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Shortcut is one of the main selling point for an iphone vs an Android. There is just nothing comparable. Yet even then, I know I have particular need, I'm not

Shortcut is one of the main selling point for an iphone vs an Android. There is just nothing comparable. Yet even then, I know I have particular need, I'm not the average apple customer. Most people never heard about shortcut and wouldn't care if it disappeared. Working on shortcut must be quite time consuming and benefit something like 1% of apple customer, so I get that it's never really going to be a priority. They would rather focus on artificial intelligence that the average Joe can use.

ubercore 1y ago
What kind of uses do you have for it that make it this indispensable? Not doubting, just feeling like I'm missing out because I don't think I've ever used it.
- aucisson_masque 1y ago
  Simple stuff, like compressing a pdf. I couldn't figure out how to do it using tasker.
doix 1y ago
Isn't Tasker[0] the Android equivalent? I have never used an iPhone though, so I can't comment on the differences. I also haven't used Tasker in about 5 years, so I'm not sure if it's gotten more or less powerful over time. Also, a quick search shows Automation[1] as an open source alternative. No personal experience with this one, but will probably try it out soon. [0] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.... [1] https://server47.de/automation/ https://server47.de/automation/
- stavros 1y ago
  I've used Tasker for a while, and it does absolutely everything that can be done on an Android phone, you can even make UIs with it. I had an iPhone for a few months recently, and I tried the Shortcuts app, but it was extremely limited and couldn't even do some simple things I needed.
- frabcus 1y ago
  Yep - I switched from iPhone to Android and Tasker is much more powerful. Slightly less good UX and mainly systems focussed. But actually allows any trigger. Also extensible - it can trigger scripts in Termux. You can install any command line open source tool inside Termux and trigger it on tasks. eg When my home radiator thermostat stopped supporting IFTTT, I made a Python script to call their API and trigger it with Tasker. Works flawlessly. https://www.flourish.org/2023/11/netatmo-smart-thermostat-how-much-gas-i-saved-last-winter-and-how-to-automate-it-to-turn-off-when-out-not-using-ifttt/ https://www.flourish.org/2023/11/netatmo-smart-thermostat-ho...
  - aucisson_masque 1y ago
    How do you compress a pdf with tasker ? It's like the basic 101 of productivity. Shortcut on iOS is like 2 step. Step1: export pdf to images and choose dpi (lowest for maximum compression). Step2: make a pdf of previous images. I couldn't figure out how to compress pdf on tasker without using some convulated third party addon.
    - blacksmith_tb 1y ago
      Interesting, I can't remember wanting to make a PDF on my phone for a long time. I certainly do on the desktop often enough, but it doesn't seem like an everyday action for most people?
      - aucisson_masque 1y ago
        My mother, definitely not a tech nerd, use a windows computer, I don't believe there is any way in a stock windows installation to compress pdf and third party tools are often convulated, so she share it to her iphone, run the 'compress pdf' shortcut and share it back to her computer. It's just so convenient having small little script that run well and easily when you're dealing with people that barely know how to use a computer. Myself I'm often on the road and have to send pdf reports to customers, sometimes one doesn't go through mail because it's too big or the customer himself have issue to send them to other parties and ask me if I can compress it. It takes less than a minute on my phone and I admit having already done that while driving because I was late. Good luck doing that holding car wheel in one hand and the computer in another :)
- nunez 1y ago
  It's equivalent on the surface, but it's vastly more complicated to use and has many more failure modes due to different phone models, root vs non-root actions, and more. It's definitely a power user tool, whereas non-technical users can create shortcuts with Shortcuts much more easily. I experimented with the idea of going back to Android. Having to recreate all of my shortcuts in Tasker was one non-starter. (It not having a HomeKit equivalent was the other. Google Home is much more limited.) Shortcuts can also sync between Apple devices via iCloud (though Automations in Shortcuts don't; another thing that drives me mad about the app), and they more-or-less work regardless of where they're running.
GoToRO 1y ago
You're joking, right? First off, a lot of things that you have to automate on an iPhone is just native UI in Android. For example, add a shortcut to a picture on your home screen. It's native in Android. Just long tap the file in the Files app and Add to Home. Then there is the Modes and Routines app that allows you to do anything. On iPhone, to add a shortcut to a picture, the Shortcut app asks me to give it the filename! Of course they hide the filename everywhere they can because apple. They could provide a browse like experience but no, type in the filename! How am I supposed to find the filename if you hide it from me?
gamblor956 1y ago
There is just nothing comparable You're right. Because the automation apps on Android actually work, and Shortcuts can most charitably be described as a hot mess that should be put out to pasture.

ubercore 1y ago

What kind of uses do you have for it that make it this indispensable? Not doubting, just feeling like I'm missing out because I don't think I've ever used it.

aucisson_masque 1y ago
Simple stuff, like compressing a pdf. I couldn't figure out how to do it using tasker.

doix 1y ago

Isn't Tasker[0] the Android equivalent? I have never used an iPhone though, so I can't comment on the differences. I also haven't used Tasker in about 5 years, so I'm not sure if it's gotten more or less powerful over time. Also, a quick search shows Automation[1] as an open source alternative. No personal experience with this one, but will probably try it out soon. [0] https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.android.taskerm https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.dinglisch.... [1] https://server47.de/automation/ https://server47.de/automation/

stavros 1y ago
I've used Tasker for a while, and it does absolutely everything that can be done on an Android phone, you can even make UIs with it. I had an iPhone for a few months recently, and I tried the Shortcuts app, but it was extremely limited and couldn't even do some simple things I needed.
frabcus 1y ago
Yep - I switched from iPhone to Android and Tasker is much more powerful. Slightly less good UX and mainly systems focussed. But actually allows any trigger. Also extensible - it can trigger scripts in Termux. You can install any command line open source tool inside Termux and trigger it on tasks. eg When my home radiator thermostat stopped supporting IFTTT, I made a Python script to call their API and trigger it with Tasker. Works flawlessly. https://www.flourish.org/2023/11/netatmo-smart-thermostat-how-much-gas-i-saved-last-winter-and-how-to-automate-it-to-turn-off-when-out-not-using-ifttt/ https://www.flourish.org/2023/11/netatmo-smart-thermostat-ho...
- aucisson_masque 1y ago
  How do you compress a pdf with tasker ? It's like the basic 101 of productivity. Shortcut on iOS is like 2 step. Step1: export pdf to images and choose dpi (lowest for maximum compression). Step2: make a pdf of previous images. I couldn't figure out how to compress pdf on tasker without using some convulated third party addon.
  - blacksmith_tb 1y ago
    Interesting, I can't remember wanting to make a PDF on my phone for a long time. I certainly do on the desktop often enough, but it doesn't seem like an everyday action for most people?
    - aucisson_masque 1y ago
      My mother, definitely not a tech nerd, use a windows computer, I don't believe there is any way in a stock windows installation to compress pdf and third party tools are often convulated, so she share it to her iphone, run the 'compress pdf' shortcut and share it back to her computer. It's just so convenient having small little script that run well and easily when you're dealing with people that barely know how to use a computer. Myself I'm often on the road and have to send pdf reports to customers, sometimes one doesn't go through mail because it's too big or the customer himself have issue to send them to other parties and ask me if I can compress it. It takes less than a minute on my phone and I admit having already done that while driving because I was late. Good luck doing that holding car wheel in one hand and the computer in another :)
nunez 1y ago
It's equivalent on the surface, but it's vastly more complicated to use and has many more failure modes due to different phone models, root vs non-root actions, and more. It's definitely a power user tool, whereas non-technical users can create shortcuts with Shortcuts much more easily. I experimented with the idea of going back to Android. Having to recreate all of my shortcuts in Tasker was one non-starter. (It not having a HomeKit equivalent was the other. Google Home is much more limited.) Shortcuts can also sync between Apple devices via iCloud (though Automations in Shortcuts don't; another thing that drives me mad about the app), and they more-or-less work regardless of where they're running.

GoToRO 1y ago

You're joking, right? First off, a lot of things that you have to automate on an iPhone is just native UI in Android. For example, add a shortcut to a picture on your home screen. It's native in Android. Just long tap the file in the Files app and Add to Home. Then there is the Modes and Routines app that allows you to do anything. On iPhone, to add a shortcut to a picture, the Shortcut app asks me to give it the filename! Of course they hide the filename everywhere they can because apple. They could provide a browse like experience but no, type in the filename! How am I supposed to find the filename if you hide it from me?

gamblor956 1y ago

There is just nothing comparable You're right. Because the automation apps on Android actually work, and Shortcuts can most charitably be described as a hot mess that should be put out to pasture.