Smartphone Christmas: The Transition to New Devices

While getting a new device is always exciting, it can also be a very daunting experience. All in all, it’s a hassle, and doubly so if you aren’t entirely sure of what brand or features to go for, and – for me at least – it involves a lot of anguishing over what to pick, weighing pros and cons, and general indecision.

The Decision

Your contract is up and you’re ready to move on to something new and shiny. There’s a plethora of aspects take into account when deciding. First, are there any “deal breakers”? Do you absolutely have to have expandable storage? Perhaps you have an unusual knack for dropping your phone into the toilet and need waterproofing? Or perhaps being able to go for two full days of intense usage without having to even look at the charger?

Not that it stops there. If you desperately want timely updates, a Nexus device is the best route to go. If solid multi-windows support is your niche, Samsung climbs higher in the rankings. If you’re a flashaholic, you’ll want to ensure there’s a decent development scene for whatever device you end up with. Tap to wake is another feature that often becomes so ingrained into your habits that once you’ve had it, it’s hard to go back. Wanting a superb camera also limits the choices available, however endless they may seem.

The Preparation

So you’ve decided to pull the trigger on the purchase. You’re set to either drop some cash, or tie yourself up in a contract. Great. First, however, there’s some preparation needed. After all, who can be bothered setting everything up from scratch again? There are steps to take to facilitate the transition; grease the gears, as it were. Much like “location, location, location” is the adage to live by in certain scenarios, “back-ups, back-ups, back-ups” is what we’re following here.

Nowadays, it’s usually quite easy to get everything “just right” as soon as you boot up your new device, as long as you take a few steps before making the move. Google itself takes care of many issues, and gone are the days of hours of boredom trying to add all your contacts manually. Google Photos (or Drive, OneDrive, or whatever you prefer for cloud storage) makes sure your pictures and videos aren’t lost, but rather kept easily accessible. Many launchers also have a function that will allow you to save a back-up, so your home screen is back in business as soon as you’ve downloaded the app.

The First Steps

It’s booted, it’s shiny, it’s so pretty! How could I ever have used that old lump of junk? But… What to do now? Download apps! Way too many, experience intense regret for filling it up with unnecessary apps, delete, then go ahead. Personally, I start by downloading a launcher, then moving on from there. Restoring photos, adding the absolutely crucial apps I’ve come to – in my head – regard as “stock” Android by using them on a daily basis. Fiddling with customization is always a given the first weeks as well, trying to keep it fresh and yet not be a too jarring change from my old device; simply letting the device “find itself”, so to speak.

Now, another option all together is a fresh start. No back-ups, no syncing, no downloading of old pictures and text conversations. Just the absolute minimum required to function as usual, and then taking it from there. It can be particularly nice if your previous setup was incredibly contrived, and there’s almost something cathartic over forsaking your perfectly tuned KLWP and Zooper widgets for a barebones, stock look. Rarely does the simplicity feel so satisfying as when it’s a completely clean, new device making it shine.

The Adaptation Problem

To be honest, most adaptation issues are relatively minor, but can still be a nuisance to your daily habits. It can be anything from moving from a physical home button to an on-screen one, a change in headphone jack positioning, or the lock button might have been moved slightly; it can all impact you to some extent in the beginning. Particularly annoying for me last time was having gesture shortcuts in Nova Launcher set, and forgetting to assign the same shortcut on my new phone. Swipe up to open app drawer? Nope, here’s the camera instead. A clockwise movement of two fingers to open the clock? Nothing happens save a swipe in whichever direction it registers first. All in all, very minor, but seemingly inevitable in the adaptation process. Once promptly dealt with, however, we’re in the black and ready to make the most of new devices.

Profit?

What does your process look like? Tell us in the comments below

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