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Mobile Phones

What is better

  • I don't know.

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Im sure there are some techology geeks around here. What phones do you have. What is better, Android or I phone? What are the best phones around etc.

Im partly asking this because I decided a smartphone might come in handy and am trying to decide which one to buy.
 
Mar 16, 2009
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I just bought a LG Optimus V from Virgin but it's in the States and I won't pick it up until next weekend when I go up for Christmas. The androids seem cheaper I only paid $129USD.

LG Optimus V

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May 14, 2010
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I love this topic. Smartphones and I go a ways back. I started out with the Nokia 3650,

30413107-2-440-front-2.gif


which was a lot of fun. You could do all kinds of cool stuff with it, but you pretty much had to "brew your own."

When EDGE networks (providing faster data connections) became available, I got a Nokia 6620 (which was the North American version of the 6600, I think).

h714.jpg


Finally, Nokia came out with the N95, shortly before Apple released the first iPhone. On paper the N95 was superior to the first iPhone in every way. It had a better camera, 3G data capability, user-replaceable battery, and a memory card expansion slot. I bought one.

nokia-n95-deep-p.jpg


That proved to be an expensive mistake. Compared to the iPhone, this thing was sluggish, had a clunky interface, and no ecosystem to speak of. "Brewing your own" was fun in 2003. By 2008-9, not so much. I ditched it about a year after I bought it.

By then, the iPhone 3Gs was out and I got that. It's the phone I use right now (holding out for iPhone 5).

The advantages for the iPhone over Android are:

Better hardware/software integration; Android tends to be a little sluggish (just check the more comprehensive reviews).

No spyware; Apple exercises tight control over what gets on its devices. On Android you've got to worry about everything from apps that take far more of your details than they need (without your knowledge or permission), to Carrier IQ, which is present on most Android devices and can send your keystrokes and even screenshots to the operator. I'd just as soon not worry about that.

The slick, smooth interface and the tight software/hardware integration are reasons enough to go with the iPhone. It really does "just work" and it's amazing.

apple-iphone-4s.jpg
 
Mar 10, 2009
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In all reality its the service provider that counts not the phone. For the most part they are identical but the iPhone has the added smug factor which for some is key (not me). Both the iPhone and Droid phones (note; phones not phone, more on that later) have apps and if an app is cool or useful enough it will be on both phones soon enough because any self respecting money hungry programmer will want to sell their app on all phones to make more dough and will. For iPhone you can buy THE iPhone but for the Droids you have many phone models to pick from. Some will say "nugh ugh! There's the first generation iPhone, 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen iPhone and the iPhone 4G!", yea who seriously is going to buy the old one these days if its even possible (not that I know). Droids come in many sizes and looks but just like the iPhone they are all just a naked phone with no real substance other than the default camera, head phone jack, power plug (note Droids use a USB cable which is very easy to find and plug in to get power, computers, wall, solar panels, wind up power converter, etc.), iPhones have a proprietary connector to USB so if you lose it you may find that you're S.O.L.! Whereas the Droid you can probably find a power connector at any local store (drug store, electronics store, super wall mart, etc.).

So the new fangled phones whether it be iPhone or Droid is really a phone that you will configure custom for your use. You can dump all the default apps and install just what you want (most apps can be deleted some not, don't get me started on that).

Get one with an new contract otherwise you'll pay full price for it but you can find them on e-bay but make sure its compatible with your provider (either one). Get the insurance for either unless you like buying a new phone if you break it or lose it.
 
ElChingon said:
Get one with an new contract otherwise you'll pay full price for it but you can find them on e-bay but make sure its compatible with your provider (either one). Get the insurance for either unless you like buying a new phone if you break it or lose it.

But if I get it on contract, and then decide to leave the country say 12 months in, then I have to pay off 12 months worth of talk time, internet, messages, even though Im not using them,

Right?
 
May 14, 2010
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The Hitch said:
But if I get it on contract, and then decide to leave the country say 12 months in, then I have to pay off 12 months worth of talk time, internet, messages, even though Im not using them,

Right?

It depends. Some carriers (eg., T-Mobile) will let you unlock your phone; otherwise, you can use the internet to find out how to unlock it yourself. Then you just need to make sure it's a world phone - i.e., that it works on the frequencies of the countries/continents you plan to be in.

People who have Android phones seem to like them, but I really do think iPhones are better built and more reliable. Whatever you buy, you should try to check them out in a shop before laying out the cash.

Edit: But you're right, if you buy it on contract and then break the contract, you have to pay whatever the buyout fee is. Usually pretty expensive, but not the entire remaining contract.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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The Hitch said:
But if I get it on contract, and then decide to leave the country say 12 months in, then I have to pay off 12 months worth of talk time, internet, messages, even though Im not using them,

Right?

Well, I guess it depends on where you are and going.Your question does bring up an interesting issue which you'll have to investigate further. Like is there a similar provider in the country you're moving to, will the phone work (there are international phones that work in Euro-land and USA, etc.). I think T-Mobile will allow you to move and keep the phone, assuming T-Mobile is in the country you are in and going to. If you break a contract you'll have to pay some exit fee, like a rental lease.
 
Maxiton said:
It depends. Some carriers (eg., T-Mobile) will let you unlock your phone; otherwise, you can use the internet to find out how to unlock it yourself. Then you just need to make sure it's a world phone - i.e., that it works on the frequencies of the countries/continents you plan to be in.

People who have Android phones seem to like them, but I really do think iPhones are better built and more reliable. Whatever you buy, you should try to check them out in a shop before laying out the cash.

Edit: But you're right, if you buy it on contract and then break the contract, you have to pay whatever the buyout fee is. Usually pretty expensive, but not the entire remaining contract.

I guess the problem with I phone for me is that it is a tiny bit too expensive. Great phone, but atm, a bit out of a reach to me.
 
May 14, 2010
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The Hitch said:
I guess the problem with I phone for me is that it is a tiny bit too expensive. Great phone, but atm, a bit out of a reach to me.

Yeah, I feel ya. In that case I'd look at the Samsung Galaxy phones, on contract. Or, the iPhone 3Gs, which can be bought new on contract for $99 US.

EDIT: Also, I'm liking the looks of the HTC phones, some of which are free on contract.

http://www.htc.com/uk/
 
I like the HTC phones...they are for the most part sleek and feel nice in your hand. and I like the graphics.
My phone is the original Incredible, but two of my family members just got the Incredible 2 and the batt life is good, bigger screen, and faster...I'm jealous. :)
 
icebreaker said:
Worth checking the prices on the 3GS, most of the carriers in are now giving them for no charge, with a plan.

but then you are stuck with this for the next two years...don't you feel that this would be a step back?
just curious because I had been actually contemplating a new 4s, then calculated the $$$ and was looking into the iphone 4 to compare.
:confused:
 
May 14, 2010
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Ferminal said:
I'm still running Symbian, eat that.

Will be moving to Android some time in the next year though.

I refuse to use iTunes so Apple isn't really an option.

I've always loved Nokia stuff. I still have all my old phones. (I should probably sell the N95 while it still has some value.)

I was totally looking forward to getting the Nokia N9 with the MeeGo operating system. Then Nokia got into bed with Microsoft and put a bullet through the head of MeeGo. I could buy an N9, but it's too much money to spend for a device that has a dead OS. And, yeah, iTunes is a pain, no doubt about it. (And I know you weren't thinking about staying with Nokia, but I was.)
 
Maxiton said:
I've always loved Nokia stuff. And even though I don't have a lot of money I never have sold my phones. I still have them all - it's like my own little personal museum. (I should probably sell the N95 while it still has some value.)

I was totally looking forward to getting the Nokia N9 with the MeeGo operating system. Then Nokia got into bed with Microsoft and put a bullet through the head of MeeGo. I could buy an N9, but it's too much money to spend for a device that has a dead OS. And, yeah, iTunes is a pain, no doubt about it. (And I know you weren't thinking about staying with Nokia, but I was.)

I had an N95 for three years, for me I couldn't complain and it was the first proper smartphone I had. I swapped to an N8 when they first came out last year, it was cheap enough for me to give it a go, almost half the price of the top end phones. First phone was an 8210 and have always had a Nokia since. The N8 maybe was a mistake, but I definitely needed a new phone, and the Android offerings at that price weren't convincing enough to break my Nokia fanboyism.

The N8 isn't a horrible phone, but you can just feel the ground which Symbian lost over the last few years, it hasn't moved forward at all. It's a shame they ditched MeeGo... Windows Mobile doesn't appeal to me at all, the interface is crap.

So Android seems logical for my next move. My objections to iTunes are that as a PC media player it's not for me - i use foobar2000 so I base my library more on directories than tags. If I were to start using iTunes I still wouldn't use it as my PC media player, so that would mean maintaining two libraries. I just want to be able to drag & drop and determine exactly what I want and where I want it, I've never been a fan of this syncing business or the arbitrary categorisation of tracks based on tags. I haven't used iTunes or an iPod in a long time though, so maybe things have changed.
 
May 14, 2010
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Ferminal said:
I had an N95 for three years, for me I couldn't complain and it was the first proper smartphone I had. I swapped to an N8 when they first came out last year, it was cheap enough for me to give it a go, almost half the price of the top end phones. First phone was an 8210 and have always had a Nokia since. The N8 maybe was a mistake, but I definitely needed a new phone, and the Android offerings at that price weren't convincing enough to break my Nokia fanboyism.

The N8 isn't a horrible phone, but you can just feel the ground which Symbian lost over the last few years, it hasn't moved forward at all. It's a shame they ditched MeeGo... Windows Mobile doesn't appeal to me at all, the interface is crap.

So Android seems logical for my next move. My objections to iTunes are that as a PC media player it's not for me - i use foobar2000 so I base my library more on directories than tags. If I were to start using iTunes I still wouldn't use it as my PC media player, so that would mean maintaining two libraries. I just want to be able to drag & drop and determine exactly what I want and where I want it, I've never been a fan of this syncing business or the arbitrary categorisation of tracks based on tags. I haven't used iTunes or an iPod in a long time though, so maybe things have changed.

It's funny, all this talk about Nokia led me to get out and fire up my N95. I'm listening to U2 on it right now, for the full on nostalgia effect (-:. It still has better voice quality, GPS, and speakers than anything else I've used, and despite my other quibbles with it.

Yeah, I hate this libraries thing, too. Windows 7 is great, but the libraries feature, which is supposed to be a great thing about it, is totally useless to me. Same with iTunes. I keep my media on a separate drive, which isn't always turned on. iTunes then creates lots of things in these stupid libraries on my C drive, even when iTunes isn't running (and even though I've told it not to), and it causes no end of conflicts and headaches. I'm with you: I want to drag and drop and decide for myself where stuff goes and where it stays. You don't have to use tags, though, which is a good thing, since I wouldn't anyway. Also, iTunes freezes up constantly. It really is crap software. My son keeps trying to get me to switch to Win Amp. Maybe I'll do that, or just switch to Linux.

I also agree about Windows Phone 7: not appealing. The new Nokia phones look great; too bad they're all running WP7. So iPhone and Android are the only game in town. If I weren't into iPhone I'd probably go for the Samsung Galaxy S (but not the newer one with the gimongous screen - if I want a tablet I'll buy one).
 
I'm relatively new to Windows 7 and those libraries were strange to me too. I worked with them a bit though and have a setup I'm happy with. I only use the "Documents" one and have it rigged so that it takes my old "My Documents" from another HDD where all my media is stored. It works well as I can't store any on my primary drive as it's an SSD.
 

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