Bluetooth accessories for Android?

How many of us can say we use a Bluetooth accessory with our phone or tablet? Out of all my friends, I reckon it's just me and only it's only a  recent phenomenon that I've started using a Bluetooth keyboard with my tablet. I'm no stranger to Bluetooth accessories, I've been using them with my games console, PC and laptop for years now but didn't see the need for one with a tablet. I made a point of writing this post on my tablet, with my keyboard to prove that they are actually quite useful. I find carrying a keyboard and tablet much easier than lugging my Mac around. But why aren't more people doing the same?

How cool are they?
You rarely see people with Bluetooth headsets walking round do you? I certainly don't. Taxi drivers are about the only people I see with them sometimes and the odd few people in supermarkets (not sure why they lurk there with their headsets...). Maybe they're just not cool and so people don't want to use them? I think it's probably more to do with not really needing them, how often do you think 'I wish I could tap a button on my ear than take my phone out of my pocket'? Rarely. I admit it would be easier, but there just aren't enough scenarios for that to happen for it to be worthwhile.

The same applies with a keyboard, there aren't many times when you're on the move and a tablet and keyboard would trump a laptop, except for maybe on a busy train? Or when you're trying to travel as light as possible?

What accessories are there?
Keyboards, mice, headsets and I'd have to search online for more suggestions after this. I'm currently using a normal sized Motorola keyboard on my Nexus 7 but I certainly wouldn't use a mouse with it, what's the point of that?! So I guess maybe there needs to be more accessories? Bluetooth watches such as the Pebble watch are likely to be the next big thing with phone manufacturers all eyeing them up. If it wasn't for the price tag, I would probably purchase one, maybe if they didn't look so hideous too (sorry Pebble!).

Better productivity?
I am already more productive with this keyboard and I can write stuff up with more flexibility, like the type you would get with something like a Macbook Air or a netbook but for a fraction of the price and a touchscreen so there are clear benefits. It makes more sense than a Windows RT/8 tablet too since they are very pricey too. I wouldn't take a laptop on holiday but I might contemplate taking this combination on holiday just in case I wanted to check something up or perhaps if I wanted to blog about my travels abroad!

Conclusion
With smartphones and tablets become so powerful and rivalling laptops and desktops, I think the combination of a tablet and keyboard is an awesome idea and one that perhaps shouldn't be so quickly disregarded as being unworkable. It remains to be seen whether there will be demand for this but looking at online retailers and manufacturers, there is already plenty of devices which are there to help make the most of your phones and tablets which might be worth a look. You could end up surprising yourself. I know I did!

Mo

HTC and Samsung's Nexus experience - Less is more or less for more?

Ever wanted a Galaxy S4 or a HTC One without Touchwiz or Sense skins? Well now you can! It seems like both companies are eager to get rid of their skins on their phones and present a Nexus style phone alongside their skinned phones. The price tag for these phones are either the same as their skinned counterparts or more expensive. So why would anyone want to pay more to have less? It's a pretty simple reason as far as I can see, more timely updates.

The Nexus feel
If anyone's every used a Nexus phone they'd see how simple the interface is. Basically a no nonsense version of Android as Google meant it to be. Very clean and straightforward, with very few apps that come as standard.

For some, this might be a bit too simple, but for most, it's quite nice to have a clean canvas that you can paint on. You're not forced to use any specific software and everything on the phone except the core apps are added by the user. For those coming from Android which has been skinned, it usually takes some getting used to though it didn't take me long to fall in love with my stock Nexus 7 tablet.

Updates from Google
Arguably the biggest benefit of having a stock Android phone, you'll get updates as and when they are released by Google. This is in contrast to waiting for the manufacturer of your phone to decide whether they want your particular phone model to receive the update and then provide it for you in a few months time. Judging by how many phones are stuck in a past iteration of Android, i.e. Ice Cream Sandwich or older, it's easy to see why this is such a big bonus.

Less for more?
Losing all the features Samsung and HTC put into their phones and gaining a stock feel seems odd at first. Even when you continue to think about it, there's not much that makes it that appealing so it will be interesting to see how sales of these phones progress. To lose features such as HTC Zoe on the One or all features Samsung have on their S4 camera and to have it replaced by the stock Android camera app seems crazy. I've used the Nexus 4 camera and the app is very restrictive compared to a skinned version. You might say, just take the app from either Samsung or HTC and put it on the stock version, if only it were that easy! Generally speaking, they work on a different framework and so this would only be possible if Samsung and HTC implemented it, but that would mean it was a modified version of Android and defeats the purpose of the whole exercise.

So...is it worth it?
No, I don't see how it is. When Google refresh their Nexus range, they'll probably bring out a phone that will be around the same spec as the One or S4 for half the price so save yourself the money and wait a few months until that happens. Either that, or go down the avenue of a custom ROM and wait until the Android developers get their hands on the stock ROMs for the two phones and flash it. I can't say for certain that this will happen but I bet it will be possible on previously skinned phones. Then you can try it out and decide which version you prefer.

Mo