Hello. I am a non tech person and if I buy FP2 it will be my first smartphone. I have a Windows laptop. Will FP2 do what I want it to do?
link with laptop easily
read my gmail & check my google calendar
take photos and be able to store them/synch them on latop easily.
Friends and family say I should buy an iphone/mac as the combo is user friendly. I ike the idea of a Google Nexus phone as I use gmail and google calendar so heavily. As I have a windows laptop it might be sensible to but a Windows phone. I want to support FPâs durable and ethical stance but I want the phone to be easy to use and work smoothly with my windows laptop. So I have analysis paralysis. Any tips or experiences from othe novices? thank you
That depends. Apple is surely âuser-friendlyâ in the sense that they provide systems that are as easy as possible to wok with for the average user.
Problem is: The average user doesnât exist. Everybody is different and if you want to personalize your device to match your personal needs, wants and likes Apple is very user-unfriendly.
Android is maybe a little less user friendly in the first sense but much more in the second.
(I totally left out user-friendly in the sense of not spying on and exploiting the userâs personal data.)
Fairphone 2 comes with Google Apps & Services preinstalled and since Windows and Google are compatible youâll have no problems with that.
I believe youâll be happy with the Fairphone and if youâre not, you can simply try it and send it back without a reason within the first 1 or 2 weeks (Iâm not sure atm). Also there are many first time Smartphone users in the Fairphone community, so youâll be assisted with anything youâll need here on the Forum or by Support.
To add to paulakreuzer:[quote=âMJD_nov, post:1, topic:11822â]
I ike the idea of a Google Nexus phone as I use gmail and google calendar so heavily. As I have a windows laptop it might be sensible to but a Windows phone.
[/quote]
The Android operating system would be the one nearest to google and provided with google services, which are important to you,. Android is running on Google Nexus, and on the FP2. There are also Windows phones, and I donât see a reason why you couldnât operate your google-account with them.
Sorry that this doesnât reduce your options, just wanted to clarify this
If you use Googleâs services you can auto-backup all your photos to Google Photos (and view/download them on PC via http://photos.google.com).
Thereâs also a bunch of alternatives if you donât like Google.
Your FairPhone will synchronize Google Calendar and GMail automatically by default if you enter your GMail account at first startup.
Thereâs not really a reason to pick one brand of phones over the other if calendar/mail/photo synchronization is your only concern. The Google services are available for Apple and Microsoft devices as well.
If youâre already at least somewhat integrated into the Google ecosystem (i.e. Gmail and Google Calendar), an Android phone (like a Nexus or a Fairphone) would be the obvious choice. (Thatâs not to say itâs impossible to move between the Apple/Microsoft/Google platforms - loads of people do it all the time. But it does simplify things a bit for a first-time smartphone user).
So then, itâs a straight choice between the FP2 and the Nexus. The main advantages, I believe, are as follows:
Nexus X
about ÂŁ100 cheaper (in the UK at least)
a superior camera
more likely to receive up-to-date versions of Android in future
Fairphone 2
the ethical stance
the modular design of the phone, which will make it easier to maintain/replace broken parts, and therefore longer lasting
Bottom line: Youâd be delighted with either phone. Folks like me who are into technology tend to get caught up in the technical details, when the big picture is that both are excellent phones that are very similar. Itâs really just a decision about the trade-off between having a slightly better camera vs the modular, replaceable design, and whether you want to pay a premium for an ethical product. I chose the Fairphone, but I think either would be great for your needs.
It all boils down to: What kind of user are you? Do you like to play with stuff and learn? Or should it just work? Apple is most often easier too use for the âIt should just work!â more (no offense, there are more important things in life!) âpassiv computer useâ orientated people. They also work well with google services.
Nexus is for people that like to tinker with things, understand them and want to be able to install the lasted and greatest themselves. Some people even remove most of the Google software ⌠from their Android phones. The FP is more on the Nexus side and the forum here works well, so you will be able to get support here as well and learn a few new things (T3G included) ;). If you use Android, updates are important.
Up to you. Maybe just wait a bit and look at other peopleâs phones and get a feel for it. In the meantime you will also find more reports on how well the FP2 works with Windows. A cheap used âfirstâ phone (used Nexus, used iPhone) with a new battery is also not a bad idea. Most phones are still working well and are fast enough, but itâs sometimes is hard to find software updates for them, especially for Android based ones (check for available software upgrades before buying).
Good luck. And hey, itâs just a phone with a camera and a laptop inside, so donât worry
