Q: As a dance teacher, which products do you prefer, Apple or Google?
A: Having reliable technology you can trust is essential. Devices that are protected, durable and up-to-date provide nearly every teaching technology tool I’ve recommended in this column.
Many people pick an affiliation and stick to it with religious zeal. In some ways, you have to, since each sets you up for their specific “ecosystem” of devices and apps that all work together. Personally, I’m a fan of Apple. Android is an open-source platform, meaning different people can make devices, components and apps for them. Apple is closed and runs on one system that Apple monitors and controls. This makes their products less susceptible to malware, and they all work together seamlessly. Apple is generally considered to be better at protecting your private information. The main downsides are price and less ability to customize. Android phones allow you to download a third-party launcher, which means you can make changes to things like your home screen. They allow you to hide apps, create different actions for the home button and change which browsers are your default on the phone—unlike iPhones, where Safari is always the default.
Google has come a long way in terms of the hardware of their devices. The Pixel phone, a smartphone created and sold by Google, is a respectable choice with an amazing screen, though the latest models are not any cheaper than the iPhone. The Pixel Slate, Google’s tablet, can do so much that it borders on being a laptop. The price is less than Apple for the base device, but with add-ons like keyboards, there isn’t much of a difference. Chromebooks, laptops running on Google’s Chrome OS, can be incredibly affordable. These devices are designed to be connected to the internet, so most of their apps and docs live in the cloud. If you use Google apps like Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos, you’ll find it easy to access all of your data on a Google device. Keep in mind that this can be a real con for those who don’t have good internet connections or need to work offline.
In the end, there are pros and cons to both. Decide what things you value most, and choose the company that will best assists you in and out of the studio.
