Google vs Microsoft, Which Ecosystem?

[A895]

Well it is about that time, the time for me to decide what ecosystem I am going to live in. I know, I know I could possible live in both, but I honestly want one account to handle everything.

I have a couple options here so bear with me! :

1.) Stay with Android, but get rid of Xbox, go to Android gaming exclusively, get a Android TV Console when available, get Chromecast, Moto X and a Nvidia Shield.

2.) Get a Lumia Icon, sell everything Android. Already have Xbox and Windows Convertible.

Now, some things I have considered, I know going all Android and Google leaves me out of console gaming, which can be huge.

Going all with Microsoft, has the drawback of uncertainty with Windows Phone, I may like it or may not. I also lose out on nearly $100 worth of apps and games I have on the PlayStore.

But, I am asking here what should I do? I am at a crossroads and I have been going back and forth for a week, thinking about it.

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[bembol]

Sorry but I'm trouble understanding how you just want one account to handle everything? Why make things complicated when you don't have too.

I'm a Mac user and have no problems handling both. OSX & android.

 

[LeoRex]

Well, the problem is that Android can't match the Xbox's gaming ecosystem... and Microsoft can't match Google's internet ecosystem... so going all in all mean that you are giving up something that really isn't necessary to give up.

There is such a thing as too much consolation....

 

[A895]

Sorry but I'm trouble understanding how you just want one account to handle everything? Why make things complicated when you don't have too.

I'm a Mac user and have no problems handling both. OSX & android.

I don't understand how having one account is complicating. I want my purchases to be on one store and not spread out on multiple stores.

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[A895]

Well, the problem is that Android can't match the Xbox's gaming ecosystem... and Microsoft can't match Google's internet ecosystem... so going all in all mean that you are giving up something that really isn't necessary to give up.

There is such a thing as too much consolation....

Not really. If anything, my gaming situation is up I'm the air.

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[grydlok]

I really don't understand what you're trying accomplish .

"The world would be so boring without idiots like you to amuse me."

 

[A895]

I really don't understand what you're trying accomplish .

"The world would be so boring without idiots like you to amuse me."

Simplify my ecosystem. Either go all Android everywhere or put Windows everywhere, I thought I was pretty clear.

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[LeoRex]

Not really. If anything, my gaming situation is up I'm the air.

Until we get Xbox/PS level Android gaming system, I think the advantages gained by simplifying are going to get negated by loss of functionality.... i.e. you're going to get annoyed.

 

[A895]

Until we get Xbox/PS level Android gaming system, I think the advantages gained by simplifying are going to get negated by loss of functionality.... i.e. you're going to get annoyed.

How so? My main reasoning is that I own quite a few quality games on the Play Store already, and there are many more to choose from. The Nvidia Shield can handle the gaming part and if I want a home system I can get an Android TV when they are available. Games ate also much cheaper.

On Windows Side, more than anything I have to deal with being on Windows Phone which, from my own experience, is a decent one, and I mainly want to tap into Xbox Services there, I keep my Xbox and all the games that are available and to come, and I can even play some games on my Laptop and Windows Phone.

So there are some concessions and either way I can deal with them. It's only tech and nothing is permanent. This is just something that will be shirt term, maybe a year at least. And so far I am tilting towards Windows everywhere, but I do like to hear others opinions.

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[grydlok]

Simplify my ecosystem. Either go all Android everywhere or put Windows everywhere, I thought I was pretty clear.

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Your not simplifying your ecosystem, you're limiting yourself.

"The world would be so boring without idiots like you to amuse me."

 

[A895]

Your not simplifying your ecosystem, you're limiting yourself.

"The world would be so boring without idiots like you to amuse me."

How so?

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[A895]

My ideas are being shot down :-(

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[JeffDenver]

Sorry but I'm trouble understanding how you just want one account to handle everything? Why make things complicated when you don't have too.

I'm a Mac user and have no problems handling both. OSX & android.

Same here...unless you have a specific reason for wanting one account for everything, I don't see the point. Right now there is no ecosystem that does everything well. Eacgh of them does specific things wells. Unkless one ecosystem handles all the stuff you care about well, I don't see the point of confining yourself to one ecosystem.

I love Microsoft for desktop, but despise it for Phone, and I don't play consoles. I hate iOS because of it's closed model and expense, and am not a fan of Macs for similar reasons, but I use itunes all the time and love it because of the choice provided by it's massive library. I absolutely love Android, but do no see any appeal at all with Chromebooks.

A single ecosystem is not going to do it for most people IMO. At least not right now. There is no perfect ecosystem. There is no clear winner among them yet IMO.

 

[JeffDenver]

Your not simplifying your ecosystem, you're limiting yourself.

How so?

By locking yourself into one ecosystem. Unless it can really provide everything you will want, what is the point?

At this point, I would recommend remaining free to mix and match. There might come a time when one ecosystem pulls ahead in a obvious and substantial way, but that hasn't happened yet.

 

[A895]

By locking yourself into one ecosystem. Unless it can really provide everything you will want, what is the point?

At this point, I would recommend remaining free to mix and match. There might come a time when one ecosystem pulls ahead in a obvious and substantial way, but that hasn't happened yet.

It is frustrating to keep up where you purchased what. Between Amazon, Microsoft, Xbox, and the play store, I have money everywhere and I really want to cut it down. At the most I will consider an Icon, but I may still get a Moto X as backup. I at least want Xbox Video on my phone, that is my most used video service after Netflix.

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[JeffDenver]

It is frustrating to keep up where you purchased what. Between Amazon, Microsoft, Xbox, and the play store, I have money everywhere and I really want to cut it down. At the most I will consider an Icon, but I may still get a Moto X as backup. I at least want Xbox Video on my phone, that is my most used video service after Netflix.

I solved this problem by keeping everything generic whenever possible. The very first thing I do with iTunes purchases, for example, is strip them of DRM by converting them to MP3. I used to use Barnes and Noble in addition to Amazon for books...now I just use Amazon. Anything that is non-DRM I keep in my own ePub library. EPub is like a book version of MP3, and is impossible to DRM.

If XBox is really a dealbreaker for you, you'd probably be best switching to an all-microsoft ecosystem. Microsoft does not like sharing their services with other vendors, so even if XBox support came to Android/iOS, it is likely it would be watered down. You will always have to make compromises if you commit yourself to one ecosystem, no matter what it is. You just need to decide which things you are not willing to compromise on.

 

[A895]

I solved this problem by keeping everything generic whenever possible. The very first thing I do with iTunes purchases, for example, is strip them of DRM by converting them to MP3. I used to use Barnes and Noble in addition to Amazon for books...now I just use Amazon. Anything that is non-DRM I keep in my own ePub library. EPub is like a book version of MP3, and is impossible to DRM.

If XBox is really a dealbreaker for you, you'd probably be best switching to an all-microsoft ecosystem. Microsoft does not like sharing their services with other vendors, so even if XBox support came to Android/iOS, it is likely it would be watered down. You will always have to make compromises if you commit yourself to one ecosystem, no matter what it is. You just need to decide which things you are not willing to compromise on.

True. I may have painted myself in a corner because of Xbox, though I doubt I will hate Windows Phone. Went to a Verizon store recently and the phone was surprisingly lighter than I thought, though it does have some width on it.

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[A895]

Did some digging, a Lumia Icon costs as much or more than a brand new Moto X! That is a non starter for me. So it will go like this: I will Microsoft out my phone as much as possible and limit the number of apps and games I buy on the Play Store. Because as of right now, a Icon is nice but it ain't $100+ more nice than a Moto X.

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[P-raggles]

Do you drive? Do you own a home? If so consider other ecosystems as well. No new car tech plays well with Windows Phone. A 3k nav system from Toyota is fully functioning with Moto X...its useless with Windows Phone.
This is getting to be a bigger and bigger deal with automakers lining up behind Apple (Mercedes) and Google (Toyota). In most cases Android and IOS are both supported with special apps in their respective stores required to gain full functioning of these expensive infotainment systems.
After the car home automation is next...will your tstat or security system work with WP?...your idea of ecosystem needs to expand beyond games...unless you are a kid who does not drive or own a home or business.

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[Coreldan]

I'm sort of in crossroads too, considering an Android-phone for the first time ever. I've been pretty much MS-exclusive the last years as you can see in my signature, but now with Nokia disappearing and WP8.1 removing pretty much the biggest reason I got WP in the first place (integrated FB chat), I figured it might be time to try Android cos all MS services are available (and some even better) on Android too.

But that's just the thing, I would still avoid Google-services as much as possible and keep my main ecosystem within MS.

EDIT: Oh, it doesnt show my signature from WPC here. Basically it says that I have a Lumia 920, Xbox One, Surface RT and Windows 8.1 PC. I just recently ordered a Lumia 930 but thinking about just returning that shipment before even opening it and trying to think through if I should try Android for the first time or not.