Apple and Google Interoperability - Not!

If you are a user of Google products such as Gmail, calendar, contacts, etc and a heavy user of Apple hardware,  iPad, MacBook, etc, you know that these two worlds just don't integrate very well.  Basic poor interoperability which is very frustrating.  Apple pushes their solutions that compete with Google just like they push the ones that compete with Microsoft, e.g. Keynote.

Google release earlier this year a Capability, called google sync, that does address some of these interoperability issues with Apple software and account management.  Is does allow your contacts to stay in sync as well as your mail on their mobile devices, however it limits you to only one calendar.  Really!

If you are like me I have access to a number of calendars and need to see them on my iPad when I'm mobile.  Here is a good description from Google on setting up google sync on an iPad:  Google Sync Instructions for IOS.  For me I have enabled this from both my email and my contacts but have disabled it for my Calendar.  To get around the limit for only one calendar using this method I have gone through the typical Gmail account setup on the iPad and have only selected the calendar app not the email app.

All of this works without any issues but come on.  Google should be all about addressing this issue with Sync and Apple should be more responsive to working with other platforms.  Why can't they just get along? Oh right it's all about revenue.  I think that is a shortsighted quarterly view and they should know that if they work better together they can dominate in their respective areas instead of battling it out with these little annoyances.

So now let's move on to Apple's iCloud.  I was pretty excited about jumping into the iCloud world until I read the fine print.  This is from a google forum on how to set it up:

Full Blog The *Crucial Step* In order for your iCloud and Gmail contacts to remain synchronized with one another is to ensure that they are only ever edited on your iOS Device which is synchronized with iCloud and Gmail contacts. When you edit a contact on the Device, you will be warned that you are “editing 2 linked contacts”. This is how you know that your changes are being pushed to both accounts. If you edit the contact via iCloud or via Gmail directly, such as through their Web Contacts, it will only change that particular account’s “card”, not both. You will see changes on either iCloud or Gmail on your Device, but these changes will not have been, nor will they be synchronized across accounts. 

Only changes made directly to the contact on the iPhone or iPad will synchronize across accounts. You must also ensure that when you are editing the contact that you are editing the ‘linked contacts”. You will know you are looking at the linked contact when the contact says “Unified Info” at the top center of the screen. This is arrived at also by ensuring you are within the “All Contacts” group.

Oh come on! Really! This can't be!

I guess I'm staying away from iCloud and using my current setup for now.

Switching back to the iPad

So it has been a while since I left the iPad and switched over to the Samsung Galaxy tablet; see my post on 7 days with the Samsung Galaxy Tab.  I have to say that I really like the Galaxy Tab but the size feature provided by the iPad was the deciding factor.

It has been hard leaving the Galaxy Tab for two main reasons:
1) The integration with Google apps such as Gmail, Calendar, Reader, etc is far better on the Galaxy Tab
2) Typing on the Galaxy Tab is better with 2 finger blackberry style input.

That said I really missed the iPad.  Especially on travel.  Reading on the device was far better and I missed a few apps such as Pen Ultimate which had no comparable app on Android.

So at this point I using my MacBook Air and iPad when mobile, with exception of Android my Nexus S, and using my PC when at the office.

Now I have to decide on upgrading to the iPad 2 or a Honeycomb device such as the Xoom for my next purchase.

24 Hours with the Galaxy Tab

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front):  I'm really liking the device with its seamless integration of the critical apps that I use, as well as the form factor size.  It is really more convenient to carry around and use.  That said, it is easier to read long articles on the iPad 10" screen.

Most people would say that I'm a huge fan of my Apple iPad.  I've fully integrated into my work life using it at every meeting to help with productivity and keeping me organized.  It is the first item removed from my briefcase before taking a seat on an airplane and the last item I put down before turning out the lights. My MacAir Laptop isn't getting much use these days.

I would have to say that I was a little skeptical about a 7" pad; but I'm a heavy user of Google products such as GMAIL, Calendar, Docs, Reader, etc.  An Android device can make a lot of sense in my world, so I pick up a Samsung Galaxy Tab from Verizon 24 hours ago to check it out.

Taking it out of the box and getting the configurations setup were a piece of cake.  No more than 5 min before I was using it with key apps such as GMAIL , Contacts, Calendar, Talk, Reader and of course Google Voice.  Then came the next level of apps:  Evernote, ZumoDrive, Yammer, Twitter and Pandora.  All key to my day.  There was no difference in the performance of the apps on the Galaxy Tab vs the iPad.  All worked perfectly from the start, and BTW I'm liking the Verizon connection and performance.

I've read that there were issues with the resolution of the screen and that apps were not ready for a 7" form factor on Andriod.  From what I've experienced I cannot see any issues with their use.  The only drawback that I can see is the reading of articles such as the Economist magazine or PDF papers that just seem more practical on a larger 10" screen. 

My plan is to substitute the Galaxy Tab into my work routine over the next week and really kick the tires.  I'll be back with an update on how it performs.