Help Me Pick My New Phone

[Mad German]

I really like the size of the iPhone 4S, but my fears are that it won't be as fast as what I would like. I don't want to be stuck with a phone I'm unhappy with for the next 18 months. Now I'm reading all sorts of bad press about the bad battery life of the Rezound. The Samsung Galaxy Nexus looks great as well. It's bigger, length and width, than I think I was origially looking at, but it's so thin. I wonder if that thinness will make up for the larger length and width.

[Desmo]

my fears are that it won't be as fast as what I would like

Still not sure what you mean by "fast". Download speeds? Surfing? Games? Apps? What aspect of fast are you referring to?

Go to a Apple store and play with one. I just cannot see how it could be viewed as "slow".

[SCROOOSE!!]

Originally Posted by Rabeet

I like Samsung's big phone, the Galaxy S II

I think Ive been gone too long

[Mad German]

Originally Posted by Desmo

Still not sure what you mean by "fast". Download speeds? Surfing? Games? Apps? What aspect of fast are you referring to?

Go to a Apple store and play with one. I just cannot see how it could be viewed as "slow".

Des,

Sorry for being unclear. I'm not a phone guy, not an audiophile, not a techy guy. Here's what I want out of my phone and where my concerns lie. Thanks for any help you can offer.

I use my phone to talk and text.
I want my phone to work all the time.
If I want to watch a video on youtube, I want it to play without glitches.
If my son wants to play a game, I want him to be able to play the game without glitches.
I want a phone with respectable battery life, i.e. a full day (some talk, text and a little browsing) on one charge.

I currently have a Droid2 and if I spend $2-300 on a phone, I want to be blown away with how much better it is than my Droid.

I had discounted the iPhone due to lack of customization, but to be honest, I never really customized my Droid.

One of the reasons I was considering a new Verizon 4G device was to take advantage of the faster network. However, if it means that my battery will be toast by lunch time, it's not worth it. Then I read some articles saying that the iPhone on Verizon's network isn't all that great because it's still a 3G device.

Lack of knowledge is what's making this difficult. I can't trust any of the reviews out there, or so it seems. I'll watch one review that says "A", and another that says the exact opposite. I don't know who to believe.

[flbusa]

Just get an iPhone.

They're number one for a number of very good reasons.

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by Mad German

Des,

Sorry for being unclear. I'm not a phone guy, not an audiophile, not a techy guy. Here's what I want out of my phone and where my concerns lie. Thanks for any help you can offer.

No worries. So, I am a techy guy not an audiophile by a long shot, and I rarely ever make phone calls. Text and email is how I communicate. For me my iPhone is a mobile computer. I live in the damn thing. I use the shit out of it.

I use my phone to talk and text.

I rarely ever make calls on it, but I text all the time. Never had a dropped call, and text works great. FWIW, I'm on ATT. Who's fault is it for dropped calls or bad connections? I have no idea and I don't think anyone else does.

I want my phone to work all the time.

Mine does. I have had 2 phones that had issues. First 3Gs out of the box had cell issues. Got replaced without question a few days later. My i4 had the home button go wonky. Apple replaced it out of warranty with no issues. (a one time out of warranty replacement mind you)

If I want to watch a video on youtube, I want it to play without glitches.

For the most part YouTube works well. That said, you cannot put everything on the phone. At work I have a zillion gigabyte connection and often YouTube videos stall, stop, or just don't play. Just because it doesn't work on your phone doesn't mean it's the phones problem.

If my son wants to play a game, I want him to be able to play the game without glitches.

I am by no means a heavy gamer, but the games I do have on the iPhone have always worked just fine.

I want a phone with respectable battery life, i.e. a full day (some talk, text and a little browsing) on one charge.

Well, so here's the rub. Small battery tech these days still sucks. Phones do SOOO much and it all takes power. Software glitches will create power problems, poorly written software will also do it. Apple has certainly suffered from "battery issues". So have all the others. Best bud of mine has a Galaxy something that sucks down power at an alarming rate when the GPS is on. So he just doesn't use it. Well, that sucks.

I am a heavy, HEAVY user of my phone. So my use is nowhere near "normal". I will usually pop it on the charger at work. When I go to Giants games (Im streaming audio which is a killer) I have a battery pack/case I use. I will also sometimes carry a New Trent power pack for the "just in case" times. Again, I use my phone a lot differently than most peeps so consider that.

I currently have a Droid2 and if I spend $2-300 on a phone, I want to be blown away with how much better it is than my Droid.

Again, go try one. Or any phone for that matter.

I had discounted the iPhone due to lack of customization, but to be honest, I never really customized my Droid.

Everyone says the Android platform is the one for geeks. Lots of mods etc etc etc. I love customizing stuff. But I honestly have no interest in "jail breaking" my iPhone so I can add unapproved apps or tweak it. I am very comfortable with the iPhone interface at this point, and I don't find a need to mess with it.

One of the reasons I was considering a new Verizon 4G device was to take advantage of the faster network.

I have zero experience with Verizon so I have no input here.

However, if it means that my battery will be toast by lunch time, it's not worth it.

In my experience, unless you are streaming audio over the cell network AND surfing, there's no possible way you could ever kill off the battery by noon. Even with doing all that, I have never killed my phone by noon. Get it down to 60%? Sure.

Then I read some articles saying that the iPhone on Verizon's network isn't all that great because it's still a 3G device.

Well, I have no idea why people are so fired up about 4g on a phone unless you need to tether it to a PC and do big time data intensive work. What are you going to download? HD movies? I dunno. Just makes no sense to me. My i4 downloads all my podcasts and streams audio etc etc just fine.

Lack of knowledge is what's making this difficult.

No offense, but yes, you are missing a lot of info and basing decisions on..well, I dunno.

I have no dog in this hunt. Obviously I don't stand to gain by any decision you make, and I couldn't give a flying phck who buys what. I do get tired of "haters" though so I will defend the iPhone at times. That said, you can go back and see what I've posted about the iPhone over time. Im not a fanboy.

[Mad German]

SOLD!!!! The black iPhone 4S to the Mad German. I'll be going by Verizon and plunking the cash down tomorrow! I'm hoping getting all of my contacts and email accounts synched up is a breeze. I'll be playing with it all weekend. (Whoa, better not take that out of context!)

Thanks for the help, Des. You sold me. I was guilty of over analyzing it instead of just trusting my gut.

Cheers,
MG

[Desmo]

Oh wow. I'd never buy one of those things!

[VA_rider]

Well... I as going through the same thing... I was down to the Thunderbolt, the Samsung Rezound, and the Droid RAZR.... when it came down to it, I got the RAZR... Motorola has been good to me with the past 4-5 phones... the display on this thing is wonderful.. it's extremely responsive... I'm kinda missing the the physical qwerty keyboard... but... I suppose I'll get used to it.

A key deciding factor for me though was a front facing camera.... something that my wife and I can video chat with while I'm on the road.

[TJ 351]

I know it might be a little late for the originator poster but I have a friend who recently got an iphone 4. She liked the little speaking device function it has - like a personal speaking assistant or something like that. The thing is, that function broke on it a couple weeks ago - won't work for her.

She also has verified what has been reported about poor battery life with the phone. Apple came out with a software fix for the battery life problem because they got so many complaints. But the "fix" hasn't fixed the trouble according to press reports. She doesn't have good battery life with hers.

I've had a Galaxy S for about a year. It's got a very nice screen, does a ton of stuff. I've been happy with it --- on Verizon network.

My son has a Droid - it is heavier and the screen not as sharp and colorful as the Galaxy. But it does a lot, too.

The iphones that I have seen do have nice sharp screens.

[Mad German]

Should have my new iPhone 4S tomorrow. I'll give it a few days and see how I like it. I like the current android phones that are out there, but they are just too large for me. The Razr, Rezound and Nexus all feel huge when I put them in my pocket. I'll most likely not use all the functions the 4S has to offer, any more than I'd use all that I droid model can offer.

[TJ 351]

Originally Posted by Mad German

Should have my new iPhone 4S tomorrow. I'll give it a few days and see how I like it. I like the current android phones that are out there, but they are just too large for me. The Razr, Rezound and Nexus all feel huge when I put them in my pocket. I'll most likely not use all the functions the 4S has to offer, any more than I'd use all that I droid model can offer.

Yeah Mad - I know what you mean by large. I thought a Droid or Galaxy was way too large for me - before I got my Galaxy. My son had a Droid - he's 25 - and he kind of drags me into the latest stuff - kicking and screaming.
I thought his phone was cool - big screen - could do a bunch - but was way too big.
Well, I knuckled under - my Galaxy is actually a little larger than his.

I am accustomed to it now - it is a lot thinner than my old one - goes in pants pockets fine.
But something it can do - which is important to me - it has a great screen and gets quotes and displays charts and graphs really well - which is important to me in my finances. I can also make brokerage transactions with it. Important to me.

It is a major upgrade from the old phones for me. If it wasn't for a push by my son - I'd still be saying "I did fine without something like that...". You know, being a blockhead...

[Mad German]

^ I hear you TJ. I just wouldn't utilize the large screen for much other than watching youtube clips now and then. My primary use of my phone is to text, talk and manage my calendar. I'm hoping the iPhone will fit the bill just fine. I do think that the new phones, like the Rezound, Nexus and Razr are cool from a tech perspective, I just can't get past the sheer size. Some of those are on the order of 5 1/2" long and nearly 3" wide. But if it works for you, then that's all that matters, right?

[yamahajim]

Using Galaxly S II and am happy, my son has the Iphone (version 2or3?)
tbh I think the IP has the edge mostly due to apps and some apps seem more user friendly, but both excellent phones.

[flbusa]

Originally Posted by Mad German

SOLD!!!! The black iPhone 4S to the Mad German. I'll be going by Verizon and plunking the cash down tomorrow! I'm hoping getting all of my contacts and email accounts synched up is a breeze. I'll be playing with it all weekend. (Whoa, better not take that out of context!)

Thanks for the help, Des. You sold me. I was guilty of over analyzing it instead of just trusting my gut.

Cheers,
MG

Told ya.

[VA_rider]

I thought these phones were getting crazy with their progressively larger and larger screens.... I never thought I'd get one... until I realized that I was spending a lot of time zooming and scrolling... not only is the screen on my Droid Razr absolutely massive, but it's a damn gorgeous display as well...

I will say though, it's not for people with small hands.

[Mad German]

^ very true. The large screens aren't too pocket friendly. That's my biggest gripe with the current crop of android phones. They are great for viewing video, no doubt. I guess it all comes down to what's most important to you in a phone.

[Desmo]

For me the "small" size of the iPhone is a bonus since I carry it in my pocket all the time. I rarely watch video on
it, and have no trouble reading the text. The so called "retina display" is razor sharp.

I also mount it to my bike when I ride so I can easily change podcasts i'm listening too, check maps, etc.
I have trouble with my bluetooth headset when the phone is in the pocket, so having it on the handlebar
s ensures a clear connection. Can also connect my New Trent battery pack when it's in this case. The mount
is top notch, and adds a deal of size, so I'm glad the phone itself isn't very big.


http://www.thinkbiologic.com/product...mount-iphone-4

[VA_rider]

Originally Posted by Mad German

^ very true. The large screens aren't too pocket friendly. That's my biggest gripe with the current crop of android phones. They are great for viewing video, no doubt. I guess it all comes down to what's most important to you in a phone.

I am always wearing Carhartt pants... they have a little cell phone pocket about knee level on the right side... my rule for phones i that they always have t be able to fit into that pocket... the RAZR fits just fine by itself... with the Otterbox case, it's a little tight.. but still fits.

[JohnnyLfromCT]

I've had my iPhone 4 for about two weeks now, and I like it.

Better than my Blackberry for web-surfing and email, thats for sure.

The only rub - the battery life is SHIT!

I could do crap on my BB for a week straight and only have to charge her once...I need to charge this f'n iPhone daily!!!