Which product line is more 'integrated' - Google or Apple?

[hermespan]

I have mixed opinion as to whether being so comprehensive is a good thing. But whether to you it smacks of corporate Big Brother or is a great convenience which is more integrated system of multiple services. Personally, I find them both creepy. I like to have separate services.

[tominbkk]

Over the past 3-4 years, after almost 20 years of being an exclusive Microsoft/PC fan, my devices have one by one all become Apple. I was a master trouble shooter with my PCs, spending hours working out glitches (though with Windows XP and 7 it was not that bad).

iOS and OSX make it much easier on you. Transfer of all digital data is seamless. Programs start and stop instantly, and always work. A notebook with 6+ hours of battery life after three years of heavy use, and a phone and pad with 10 hours of life to them. And priced reasonably in consideration of the quality of components and build to any PC.

I don't really consider myself an Apple Fanboy. they have just slowly but surely converted me into a diehard user of their products and let me get on with my life with their seamless integration between devices and worry-free use.

[2008bangkok]

Apple make good hardware and they have OSX and IOS they do not

make good program's or good apps well not for some one who has a fair understanding of software

[2008bangkok]

Google are even worse, just try and find out how to turn of location data sharing in Google Maps for IOS they have buried it 4 levels deep where no2 ever looks in the app

[infernalman7]

If I were to choose only these two major "ecosystems", I'd rather stay with Apple for now.

This doesn't mean that there are no shortfall though. (This potentially can be a lengthy conversation).

First, with Google I do not really like the fact that things look so unpolished. I am a bit of a perfectionist and I like some of their recent "minimalist" design but it's still a bit too fake. Something isn't right when Google does it. Using Android as an example, the entire platform is just so unpolished. Everything is all about numbers and quantities, just until recently they have understood something about quality and usability. If you like fashion, Google is ZARA in the tech world: can do anything, can replicate things in such a amazingly short amount of time but it lacks soul.

Apple, on the other hand, is a control freak. A lot of things is either love it or hate it. But there's something about Apple that keeps drawing me back to their products and services. I was tired of the iPhones. They get really boring over time because of the lack of customization and personalization. Apple is also quite hard-headed when it comes to responding to customers' need. Only recently, they realized that customers want larger iPhone screens--and it took them that long to actually do soemthing about it. The wait was so long to the point I purchased a few Android phones to try, but then again the poor craftsmanship of operating system design of Android and its third party apps always give me headache.

As for the eco-system, I think Apple wins. Flexibility? Definitely Android. But soul? I believe that when selecting a platform you should choose the one that is going to make you want to keep using it and going back for it.

I think at the end it comes down to what you are happiest with. Even if you are an OS X user it doesn't mean that using iOS is going to make life easier for you. I'd definitely give the new Lumia 1020 a try at some point.

[wellred]

Apple all the way. They may not always be the first to innovate but when they do something people take notice and generally try to imitate.

[HerbalEd]

Love them, or hate them ... Apple is way more "integrated" than Google or Microsoft or any other computer company in the world.

I'm not recommending Apple over anyone else here, but you asked who is"more integrated."

Apple is the only company that makes it's own computers and operating system and software to run on them. In fact, they specifically design their Macs, iPhone, iPad, OSX, iOS, iCloud, iTunes store, software/apps, etc. to work in harmony with each other.

Some trash this my calling it a "walled garden" but I prefer that garden. I don't want to spend my time clinking around trying to get everything in harmony. Some like designing and creating their own systems ... I don't. I want to hop in a new(isn) well-manufactured car, turn on the ignition and go for a drive .... I don't want to spend time working at hacking and customizing the car.

Each to his/her own, but as to optimal integration ... again, Apple has them all beat.

[lujanit]

I am an Apple user and have been for more years than I want to remember.

Two recent incidents reinforce my preference for Apple.

Firstly about 3 weeks ago I purchased my woman a new totally top of the line Asus (intel i7, dual SSD and normal HD's, 8 gig RAM, full HD screen etc etc) Windows 8 Touch screen PC. She has always used XP and said that learning to use a mac would be impossible. Silly I know but try arguing with a Thai. Well the Windows software on this machine is a pile of buffalo dung. Not intuitive by any standards. Plus there is a serious bug, well at least one. If you type Shift 2 you should get @ but you get ". Turns out it depends on the order in which you load the preferred languages. <deleted>? Try using keyboard shortcuts, a trip into hell. I keep reading that Windows 8.1 will fix a lot of things. Hacintosh anyone?

Secondly, last weekend a friend of ours wanted to load some ebooks onto her Samsung Galaxy S4. How hard can this be? A trip into frustration is the answer. Give me iTunes and sync to my iPhone/iPad any day.

It is very true that once Apple have you in their ecosystem it is difficult to break out unless you want to jailbreak your playthings. I am still not entirely happy with iOS (I don't like that Apple won't let programs like Adblock for Safari, programs which can download torrents) yet from playing with Android and having used Windows for quite a while on various other machines I will stay in Apple's walled garden as someone else so aptly put it.

Other people have a preference for Windows and/or Android and I can respect that, respect but not understand. Still I prefer a company that makes the hardware and the OS to run it over a fragmented multi-provider hardware/software offering.

[Jimi007]

I am an Apple user and have been for more years than I want to remember.

Two recent incidents reinforce my preference for Apple.

Firstly about 3 weeks ago I purchased my woman a new totally top of the line Asus (intel i7, dual SSD and normal HD's, 8 gig RAM, full HD screen etc etc) Windows 8 Touch screen PC. She has always used XP and said that learning to use a mac would be impossible. Silly I know but try arguing with a Thai. Well the Windows software on this machine is a pile of buffalo dung. Not intuitive by any standards. Plus there is a serious bug, well at least one. If you type Shift 2 you should get @ but you get ". Turns out it depends on the order in which you load the preferred languages. <deleted>? Try using keyboard shortcuts, a trip into hell. I keep reading that Windows 8.1 will fix a lot of things. Hacintosh anyone?

Secondly, last weekend a friend of ours wanted to load some ebooks onto her Samsung Galaxy S4. How hard can this be? A trip into frustration is the answer. Give me iTunes and sync to my iPhone/iPad any day.

It is very true that once Apple have you in their ecosystem it is difficult to break out unless you want to jailbreak your playthings. I am still not entirely happy with iOS (I don't like that Apple won't let programs like Adblock for Safari, programs which can download torrents) yet from playing with Android and having used Windows for quite a while on various other machines I will stay in Apple's walled garden as someone else so aptly put it.

Other people have a preference for Windows and/or Android and I can respect that, respect but not understand. Still I prefer a company that makes the hardware and the OS to run it over a fragmented multi-provider hardware/software offering.

I use Adblock on Safari, no problem. In Safari go to preferences, extensions, then add and turn on.

[sustento]

I am an Apple user and have been for more years than I want to remember.

Two recent incidents reinforce my preference for Apple.

Firstly about 3 weeks ago I purchased my woman a new totally top of the line Asus (intel i7, dual SSD and normal HD's, 8 gig RAM, full HD screen etc etc) Windows 8 Touch screen PC. She has always used XP and said that learning to use a mac would be impossible. Silly I know but try arguing with a Thai. Well the Windows software on this machine is a pile of buffalo dung. Not intuitive by any standards. Plus there is a serious bug, well at least one. If you type Shift 2 you should get @ but you get ".

If you type Shift 2 and you get " then your machine is set up with a UK keyboard driver.

[wellred]

The way I see things now Android is the superior OS in terms of features. iOs though is more fluid, fun and apple have a more polished Eco system.