Being a Galaxy Note 4 owner, there are certain times when I wish I could just shrink down my phone for those occasions when I dont need that big screen (nights out etc…)
Anyway, this got me thinking, is there some sort of ability to clone a phone to so essence I'll have a big phone and small phone that are exactly the same bar the size?
Or is it just a question of me buying a smaller phone, setting it up exactly the same and just swapping out the sim cards as required?
I think OP wants two phones that he can use day to day, that will update/sync so they're always the same and he can just decide which form factor he wants to use for that day.
And if my understanding is correct, I will have no part in his dreams of cloning and genetically modifying these harmless Android creatures.
But seriously, I would definitely buy a Sony Z3 compact, sync contacts and photos with Google account and Dropbox. Only problem is then I'd have two phone numbers and that would annoy the bejeezus out of my work colleagues, friends and most certainly — myself.
Still, I'm very interested in seeing what you come up with, OP.
You could always just call forward the numbers depending on which you use.
See, that's using your noodle. What this guy said, OP.
I think it would be the latter of the two options you mentioned… I suppose you can sync the phones onto your phone and dump it all into the other. But that would be time consuming as hell I reckon…
Also, smaller phones don't usually have the exact same specs as larger phones. E.G. the Z3 and Z3c has very minor differences in RAM and resolution (not that it matters since it is on a smaller screen). General functionality is about the same though.
Um…the Galaxy Note 4 has a one-handed mode, where you can shrink the size of your screen, to allow for easier use with one hand. Have you tried it?
http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-the-samsung-galaxy-not…
My issue isnt so much with the screen size, more so with the physical footprint of the phone. The shear size of the phone makes it difficult to fit in pockets when wearing certain clothes etc…
I recently had some experience in this - moved from a Galaxy Note 4 to a Sony Z3 Compact. Depending which apps you use, I think the idea of them being synced may be more trouble than you might realise.
Essentially, most things can be set up exactly the same, and can set up things like Dropbox/Google+ to keep photos etc synced.
The main issue where it would be a pain would be the instant messaging applications (WhatsApp, Line, WeChat etc). Most of them will only allow you to have one device registered at a time. If you're constantly flipping between the phones, that could be a real PITA to keep re-registering… losing chat history… etc
If you don't use those kind of apps, then it's pretty amazing just how easily you can keep things synced up through cloud services.
As to user experience between the two phones, as you'd expect, there's pros and cons. There are some features of the Note 4 I definitely miss (the finger print reader is awesome, the IR blaster would have come in super handy the other day, and I do like to take random notes sometimes…) but the Sony Z3 Compact is still definitely a great phone and I don't notice any difference is processing power/app speed/reliability. Despite the lower DPI, somehow, the screen looks almost sharper (maybe IPS vs AMOLED?)
I think rather than keeping two in sync and swapping between, you'd be better of choosing the one that is right for you and just sticking to it. Both are very capable phones.
Probably your closest is going to be doing a Titanium Backup on your apps and then copying the backup across and restore them on the other device..
There's nothing that's going to keep them in sync though.
Most apps will sync between devices. Both chrome/firefox sync. gmal syncs (if you use imap). I'm sure you can get contacts to syc. Google drive syncs.
if padfones were of the size you wanted then that could be a solution
Thanks for all the input.
I ended up getting myself a Samsung Galaxy Alpha for about $430 from HN.
Nice little phone and a good balance to offset the Note 4.
I'm using Nova on both and have set them up to look identical with tile placement etc…
I'm also using auto photo backup to Onedrive and G Drive/Picassa with Quickpic which allows me to access all my photos on either deveice
Its just a question of switching sims out which isnt a problem.
The only minor issue left is text messaging, where old messages dont sync between each device. Any one got any apps or tips on how to overcome that?
SMS Backup+
Search for it in app store.. works well saving/restoring SMS to your gmail account.
I'm actually using mysms and mysms mirror which is actually pretty darn good. i can use my secondary phone which will show new messages received on the master phone. Also notifies me of calls to the master phone
@CUREFORANITCH
I just developed a new technology just for you.
…….? Go on, tell me more!
You can try Sony Z3 and Sony Z3 compact or iPhone 6/6+ or iPhone 5s.
iPhones 5S is a smaller clone of iPhone 6 with minor software differences which a average user will not notice.