.........difficult decision....:'(

Welcome to the forums, and soon, Android!

Both are really solid devices. I would honestly suggest the S4 over the Note 2. Main reason: the Note 2 is roughly halfway through it's life. In a little over a year from now, the development for updating Android for it will slow down, and eventually stop. However, if you don't care for keeping up with the current version of android, then I might suggest the Note 2. The best part about your decision is that you have to play with them in order to decide!!!

 

[zkSharks]

I work in medical IT, and my father is an emergency physician of several decades' experience. From that knowledge, I'd recommend the Galaxy Note 2, though you won't be at all disappointed with the S4. The large screen would be helpful for viewing documents of high information density and looking up stored medical documents (a stored library of handy reference PDF files, for example). The highly-accurate stylus support built-in would be great for taking notes on it as well.

I would suggest you definitely use a case on it. I lost a Nexus 4 to a local ED's security doors a month or so back. The Note 2 may end up a bit large with a case on it though, so that's something to consider as well.

Golfdriver makes a good point about software versions, but as he also points out, that doesn't mean you'll have at all a negative experience. It comes down to personal preference.

 

[B. Diddy]

You have a good point about the size of the Note's screen, but for me, it's essential to have a fairly light and non-bulky device in my white coat. MDs have different styles--some like to carry a lot of stuff with them, others like to be fairly lean, and I know that ED docs often prefer not to wear a coat at all. Either way, an easily portable device may be preferable, in which case the smaller S4 may win out.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I would also like to add that I had to download a different app for editing .doc files. The stock one (Polaris) wouldn't let me do it. I found ones that were still free and could edit them. The one I picked was Kingsoft, and I love it. Great App.

 

[zkSharks]

You have a good point about the size of the Note's screen, but for me, it's essential to have a fairly light and non-bulky device in my white coat. MDs have different styles--some like to carry a lot of stuff with them, others like to be fairly lean, and I know that ED docs often prefer not to wear a coat at all. Either way, an easily portable device may be preferable, in which case the smaller S4 may win out.

Yeah, that was precisely my thought about the Note and a case. The comment about wearing coats is interesting; most of the emergency physicians in the Northwest seem to wear them fairly consistently.

 

[totallygone]

I work in medical IT, and my father is an emergency physician of several decades' experience. From that knowledge, I'd recommend the Galaxy Note 2, though you won't be at all disappointed with the S4. The large screen would be helpful for viewing documents of high information density and looking up stored medical documents (a stored library of handy reference PDF files, for example). The highly-accurate stylus support built-in would be great for taking notes on it as well.

I would suggest you definitely use a case on it. I lost a Nexus 4 to a local ED's security doors a month or so back. The Note 2 may end up a bit large with a case on it though, so that's something to consider as well.

Golfdriver makes a good point about software versions, but as he also points out, that doesn't mean you'll have at all a negative experience. It comes down to personal preference.

Fantastic advice from you guys. I always use cases on my phone. And yes the thought had occurred to me that because the note 2 is older the updates would stop coming to it faster than for the S 4. However, due to its large size I would enjoy reading PDF documents etc. and also take a quick read of medical journals.

I am definitely going to play around with both devices and see which one suits my preference

I am also an ER doc who does not ever wear a lab coat. My scrubs have several pockets, it will fit in one easily.


Http://www.sleepydoctordiaries.com
Sent from my blackberry using Tapatalk

 

[totallygone]

Ok, so I finally have my note 2 in my hands........ I just have one question though....not seeing new england journal of medicine or the Lancet android apps. Is there a way to still read them on my note?

 

[B. Diddy]

There are currently no Android apps available for NEJM nor The Lancet. Both have good mobile sites, so just use your browser.

 

[totallygone]

Awww man.....


Http://www.sleepydoctordiaries.com
Sent from my blackberry using Tapatalk

 

[B. Diddy]

Yeah, unfortunately the field of medicine tends to be filled with a lot of iPhone fanatics. Why not just use the mobile site? Do you need off-line access?

 

[Notsosure]

Being a doctor I assume you would prob prefer something with a calendar widget that can give you a scope of what your schedule looks like for the month. The stock s-calendar widget is actually very nice and I use it myself. If you are with VZW you won't have that widget available unless you root on the Note II. But that is available on the s4.

Sent from my Galaxy S4

 

[nickgalaxys4]

Welcome both the Note and GS4 are great phones. Really comes down to what you like and feel good for you. I myself have the GS4 and the size and the phone it's self is very nice I can do anything I want without even touching the phone such great feature on the phone.

 

[totallygone]

Yeah, unfortunately the field of medicine tends to be filled with a lot of iPhone fanatics. Why not just use the mobile site? Do you need off-line access?

Well I actually always carry two devices. I also use an iphone. But the mobile site on the note 2 works well. Thanks.

 

[totallygone]

Well just wanted to update everyone on my note2. It has been about 3 weeks since I got the device and I absolutely love it.

I would sometimes reach to work around 6:30am, flip through a few emails, return some calls. Then throughout the day I may check twitter....if I get a chance. In between seeing patients I do some light reading on my device. Usually my previous devices wouldn't make it til 3pm without me having to recharge.....this device carried me straight down to 8pm with heavy use on approximately 30-40% charge left.

This device is fantastic.

I have also been able to squeeze many of my favorite medical apps on the device: up-to-date, skyscape, medscape, medpage.....to name a few.

My favourite new use is the s pen......when people randomly want you to do something and I would usually jot down the note on a piece of paper which would get lost......now I jot it down with the s pen.

This phone is definitely a workhorse!!!!!!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Golfdriver97]

Well just wanted to update everyone on my note2. It has been about 3 weeks since I got the device and I absolutely love it.

I would sometimes reach to work around 6:30am, flip through a few emails, return some calls. Then throughout the day I may check twitter....if I get a chance. In between seeing patients I do some light reading on my device. Usually my previous devices wouldn't make it til 3pm without me having to recharge.....this device carried me straight down to 8pm with heavy use on approximately 30-40% charge left.

This device is fantastic.

I have also been able to squeeze many of my favorite medical apps on the device: up-to-date, skyscape, medscape, medpage.....to name a few.

My favourite new use is the s pen......when people randomly want you to do something and I would usually jot down the note on a piece of paper which would get lost......now I jot it down with the s pen.

This phone is definitely a workhorse!!!!!!

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

Glad you are liking the device. Now that you have had it for a while, if you want you can download a different launcher from Play. A launcher is a user interface and a different one can bring a whole set of new custom options to your phone. Popular ones are Nova, ADW, Apex, and GO. I love Nova, you can change color themes, scrolling speed and animation, grid layout on the home screens and app drawer, change icons and order in the dock, plus more.

Sent from a SlimROM S3.