Buying new phone...advice?

[Piney Boy]

Thought it looked a bit too plasticy for me. The front was really nice, very S2 like, but I thought the back was really ugly. But up to 64GB expandable memory is impressive. Looks like Samsung are listening to their customers and not trying to squeeze money from customers by only offering non-expandable fixed sizes ... Apple style.

External expandable storage is a must for me ... it would be a deal breaker. I want to load it up with as much music as possible so I don't have to keep connecting it to my PC. I have no clue why HTC launched the One X without it. All their older Androids had 32GB microSD. Makes no sense ... especially since it is such a gorgeous device ... especially the white version ... and it has the best screen on the market (better than the S3).

I agree the SLCD2 is much better than the SUPERAMOLED on the S3 and Galaxy Nexus. Still I might live with it due the storage of the S3. I do not want to use cloud services with a limited data plan. I would use that up quickly.

[DMT]

Verizon isn't offering the S3 or the One X. It's frakking annoying that only one carrier gets good service and on top of that they don't even offer many good options for phones.

[johnnya24]

Verizon isn't offering the S3 or the One X. It's frakking annoying that only one carrier gets good service and on top of that they don't even offer many good options for phones.

http://www.motoringcrunch.com/news/mobile-tech/10487-upcoming-verizon-phones-samsung-galaxy-s3-motorola-droid-razr-hd-white-nexus

That link says Verizon may be getting a dual core version of the S3 ... which makes little sense ... although probably little or no difference in performance ... as well as the iPhone5. It also mentions the Galaxy Note, which will be a marmite option ... you'll either love it or hate it. I don't like marmite, but I like the Note.

So worth playing the waiting game. No point having a great phone with crap connectivity.

[DMT]

iPhone, bro. iPhone.

Yea, I haven't ruled it out but I feel like Verizon is almost pushing customers toward it by not offering other options, and I don't appreciate that. And if I'm going to be stuck with it for 2 years I'd rather just wait for the IPhone 5, but who knows how long until that comes out, or how much it will cost?

[johnnya24]

iPhone, bro. iPhone.

Those two phones (S3 & One X) blow the iPhone 4S out of the water ... if the iPhone 5 isn't a great piece of kit, Apple's share of the market could begin to plummet RIM style.

[DMT]

http://www.motoringcrunch.com/news/m...hd-white-nexus

That link says Verizon may be getting a dual core version of the S3 ... which makes little sense ... although probably little or no difference in performance ... as well as the iPhone5. It also mentions the Galaxy Note, which will be a marmite option ... you'll either love it or hate it. I don't like marmite, but I like the Note.

So worth playing the waiting game. No point having a great phone with crap connectivity.

That's good and bad news, hopefully the wait isn't too long.

[cardboardbox]

I wouldnt consider anything other than waiting for the iphone 5, which is pretty much what I'm already doing. I might even consider a 4s if verizon has good 3g speed in your area.

[Kevin Seitzer]

I'll tell you, the iPhone 4s is way more phone that I need but I love it. I guess if you're a real phone-o-phile like Johnny or whatever then you should look for whatever specs "blow away" the iPhone, but man the iPhone does absolutely anything I can even imagine and then some. I store music, take videos of our frisbee practice, play online games with friends, check out websites and Facebook or whatever, and pretty much all other normal stuff. The iPhone is super intuitive, loads everything super fast, and always, always, always works just like I want it to. I opted to go for established performance and haven't been disappointed in the least.

The S2 does all that, too, and very intuitively. I think Samsung has caught up with Apple here, at least, if not passed them, even if temporarily until the iPhone5 comes out.

[johnnya24]

Meh, I had enough of the fly by night phones the first time around. Every single person I've ever known that has owned an iPhone just loves them. I can be counted in that number now as well. Honestly, I just wanted something that was an absolute slam-dunk, guaranteed awesome phone and the iPhone easily fit the bill for me.

Sounds to me like you have never really used an Android? Android has already passed Apple in the smartphone market, and the distance will only increase. The upgrade from the iPhone4 to iPhone5 will be a bigger screen and similar tech specs to Android devices that will already have been on the market for 5-8 months. That is all. IOW, the iPhone5 will already be outdated by the time it hits the shelves ... it better friggin' look nice

In the US the iPhone sells better because the carriers have their customers by the balls, and therefore more people go for the luxury Apple over the Android ... and why not if you're going to be paying an arm and leg for both? But elsewhere in the world, where we have proper competition between carriers, Android is crushing Apple. There is nothing an iPhone can do that an Android cannot ... and there is plenty on offer from Android devices that Apple cannot compete with.

Apple have definitely peaked as far as the smartphone market goes ... in terms of competition anyway ... whether they can find new markets is another matter. It's not something Apple traditionally do.

OS: Android 4 (Ice Cream Sandwich especially) > iOS5 ... it's hard to see what more these devices will be able to do? Better games? I don't really care about that.
Usability: Same, but widgets give Android the edge ... and Apple will stubbornly not include widgets on their phones so as not to be seen to be copying Android (or Microsoft's "tiles" ... which are basically widgets)
Form Factor: with Android you can get any size form factor up to 5.3" > iPhones are one size fits all ... Apple are cautious not to make the phone too big so as to limit the appeal of the iPad ... bless them.
Customization: Android > Apple ... not even close ... each manufacture can add their own interface for Android (HTC Sense UI is the best).
Apps: the same
Cost: not even close. There is an Android for every hand, budget to Luxury, and the luxury models are half the price of the iPhone and technically equal or better.

Google are growing so fast, that one slip up from Apple in the hardware department, could give Google market dominance. RIM are dead ... it's just a slow death. There is a lot of pressure on Apple, and they are not used to playing catch up. The one area of smartphone/mobile technology that could still make a huge difference from a marketing perspective is the humble battery. Research has suggested techniques to increase battery life by 10X ... the first manufacturer to commercialize this takes another huge step IMO. Graphene based technology is still years away.

iPhone5 will be a great device, but it will be just one among many. Apple fanboys will never accept this though.

[SeaDogStat]

Johnny,

I know that the newest iPhone has a tethering option now, that was eliminated by AT&T for most other phones due to the unlimited data option. I am grandfathered under the unlimited plan for Galaxy and with my contract up, was looking at the iPhone over the S2 because I want to be able to use an iPad (sporadically, thru my phone, like when I am on the team bus, heading to and from games). I want to use the down time to break down the game film while traveling and then upload it so we can do film review right on the bus after games.

Does the S2 (or S3) offer the personal (encrypted) wifi hotspot like the 4s?

[johnnya24]

Johnny,

I know that the newest iPhone has a tethering option now, that was eliminated by AT&T for most other phones due to the unlimited data option. I am grandfathered under the unlimited plan for Galaxy and with my contract up, was looking at the iPhone over the S2 because I want to be able to use an iPad (sporadically, thru my phone, like when I am on the team bus, heading to and from games). I want to use the down time to break down the game film while traveling and then upload it so we can do film review right on the bus after games.

Does the S2 (or S3) offer the personal (encrypted) wifi hotspot like the 4s?

Yeah ... tethering has really nothing to do with the phone, it has more to do with your carrier. Almost all phones have the option (even the first Galaxy S I believe ... although it may have been physical tethering only), but many networks prevent tethering, especially if many users are on unlimited data plans. Unlimited data is no longer standard in packages ... so tethering is more widely available these days ...

Yeah you can use the S2 as a personal hotspot. I don't see any reason why the iPad wouldn't detect is as with a normal wifi hotspot (although I don't own an iPad so don't take that as gospel). Just check that your provider will let you use the S2 tethering via hotspot, it certainly has the facility.

... oh and check there are no added charges when your provider detects you are tethering, which is easy to do.

[Kevin Seitzer]

My last phone was an Android and was a screaming disaster. Like I said, I wanted a phone that was a 100% lock to be all the phone I needed. No more taking chances with lesser companies or whatever. I wanted something fast, intuitive, and easy. I got it.

I see why the other stuff appeals to you: you are obviously far more into phones than I. I don't have any burning desire to customize my phone. I have no idea wtf a "form factor" is. I want it to work perfectly right out of the box. I do like the games, too, and have been happy with iPhone's offerings. Reminds me of the PC versus Mac argument. If you're into customization and form factors, go with your PC/Android. If you want super easy then go with Mac/iPhone.

I don't think that's quite right, though.

If what you're saying is, "I don't want to shop, I don't want to have to think, I just want a safe choice, and I don't care if it's the best one, I just don't want to take any risk that my phone will drive me crazy or badly disappoint me" then yes, Apple fits your bill.

But in terms of being like a Mac vs. a PC, no. What I wanted in phone was exactly "fast, intuitive, and easy" and I definitely did not and do not have a "burning desire to customize my phone." I don't know what Ice Cream Sandwich or any of that stuff is, and I don't want to have to know. The S2 from Samsung was right in my wheelhouse, better than iPhone. Not that an iPhone would have been awful. It would have been fine. But an S2 has been better than fine, and that's not (for me) about ability to customize. It's all about ease of use and being able to do what I want quickly and intuitively.

[cardboardbox]

I have yet to use any phone that is as intuitive and easy and fast as the iphone. Fast as in responsive, snappy, not the latest benchmark at engadget.

Full disclosure: I've never owned an iphone but do have an ipad and have played with friends' iphones. Currently I'm on my third android phone.

[johnnya24]

I don't know what Ice Cream Sandwich or any of that stuff is ...

It's the latest version of Android's OS (v4). You are probably running Gingerbread (v2) on you S2. Version 3, called Honeycomb, was for tablet devices. Ice Cream Sandwich (v4) brings the two together. It's really just an upgrade, and not worth changing phones for IMO ... as the sales figures of the Google Nexus testify to.

The UI that your manufacturer puts over Android probably has a bigger impact to your use of the phone than v2 versus v4.

... and I don't want to have to know.

Shoot ... sorry

[johnnya24]

I have yet to use any phone that is as intuitive and easy and fast as the iphone. Fast as in responsive, snappy, not the latest benchmark at engadget.

Full disclosure: I've never owned an iphone but do have an ipad and have played with friends' iphones. Currently I'm on my third android phone.

Older and budget Androids can be very choppy/laggy a times.

The S2 is better than the iPhone, but not many other Androids before 2012 can claim that. Every top-end Android released this year will be better ... though few will be as stylish.