Somewhat nervous-moving from iphone to GS3

[bigstormgirl]

I have placed an order for a red GS3 with AT&T, and now I'm wondering how painful is it going to be trying to move itunes playlist to GS3 (my computers are iMac and Macbook pro).

I bookmarked the Android file transfer download for Mac, but I'm wondering if I may need something else? AT&T has a file transfer on their site too, but not sure how good it is. Trying to learn the Android lingo and understanding the difference with iOS is becoming a challenge. Ice cream sandwich, Jelly Bean and other assorted terms is making me giggle, but a nervous giggle nevertheless.

I guess in the end, it will be ok. But I am anticipating a major hair pull trying to convert everything to Android. Anything else that I may encounter? The only thing that I will be moving over is music, photos and contacts.

TIA

Cindy

 

[jcp007]

You can use Kies for Mac to transfer files.

You already have a less steep learning curve than users like me who came from RIM. You will also like the ability to expand memory and customize your GS3, things that you could do or do well on your iPhone.

 

[planoman]

Things are different on android compared with iOS. Just commit to several weeks with android. Many friends I have that have gone from iPhone to android have not given it enough time and went back to iPhone. Those who have gone three weeks or more are usually successful in the transition. Just an observation. If you do not yet have a Gmail address, you may want to get one.

 

[bigstormgirl]

Thanks everyone. Likely, I already have a couple of gmail accounts. One thing that has been a frustration with the iphone (all three versions that I have owned), is constantly having a problem with gmail. I'm hoping the Android will eliminate that issue.

 

[jcp007]

I have a gmail account, mainly for Play Store. The GMail app is pretty decent. I primarly use my comcast address for my primary inbox as I did want to go back and change all the vendors and sites that already have my comcast address. These emails can also appear in the GMail app.

 

[bigstormgirl]

You can use Kies for Mac to transfer files.

You already have a less steep learning curve than users like me who came from RIM. You will also like the ability to expand memory and customize your GS3, things that you could do or do well on your iPhone.

How is Kies different than Android file transfer file (http://www.android.com/filetransfer/)? Or is it different?

 

[jcp007]

Not sure. Kies can be downloaded be downloaded from Samsung.

 

[Jon_Cox]

I been switching back and forth from ios to Android for a couple of years. Lots of investment in both ecosystems now. Couldn't find hardware that was as reliable as Apple. Plus, it's easy to go to an Apple Store and get help when needed. That said, just recently I went from an iPhone 4 to an HTX One X. I thought that finally someone had come up with decent enough hardware that I could make a long term switch. Wrong. My HOX was plagued with issues, both hardware and software. As was the replacement. So I went back to Apple with a 4S. Liked it, it was snappy. Just boring and even when running the beta3 of iOS6, still very boring. The news maps functionality was good but not enough. In addition, I have definitely converted and definitely prefer the larger display form factor.

Luckily a few weeks ago my wife decided she wanted my iPhone. So I began to reevaluate the Android devices that were available. I got a Pebble Blue Galaxy S3. Zero issues thus far and it's a great phone. I'm running the Apex Launcher and battery life has been fantastic. Also, since I uploaded almost 99% of my music to Google Music for free, I can stream it whenever I like. I don't have to pay for it like I did with iTunes Match. I'm now here for good, especially given what I've seen rumor-wise of the hardware. Like I said, in my opinion iOS 6 is not a big upgrade at all.

I think you'll like it. It's a definitely a challenge to switch and I think a lot of people have no idea how difficult a decision it really is. When Jelly Bean comes to the GS3 you'll find it pretty close- if not more so- fluid than iOS. Just don't force it and take time to find the easiest way for YOU to do what you need to do. How well you transition is really up to you.

Side note- I can't get Android File Transfer to work on my MacBook Pro. Won't recognize my device even though I've set my GS3 to share via USB. I'll try Kies.

 

[beavo451]

I went from iPhone 4s to HTC One X to S3. I am not going back. I bought a Nexus 7 and it was my first experience with Android. I used Google's Music Manager application on my PC and it put all my iTunes music into my Google Play. I just downloaded all my music to my phone from Google. My calenders and contacts were all on Google anyway so transitioning was a breeze.

 

[jontalk]

JonCox.. great thread there. I had actually ordered the Atrix HD but Amazon had some logistical issues getting me the correct phone, so the order was cancelled and my upgrade was reset. Meantime I had a long discussion with an ATT rep and now they are matching any deal I can get on Amazon. And that means I can now get the GS3 for $100 or the HOX for $50.

My question to you as an Apple fan boy is how you feel about the GS3 screen and the lack of pinch zooming emails. There's absolutely no doubt that the screen on either the HOX or AHD is superior to the GS3's and the cameras between the GS3 and HOX are a wash. But you have experienced what many in the HOX forum have with the inconsistent manufacturing by HTC which has me concerned. I think the garnet red GS3 is a nice looking phone, but I don't want to have any issues. At $100 its a whole lot of phone for the money too. As for file transferring, Kies has been a big pain in the ass to get my playlist imported and I Google Music Manager has been buggy and actually crashed my WinXP laptop where I have iTunes.. not sure how to get the music and ring tones transferred now either Thanks.

 

[bigstormgirl]

I been switching back and forth from ios to Android for a couple of years. Lots of investment in both ecosystems now. Couldn't find hardware that was as reliable as Apple. Plus, it's easy to go to an Apple Store and get help when needed. That said, just recently I went from an iPhone 4 to an HTX One X. I thought that finally someone had come up with decent enough hardware that I could make a long term switch. Wrong. My HOX was plagued with issues, both hardware and software. As was the replacement. So I went back to Apple with a 4S. Liked it, it was snappy. Just boring and even when running the beta3 of iOS6, still very boring. The news maps functionality was good but not enough. In addition, I have definitely converted and definitely prefer the larger display form factor.

Luckily a few weeks ago my wife decided she wanted my iPhone. So I began to reevaluate the Android devices that were available. I got a Pebble Blue Galaxy S3. Zero issues thus far and it's a great phone. I'm running the Apex Launcher and battery life has been fantastic. Also, since I uploaded almost 99% of my music to Google Music for free, I can stream it whenever I like. I don't have to pay for it like I did with iTunes Match. I'm now here for good, especially given what I've seen rumor-wise of the hardware. Like I said, in my opinion iOS 6 is not a big upgrade at all.

I think you'll like it. It's a definitely a challenge to switch and I think a lot of people have no idea how difficult a decision it really is. When Jelly Bean comes to the GS3 you'll find it pretty close- if not more so- fluid than iOS. Just don't force it and take time to find the easiest way for YOU to do what you need to do. How well you transition is really up to you.

Side note- I can't get Android File Transfer to work on my MacBook Pro. Won't recognize my device even though I've set my GS3 to share via USB. I'll try Kies.

Thanks Jon_Cox! I have been finding my iphone 4 very boring, plus the continuing gmail issue has been annoying. My husband got a 4s last fall, and he has been having overheating problems recently. He started looking at the Galaxy and wants one too, but he isn't eligible for an upgrade till next year. I'm just nervous about the fact that all our computers are Mac's and will I ever get my iTunes music list over to the Galaxy, and my photos too. Since some have done it with no problem, I'm hopeful.

If I'm understanding this correctly, is Google Music similar to iTunes?

 

[Syrous44]

I found that going between my gnex and my wifes recent iphone 4s upgrade to be a snape and easy. We have alot of the same apps and games. The layout of main menus and folders is very smiler as well. Should not be a major transition. However, you will have to go through some extra steps depending on what are trying to do because of touchwiz

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Android Central Forums

 

[jcp007]

JonCox.. great thread there. I had actually ordered the Atrix HD but Amazon had some logistical issues getting me the correct phone, so the order was cancelled and my upgrade was reset. Meantime I had a long discussion with an ATT rep and now they are matching any deal I can get on Amazon. And that means I can now get the GS3 for $100 or the HOX for $50.

My question to you as an Apple fan boy is how you feel about the GS3 screen and the lack of pinch zooming emails. There's absolutely no doubt that the screen on either the HOX or AHD is superior to the GS3's and the cameras between the GS3 and HOX are a wash. But you have experienced what many in the HOX forum have with the inconsistent manufacturing by HTC which has me concerned. I think the garnet red GS3 is a nice looking phone, but I don't want to have any issues. At $100 its a whole lot of phone for the money too. As for file transferring, Kies has been a big pain in the ass to get my playlist imported and I Google Music Manager has been buggy and actually crashed my WinXP laptop where I have iTunes.. not sure how to get the music and ring tones transferred now either Thanks.

Pinch gestures in emails work just fine though not in all depending upon what might be imbedded. GS3 video capture at 29 fps and HOX at 23 fps.

HOX vs GS3

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC One X in-depth comparison Part 1 of 2 | Heels and Tech

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs HTC One X in-depth comparison Part 2 of 2 | Heels and Tech

Review of GS3

Samsung Galaxy S3 InDepth Review and User Experience Part 1 - Heels and Tech | Heels and Tech

Samsung Galaxy S3 InDepth Review and User Experience Part 2 - Heels and Tech | Heels and Tech

Review of GS3 vs i4s

Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Apple iPhone 4S - YouTube

 

[Jon_Cox]

JonCox.. great thread there. I had actually ordered the Atrix HD but Amazon had some logistical issues getting me the correct phone, so the order was cancelled and my upgrade was reset. Meantime I had a long discussion with an ATT rep and now they are matching any deal I can get on Amazon. And that means I can now get the GS3 for $100 or the HOX for $50.

My question to you as an Apple fan boy is how you feel about the GS3 screen and the lack of pinch zooming emails. There's absolutely no doubt that the screen on either the HOX or AHD is superior to the GS3's and the cameras between the GS3 and HOX are a wash. But you have experienced what many in the HOX forum have with the inconsistent manufacturing by HTC which has me concerned. I think the garnet red GS3 is a nice looking phone, but I don't want to have any issues. At $100 its a whole lot of phone for the money too. As for file transferring, Kies has been a big pain in the ass to get my playlist imported and I Google Music Manager has been buggy and actually crashed my WinXP laptop where I have iTunes.. not sure how to get the music and ring tones transferred now either Thanks.

You're right- I hit the inconsistent build quality of HTC. Pity, as it was a beautiful device. Look, the iPhone has a great display so I knew that when I made the change, the new phone had to be pretty much as good. The HOX has a better display than the iPhone, hands down. The GS3 has a great display, not as good as the iPhone or HOX, but still excellent. I've got no issues with the GS3 display; I do like the color, visibility in direct sunlight. Phone feels just as solid as the HOX. Plus, I like having the extra RAM over the HOX.

I'm going to try Kies, but Google Music Manager downloaded 1900 tracks to my phone with no issue. My next task is to see if I want to get a Nexus 7. I've got the "new" iPad and enjoy it, but I read A LOT and like the idea of a powerful, Jelly Bean equipped 7" tablet.

 

[Jon_Cox]

Thanks Jon_Cox! I have been finding my iphone 4 very boring, plus the continuing gmail issue has been annoying. My husband got a 4s last fall, and he has been having overheating problems recently. He started looking at the Galaxy and wants one too, but he isn't eligible for an upgrade till next year. I'm just nervous about the fact that all our computers are Mac's and will I ever get my iTunes music list over to the Galaxy, and my photos too. Since some have done it with no problem, I'm hopeful.

If I'm understanding this correctly, is Google Music similar to iTunes?

Yup. Once you download the Music Manager App it pretty much takes care of everything. Took a while to upload all of my music but it's been great. Be confident, it will be ok. Issues I have seen relate to Windows software compatibility issues. I felt the same way when I was first looking at switching to the dark side from Apple, and I work for them.

 

[SHO_ONE#IM]

You can use Kies for Mac to transfer files.

You already have a less steep learning curve than users like me who came from RIM. You will also like the ability to expand memory and customize your GS3, things that you could do or do well on your iPhone.

Yes you can use Kies to transfer music and audio books and such, but know that the version of Kies on Samsungs site will not work on OSX 10.8.... This is were I found my version

However all this will be for not as you can't connect your S3 to your mac, it just didn't want to read mine. You'll need this With android file transfer (10.5 or later) you'll finally be able to connect your S3 to your Mac.

On a separate note make sure you back up your photo's by using iphoto (On a PC plug in your Iphone and search the iphone's folders via "my computer" to save your pic's) as once your iphone is gone... its gone.

Know it'll take a bit to learn how to use your new S3; however that's only because of how much more you can do with it. I've owned and still own Black Berry's (work phone), the Palm Pre, HTC Hero, EVO and from there went to the iphone 4S... I, from the start had an iphone crave that I tried to satiate with all of the other phone; however once in my hands I knew at once this was not for me. Don't get me wrong, IOS is a beautiful operating system and fanboys can continue on blindly marching to their own tune, but the truth is IOS is a great OS if your not familier with using a computer or a novice at such things.

Android's start has been a bit rocky and so on, but I knew living with my 3.5" iphone 4S was living a lie. Each have their advantages, but to me Android is the clear victor. Why... I have my reasons and if your new to Android you'll develop your own. I do feel IOS can be smoother than Android, but that gap is closing rapidly and I feel with the next iteration of Android (Jelly bean w/butter) that gap will have been bridged.

I hope I've been some help, I too have only recently come back to Android and I am here to stay.... at least for a while! I'm more of an overall tech fan then a "one is better than the other" type of fan. I may be interested in Win Phone 8 in a year or three.....

 

[madlaw1071]

I also have gone back and forth from iOs to Android. Went from 3Gs to Droid X to 4s and now GS 3. People that rip one platform or another are idiots. There are merits to both and most of it boils down to personal preference.

For me, I couldn't deal with the small screen on the 4s anymore and didn't care for the auto correct and lack of 3rd party keyboards.

As others have said, Google Music Manager grabbed all my iTunes music in mere minutes and then I was able to pick and choose which music I wanted on the phone itself and which I would stream.

I don't miss the 4s at all.

 

[snookiesnoo]

I'v had every version of iPhone and many android devices at the same time. Right now I have a 4s and S III.
iOS 6 is not complete and the hardware specific features are not yet being shown.
Rumors and pictures of new iPhones have been wrong pretty much every single time so making a decision on that makes little sense.
iTunes Match at a whole $25 per year is much more capable than Google Music Manager. It allows you upgrade all of your music to 256k AAC which is worth it just for that. Plus even if you are no longer an iTunes Match member you can keep your upgraded music. Also Music Manager did not match a lot of my music while iTunes Match would upload songs it couldn't find. iTunes match does not upload all your music as Music Manager does. It only uploads songs it can't find which are very few.
For the OP, there is a tremendous amount of bloatware on the S III placed there by the carrier and the manufacturer. This slows the phone down and uses resources. You won't be used to this as an iPhone user because Apple does not allow the carriers to do this. So I would look into some of the tutorials about how to root and remove or freeze these apps. You also won't be use to app stores, selection, and quality. Google Play is a mess and is full of garbage making it very hard to find real apps instead of apps that are named similarly. Consider looking at the Amazon store instead. Do not expect all of your Android apps to have the same functionality or look as the same app on iOS.
If you are using iCloud you can get some syncing going as there are several apps that do this. But they only work with a small amount of iCloud features.
I'd be interested to know what issues you are having with Gmail on your iPhone. You should follow the instructions Google provides for setting this up not the built in Apple setup. if you are using the Gmail app on your iPhone then stop because its slapped together garbage.
Look into the Apex and Nova launchers. You may want to use one of those. I do think you should root and freeze the huge amount of bloatware on these phones but you may not want to go to a new launcher until you have learned what comes on the phone.
Finally don't sell your iPhone just yet if you can. Try Android for a few weeks to be sure you like it. Some people like tinkering with their phones and others want them just to work so they can get on with their lives. iOS does that for you by design. If there is functionality you want that it doesn't provide then jailbreak it and look into cydia apps.

I been switching back and forth from ios to Android for a couple of years. Lots of investment in both ecosystems now. Couldn't find hardware that was as reliable as Apple. Plus, it's easy to go to an Apple Store and get help when needed. That said, just recently I went from an iPhone 4 to an HTX One X. I thought that finally someone had come up with decent enough hardware that I could make a long term switch. Wrong. My HOX was plagued with issues, both hardware and software. As was the replacement. So I went back to Apple with a 4S. Liked it, it was snappy. Just boring and even when running the beta3 of iOS6, still very boring. The news maps functionality was good but not enough. In addition, I have definitely converted and definitely prefer the larger display form factor.

Luckily a few weeks ago my wife decided she wanted my iPhone. So I began to reevaluate the Android devices that were available. I got a Pebble Blue Galaxy S3. Zero issues thus far and it's a great phone. I'm running the Apex Launcher and battery life has been fantastic. Also, since I uploaded almost 99% of my music to Google Music for free, I can stream it whenever I like. I don't have to pay for it like I did with iTunes Match. I'm now here for good, especially given what I've seen rumor-wise of the hardware. Like I said, in my opinion iOS 6 is not a big upgrade at all.

I think you'll like it. It's a definitely a challenge to switch and I think a lot of people have no idea how difficult a decision it really is. When Jelly Bean comes to the GS3 you'll find it pretty close- if not more so- fluid than iOS. Just don't force it and take time to find the easiest way for YOU to do what you need to do. How well you transition is really up to you.

Side note- I can't get Android File Transfer to work on my MacBook Pro. Won't recognize my device even though I've set my GS3 to share via USB. I'll try Kies.

 

[jontalk]

All very good points here.. As to the Heels & Tech reviews on the GS3, I'd say they're good, but she does point out a number of problematic areas and features that are at best, weak. We've all seen the demos of S Voice and know it doesn't compare to Google Now

I think one of the biggest differences in the hardware is the build quality. There's no mistaking having an iPhone in your hand. The bad news is that Apple wants you to pay for every single thing they can, not to mention you can rarely if ever find a deal on an Apple device.

Jelly Bean looks to be the most rocking version of Android yet and ICS is pretty sweet too. And I also agree making the switch requires a leap of faith, but what's Life for unless we go on an adventure??

 

[dachiemom]

After picking my phone and talking with ATT support--found out the very best way to move stuff from iPhone to SGS3 is to take it to a company store--they have the correct cables to do it right. I'm very pleased with mine and the move over.