This forum needs more discussion about smart phones... especially since I will be getting one soon

I've been looking forward to seeing the iPhone 5 come out, which has been very delayed.. and will probably be announced on October 4th... but I'm just having second thoughts whether Samsung Galaxy S II might be a better choice. I've heard it's not being sold in the US though? Am I right? I also heard about the problems Apple might have releasing the iPhone 5 due to Samsung suing them.

They have been suing each other for years now, because that is how the technology industry in USA is.

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Wasn't Samsung Korean though

I got a new TV from Samsung and I'm more than impressed! Apple has been more disappointing lately..

But Apple isn't. American companies are the ones always starting these law skirmishes.

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6th Member Of the Pub


The Oldest member since Rubinous mysteriously disappeared!

get an iphone, it has literally everything you want and its so easy to use.

camera, vide camera, internet, thousands of games and apps, my favourite part has to be the ipod, i love music and having it with me everywhere is so amazing!

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I have an iPhone 4. It's OK, but it does feel a bit clunky after a while. The best thing about iOS IMHO is jailbreaking, and that's the only reason i would get another iOS device.

Blackberry's are a no-no from my experience. I've never had a pleasant experience with a Blackberry, and the Torch's seem to have really outdated hardware

Now the Android ecosystem is so diverse, i wouldn't know where to start....

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There is a village, which is hidden in the shadow of a mountain.
Everybody is suffering from a lack of light.
One day, the eldest of this village leaves for the mountain with a teaspoon in his hands.
The others ask him what he intends to do.
He replies that he is going to move the mountain.
"But you will never succeed!" they cry out.
"No, i will never succeed, but somebody has to start."

~~~The Wising Up Song - Misty's Big Adventure

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Kikori wrote:

Runevillage the forum is pretty well much done. Runevillage the group will eventually die, but as long as we're still friends with each other in the end, it's still a pretty big thought in our heads. Runevillage the family is forever, no matter where we settle down. If absolutely nothing else ever comes of Runevillage in the future, that alone is a pretty damn awesome thought.

OK here's the deal.

I do like how Apple designs their products. I just don't like how they act like a monopoly and make a lot of their products incompatible with others. Also, I'm not a fan of some of the prices they put. The recent iPhone 4S has been mostly a software based update for me, so I'm not that motivated to get it. I was looking forward to a bigger connectivity update, not just an "innovative antenna switching technology"... the camera isn't that important for me, I don't see myself using Siri, and the A5 chip is nothing new either (was out for the iPad 2 already). Despite all this, everyone in my family has got an iPhone, and they think I'm ridiculous for not choosing the iPhone... also, I've been using a 6 year old phone, despite being the most technologically involved in my family. D:

So I want to get one of the newest Smartphones out there, and it has to be one that I like.... should have most of what the iPhone has, could be better, and cheaper.... I've been told that the Samsung Galaxy S2 is what I'm looking for, but I've heard from so many people, that it's not of good quality, though the reviews say the opposite.

Something I care a lot about is the Skype voice/webcam chatting features via 3G. Last time I checked the Samsung Galaxy S2 was, and the iPhone wasn't able to make it work - and now that Skype is purchased by MS, it doesn't look like apple will make it work any time soon... and they'll probably only support their own product "Facetime".

Opinions? Advice?

Well, I've always been a fan of BlackBerrys, and will probably continue loving them for the foreseeable future. I had a bit of a hiccup with the Torch, but I'm back on my 9000 and loving every minute. I'll be upgrading to the 9900 as soon as AT&T gets their act together.

As for other smartphones, I don't like iPhones (or any Apple products, really), haven't touched WP7, and actually enjoy Android. I love how much you can do on Android devices - there's all KINDS of tweaking and rearranging you can do that I don't think is possible on other platforms.

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I personally own an iphone 4, and with the new ios 5 update i dont see myself switching from it anytime soon. Everything just works with it, its very intuitive to use, very well designed, and apples ecosystem is awesome.

As for the iPhone 4S, most people are making it sound like its a lack luster update over the 4, i disagree..its pretty much an entirely new phone, it just has the same case as the 4...If apple had released the same specs/features in a new case, people would have LOVED it...and even with the same old case, its broken the sales record on the first preorder day of the iPhone 4........And the antenna update is more then just switching between antennas, from what ive read its really increased call quality and data speeds when compared to the 4, and has solved the "antennagate" problem.

After iOS, i like webos...even though its pretty much dead...its an amazingly underrated os... best multitasking out there, best notification system out there...theres just so much coolness in webos, Id LOVE to get a pre 3, but alas no carrier will ever see one....which is why im sticking with iOS. (You can get a pre 3 on ebay for 200-300$)

Third on my list is Windows Phone 7, and thats painful for me to say since i hate most Microsoft products, but i played around with a WP7 device, and its very smooth, almost as intuitive as iOS, and it just looks nice.

I dont really care for android anymore...ive heard so many complaints about software issues, and stupid annoyances that shouldnt be there... And the fragmentation issues it has....not to mention theres just so many phones, and new phones coming out all the time, theres just no way to get the best phone. Not to mention the overly HUGE screens that most android phones have...3.5" to 4" is the perfect size for me.

*-*Kal*-*

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I would strongly suggest YOU test out several different types of phones. Some companies let you test the devices before you buy(similar to when you get a loaner phone while yours is in repair). This gives you a chance to experience it first hand. You will be able to see for yourself what fits your needs/wants/likes/hands/pocket/personality ect. And you can see if there is a difference in speakers, preformance, call quality, signal quality and see what software you enjoy most.

I have never looked into simulators before.... But maybe there are some out there to demonstrate the look of the OS?

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From my personal experiences:

Iphones(3, 3G, 3GS, 4) fail.
Screens crack/break FAR to easy. Without that the whole phone becomes useless. When the screen is intact, its difficult to click. Two or three keys on the onscreen keyboard will always get clicked. The only key of the three that gets registered is the one you release last.
I also find the severely reduced storage capacity to be an issue. Compared to a 120gig ipod classic, the iphone holds very little.
My third dislike is that there is only one way to do things. That means you don't get shortcuts. No programmable buttons. No customized quick trays ect.

BlackBerry(curve8330, bold9700):
3 reasons why I am quite satisfied:
-functional. in very few steps I will receive an email from work that has an attached CSV file. I can download that, then connect to my work equipment via bluetooth. Transfer this file. And continue working.
-easy to type. Simple enough. But if this isn't right, its very hard to like that phone. As said earlier about the iphones poor keyboard. one argument I have heard in defense of the iphone is: "it just takes some getting used to" which is poor. Why do I need to waste time being unproductive as I try to learn something I shouldn't have to. Why not simply be able to pick it up and go?
-shortcuts. Many keys are shortcuts in many screens/menus for faster navigation. Eg: as I type this message I can hit the blackberry symbol button(options menu) and the S key drops to the save link button that my mouse was hovering over. C key is close. F = find. Ect.

Drawbacks: RIM issues. I have been told RIM is having some serious issues that affect customers worldwide. I havnt been affected by these outages, and I havnt looked up anything about them yet. I will look into that this evening if I get a chance.


Sadly, I don't have any experience with any android OS models.

Hope this helps

Also!!! Look into an app called poynt. I use it everyday. It can use my phones location to preform searches(businesses, food, movies, weather with locations, contact info, mapping options for each search). And as I am very rarely in 1 place, I benifit greatly from this useful tool.

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i disagree with MM on this occasion, once you know how to use an iphone touchpad (tip of your finger not just mashing it with your palm, very simple after your first try really) i can type much faster on it with less mistakes than i do on an actual keypad. ive had three phone and the screen cracked once (because i dropped it from a great height when drunk) apart from that i have found them to actually be very durable and take a fair few whacks.

IOSX 5 has added some great features to the iphone, overview of them can be found here. Basically its added any plusses that other smart phones had that the iphone missed and added more extras.

i have found battery life in standby to be 5 days plus, even when using music constantly mine has a good 24 hours, games do drain the battery but thats expected.

basically i love how the iphone and my computer (i do have a macbook pro) sync up so well together, and the iphone itself makes literally everything easy to do, phone, mp3 player, internet browser, mobile gaming it has literally the best of all of these.

blackberry, i do not have a friend that has not sent their blackberry black, a girl i was seeing sent hers back, got a brand new one, had to send that back 2 days after getting it, she has had to send it back a couple more times since then as well all for the same problem, this is a similar story to my sisters. Other friends have had the little trackball stop working countless times and now most of them are saying they wish they had iphones and are planning to *upgrade* (IMO) to iphones when their contracts are up. BBM has just gone down for almost all blackberry users (although they could just text...) either way they are just riddled with problems.

IPHONE ALL THE WAY!

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I would also like to point out that jailbreaking an iPhone definitely improves the customisability. Custom icons, gestures (Activator is a lifesaver), icon layouts, apple-unapproved apps (emulators anyone?) are just the start. Jailbreaking improves an iDevice's functionality tenfold compared to Apple's walled-garden, and custom themes (and complete GUI's with Dreamboard) make it worth jailbreaking.

Of course, You actually have to wait for a jailbreak first....

__________________
There is a village, which is hidden in the shadow of a mountain.
Everybody is suffering from a lack of light.
One day, the eldest of this village leaves for the mountain with a teaspoon in his hands.
The others ask him what he intends to do.
He replies that he is going to move the mountain.
"But you will never succeed!" they cry out.
"No, i will never succeed, but somebody has to start."

~~~The Wising Up Song - Misty's Big Adventure

Hidden: 

Kikori wrote:

Runevillage the forum is pretty well much done. Runevillage the group will eventually die, but as long as we're still friends with each other in the end, it's still a pretty big thought in our heads. Runevillage the family is forever, no matter where we settle down. If absolutely nothing else ever comes of Runevillage in the future, that alone is a pretty damn awesome thought.

As already suggested I'd recommend you try out different phones and OS' to see what feels best to you. I personally still use a OG Droid with cyanogenmod 7.1, but I'll be snatching up the galaxy nexus when it drops into stores. I've really become a fan of android do to the ability to modify it and tweak it to be exactly how I want it, visually and system wise.

Good discussion guys... I will try out the different OS's, I know iOS 5 already and its limitations. I'm waiting for the release here so that I know the pricing, which really is a huge factor.

I own an iPhone, but have played around on my dad's Blackberry a bit. I would have to say that I like my iPhone. I love the overall layout of it, and how everything is so easy to use with just a tap of the finger. I also like how you can pretty much multitask on here. The only downside to it can be the battery life, but I've learned to use it wisely (keeping apps that I am not using closed, for example.) I've had the iPhone 4 for about a year now, and it hasn't failed me yet.

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Blackberry's are for children
Iphone's are for idiots
Androids are for winners.

I have a HTC Desire S. Had it about a month, love it.

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What are you talking about?

bartoron

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What? iPhone's are for idiots? Wanting a really well designed, solid phone, with an intuitive, easy to use interface, with an EXCELLENT syncing program for your computer for all your media, is for idiots? Not wanting androids fragmentation, and usually crappy manufacturers overlays, and an OS that doesn't feel finished makes you an idiot? How about not even being guaranteed software updates for your brand new phone when they come out, ya that definitely is nice right? Or if you do get it, you have to wait months for it. Im not saying android is garbage, because its a decent OS...but saying its the best, and that everything else sucks is just ridiculous.

*-*Kal*-*

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Getting the Samsung Galaxy S II today!! Very excited... my 'research' took so long, I've waited more than 2 years. It's an expensive product and service... I've given it enough time. Let's face it, it's time to buy this beast

I wanted to get iPhone at first, but really there is not much added apple-magic to the iPhone compared to the iPod Touch 1G which I already have. The iPhone 4S is mainly software update for me, the camera is pretty nice with it's stabilizer, but the other hardware changes are not that influential.... the antenna switching improves speed a little, but don't see it going anywhere... the A5 chip is just copied over from the iPad 2. Apple just can't do much more, they're mainly there to enlighten the engineers and create innovation in design; and create easy, user friendly software. That's what I've been expecting in the iPhone 5.

I'll list the reasons why I chose the Samsung Galaxy S II:

- Connectivity. This is the main job of the smartphone, that's why this should be weighed the most imo. One of the two main reasons I get a Smartphone is the mobile internet I get - those costs are equivalent to the hardware costs.. Samsung's got their hands on this one.
- Bigger Screen, designed by Samsung, famous for their LED technology (yes resolution/sharpness is slightly lower than the iPhone 4 and 4S, that's all it has)
- Much cheaper, taking into account the contract, you pay more than 33% extra for the iPhone, rather than the Galaxy SII
- And that is not all, the costs added by selecting an iPhone with higher memory is huge... they add 100€ every time they increase the capacity. The Samsung Galaxy SII on the other hand has a microSD slot. I'll just buy a 32GB chip for 25£ and it'll have more memory than the iPhone 4 ever did.
- Although I am not unhappy with apple's user interface, I miss the freedom you'd get with non-apple UI's... and I believe android fulfills this desire. I know you can jailbreak the iPhone legitimately, but I honestly can't be bothered with that, I'd prefer it to be adjustable out of the box.
- Some apps are just incredible... I have a Samsung TV and there is an app that let's you watch and control the TV on my phone, it's called Dual View... very revolutionary!! The All-share and remote control etc. are also verrry neat! I am not a fan of the apple stores.. and given that Android has more apps it's more favorable as well.
- I hated the fact that every device needed to have the movies converted into a special format to be able to play them... from what I heard you can simply drop your HD movies into the directory and the phone does the rest in the galaxy s2.
- Battery life is higher and battery is replaceable! One of the most important aspects, if you use your phone a lot... and in case your battery dies.
- Better Control Interface. I really like how you can easily turn off 3G, wifi etc. from the top panel... it's an important feature if you have a data quota and travel a lot. Also like the idea behind the task manager, and believe that there's more cool control apps out...

I think I already mentioned enough reasons.... the downsides I'd be facing are probably the phone getting too hot, the screen being too big for working with one hand, the phone being too light... I only worry about the first, my hands are big enough, and don't think I'd dislike the lighter weight. Although I should tell myself not to risk using it while on my bike...

I realize you've already picked out a phone (good choice btw!) but I'd just like to point out that Blackberry isn't even on the same level as iphone or Android powered phones. Surfing the web with blackberry is simply awful, and their apps aren't that great either.

I agree that they're easy to type on and sending emails and such is convenient.. but they really dont have much else going for them.

-Phat

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