[darkehawke]

True, but that is the beauty (and ugly face) of Android. While all devices are Android and can run the same apps, different OEMs have different flavors of Android.

Looking at both my BB10 device and my Android phone, I have very few apps that I would say would require me to back them up. The most "important" one is Whatsapp that doesn't save any messages on their own servers (Whatsapp servers act only as a relay between users). And maybe my SMS history, but I wouldn't be very upset if I lost it cause it's mostly unimportant personal conversations.

I have very few things that are on my phone ONLY.

True. it's only convinience really.
Not having to sign back into each app on a new device is a wonderful thing, but not a disaster if you do have to lol

[Soulstream]

True. it's only convinience really.
Not having to sign back into each app on a new device is a wonderful thing, but not a disaster if you do have to lol

Exactly. It's a different flavor, not inherently superior or inferior.

[jaydee5799]

Speaking of "cloud" services, there are other options. I use a Western Digital 4TB My Cloud device. For $200 USD you can have your own cloud device that is as secure as your own network at home or work.

Because BB10 can run Android versions of Apps, I use the WD App on my Passport to back up to my 256 bit encrypted personal cloud. The app is essentially a VPN Access Point. Works well.

Passport. It will take you places.

I have a 2TB NAS drive as well at home and a 128GB card in the phone. I was only trying to tell the OP he needn't worry about backing up.

[Tre Lawrence]

Yeah i agree that there are solutions, but you have to search for them. The most famous ones require root and it can all lead to general consumers losing interest.
I think Android could make backing up a little clearer and simpler out of the box. It's not a desperate situation, as you have shown there are solutions, but an area that can be improved upon

I mostly agree.

Folks shouldn't have to root to get some things done.

[RyanGermann]

I thought there was some kind of beta of Blend that hinted that third party apps would be able to use it... so they could include in their app a series of forms that would be presented in Blend and act as a "conduit" (any old Palm users out there?) to the data on the device.

That is the ultimate for me: you have your app on your handheld, and when you are connected via Blend, you have a large desktop-browser-optimized set of forms to interact with your data directly on the device. Backup your device regularly AND keep a back up of said device distant from your main computing environment (in case of fire / flood, etc.) For pete's sake, if you live in a house (as opposed to a high-rise condo or apartment), DON'T keep your backups in the BASEMENT.

Then, backing up your device becomes a very important thing to do.

I'm still waiting for something like "CloudBeats" to simply be built in to the BlackBerry Music app: where I can point my Music player at my RFA drive and just say "play this folder" and it will stream the data from my unlimited home internet connection to my wifi-connected-therefore-unlimited handheld. I don't have to carry a selection of my music with me.

Anyway: BB10 + Blend + third party app integration is a huge advance for mobile computing: all this "cloud" nonsense is a problem (hacks / disasters) waiting to happen. You're putting your trust in companies who will excuse and buy their way out of any problems, but that doesn't recover your data, which may be priceless from your perspective, and you'll notice that the usage agreements for most cloud services absolve themselves from any liability w.r.t. data loss.

In fairness to Apple it IS in UNDERLINED BLOCK UPPER CASE, but it is buried halfway down under section II.C.

THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, APPLE DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR WARRANT THAT ANY CONTENT YOU MAY STORE OR ACCESS THROUGH THE SERVICE WILL NOT BE SUBJECT TO INADVERTENT DAMAGE, CORRUPTION, LOSS, OR REMOVAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, AND APPLE SHALL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE SHOULD SUCH DAMAGE, CORRUPTION, LOSS, OR REMOVAL OCCUR.

"Inadvertent".

Oh, and this: did you know?

When iCloud Backup is enabled, your device will not back up to iTunes automatically during a sync, but you may choose to manually initiate a backup to iTunes.

So if you ARE using iCloud for backups, your device will NOT automatically backup via iTunes also. I wonder how many people bother to do a manual backup?

[kbz1960]

Does Android work as a network device without an app?

[howarmat]

Does Android work as a network device without an app?

if you are on the same network as your host server then you will need a file manager on your device that will support network folder access and the folders have to be shared via normal sharing methods on the PC/MAC/NAS (host server)

You dont have to have anything installed on the host server to connect to your files though

to access files away from the network on the road it will need a service installed on the host and then the corresponding app on the phone/tablet. The same file manager might do this as well depending on your choice of solution

[code2solutions]

Samsung SideSync 4.0 works very similar to BlackBerry Blend, and I think Samsung Kies would be the equivalent of BlackBerry Link. As for the hub, don't know if there is an equivalent but there are a few apps that try to provide a similar experience in Google Play Store.

Here is a link for SideSync 4.0:



Posted via CB10

Side sync is good. I find it quite useful and let's me use my phone to the fullest while connected to my laptop via USB. Also keeps it charged.

Posted via CB10

[GenghisKahn2011]

I think folks are blurring the lines or differences between BBLink (I'm not exactly fond of it but when it works for backup/restore it is fine) and Blend.

Blend mirrors the phone and the apps to your PC or laptop or even your Android Tablet. So that you see you exact calendar, email, bbm, texts, Contacts. BUT if you sever the connection on the phone, there is no evidence of that data on the device that was sharing it. No cloud copy - so your privacy or needs to keep it separate are respected. It also contains a FileManager which allows file copy/move between the bb10 device and its complement, whether PC, laptop, etc. When I was in Europe for three weeks my Samsung Tab S ran a larger font/screen version of my Z30. I could read/write email, bbm on it. But when I left it in the various motel rooms or the rental car during hikes, my private data stayed with me on the phone and was no longer available or vulnerable on the Tab S. And Blend does not need a usb/wired connection.

The other issue for me (and maybe I have not found the right Android app) is that wifi-sharing between my z30 and my computer make it so easy to transfer files back and forth using the same Windows Explorer interface that I use solely on the computer. I open an Explorer window and my Internal (device) and sd-card folders are simply there. I freely copy and move stuff between them wirelessly. And it is included in the OS. No 3rd party apps. I would seriously love a recommendation for some app for my Tab S that works that way. I've tried a few apps but they were not as simple as using Windows explorer. I want to see the Tab S's files and folders in a Window Explorer view and freely copy stuff between pc and Tab S.

You "get it"!

You have presented why I find the Hub, Link, and Blend to be superlative given my sense of utility and security.

(Edited to clarify intent of message)

BlackBerry Passport SE driven by 10.3.2.2339 on T-Mobile

[kbz1960]

if you are on the same network as your host server then you will need a file manager on your device that will support network folder access and the folders have to be shared via normal sharing methods on the PC/MAC/NAS (host server)

You dont have to have anything installed on the host server to connect to your files though

to access files away from the network on the road it will need a service installed on the host and then the corresponding app on the phone/tablet. The same file manager might do this as well depending on your choice of solution

Ah. Was thinking at home. Like I can access my Z30 just as any other computer at home thru windows Explorer.

[fanisk]

I do not like being abandoned, but that is precisely what BlackBerry is apparently preparing to do to me and many.

The synergy of BlackBerry 10, its hub, combined with Blend and Link on my Passport SE provides me a powerful real time experience in my work environment. For me it is a powerfully productive daily work experience.

So I will eventually have to drag myself into a non-BlackBerry 10 experience. Please point me to apps on the other platforms that achieve the perfection of my current BlackBerry 10 experience.

BlackBerry Passport SE driven by 10.3.2.2339 on T-Mobile

Abandoned? Not, I don't think so! Because BBY is doing an android device doesn't mean than they abandon their OS. Legacy OS 7 is still supported and work fine!

Sent from my BlackBerry Passport

[GenghisKahn2011]

Abandoned? Not, I don't think so! Because BBY is doing an android device doesn't mean than they abandon their OS. Legacy OS 7 is still supported and work fine!

Sent from my BlackBerry Passport

Are you not aware that BlackBerry has substantially scaled back it's development of BB10 with no commitment to the latest QNX framework?



BlackBerry Passport Silver Edition driven by 10.3.2.2639 on T-Mobile