Getting a new smartphone.

off-topic conversation unrelated to Jane's Addiction
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killerlax22
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Getting a new smartphone.

#1 Post by killerlax22 » Sat Mar 31, 2012 2:52 pm

Hey Everyone!

So, my work has provided me with a crappy blackberry for 5+ years. Now that RIM appears to be going down the drain, they are finally upgrading all the employees to nice phones. Our company plan is with Sprint and I have three options for phones. The Evo 3D, Galaxy SII or iPhone 4s.

I have always wanted an iPhone, but looking at reviews online, the Galaxy seems to be many people's favorite. I have no interest in 3D pictures and videos, so I feel like that eliminates the Evo.

What are your thoughts on these different phones? I need help deciding.

:wave:

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#2 Post by creep » Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:25 pm

do any of them have physical slide out keyboards? i have to have one because i use mine for work and type a lot. i just hate onscreen keyboards.

if that is not an option i would get an iphone.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#3 Post by creep » Sat Mar 31, 2012 4:35 pm

this might be a non issue to some but the iphone doesn't have a blinking light to indicate that you have an email. most android phones do. i'm probably the only person that really wants one.

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Juana
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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#4 Post by Juana » Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:06 pm

My buddy has the Galaxy SII and really likes it. I have a Verizon Android phone personally and I really like it. Just depends on what you're looking for but the iPhone is a pretty solid phone for what its for. My phone I had rooted and set up the way I like it and I do not know if that is possible with the iPhone.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#5 Post by killerlax22 » Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:07 pm

None of them have a physical keyboard. I also type a lot of e-mails for work and the touch screen keyboards do scare me a little. I wonder which of these phones has the best touch screen?

I do like the e-mail indicator light, but I think I can live without one.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#6 Post by Juana » Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:19 pm

There are some apps for the Android and then there is the swipe feature on the Android. I know how of the Iphone and Galaxy, I personally prefer the Galaxy and the Galaxy is a bit faster with the dual core processor as well. Its a lot like the droid Bionic which has a great on screen typing.

Also you can put your gmail in there as there is a gmail app (my company and the bar both all have google aps maintaining our email accounts) which is very easy and simple to use. I do not like the email client on either the iphone or the android. So that might be something to think about if you do not have a specific client app in mind as well.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#7 Post by killerlax22 » Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:24 pm

Thanks for the info. For work, I mainly type e-mails, read word and excel documents, take pictures and e-mail them to co-workers/customers.

For personal use, I browse the internet, text, take pictures and listen to music. All my family has iPhones and I have a 6 month old at home (part of the reason I have not been on ANR/xiola in a while,) so it would be nice to have FaceTime. I have also never played Words With Friends or similar games, but I might like to try that out.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#8 Post by killerlax22 » Sat Mar 31, 2012 5:29 pm

For work e-mail, I think my company will set it up with an enterprise server similar to my blackberry.

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Larry B.
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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#9 Post by Larry B. » Sat Mar 31, 2012 8:16 pm

I have used Galaxy mobiles from friends and I don't like them; however, I'm a bit of an Apple fan, so I might be biased. I got my first iPhone like 5 months ago and it has been wonderful. I use 3 e-mail accounts for work and everything has worked perfectly. I've also used Twitter and Facebook and it works like a charm. I also use it during my runs to record my time, speed, and other data. Finally, I've enjoyed lots of cool games, such as Angry Words (basically the same as Word with Friends, apparently), Draw Something, Temple Run, Angry Birds, etc. The great thing is that they're all children-friendly, so my nephews like playing too.

Last summer I was in Puerto Williams, which is basically in the end of the world (it's the last town before Antarctica) and I used my iPhone to take some pictures, e-mail them and Tweet them even though there was almost no connection.

Oh, and it's very practical for listening to music. The latest models also have this built-in option that allows the use of the iPhone as a modem for a laptop or another device, which is great if you need a more 'office environment' by working on a laptop.

Oh, and the on-screen keyboard is pretty easy to use. A friend of mine was really afraid of it and after 2 days he told me he hated it. 5 days later, he was typing like a maniac.

As I said before, I'm somewhat of an Apple fan, but I can't think of a reason that would convince me to pick a smartphone other than an iPhone. All the other brands are a few or several steps behind.

Image

(Mobiles before and after the iPhone)

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#10 Post by dali » Sat Mar 31, 2012 10:54 pm

Larry B. wrote:As I said before, I'm somewhat of an Apple fan, but I can't think of a reason that would convince me to pick a smartphone other than an iPhone.
H'mm, maybe something like PRICE would be a reason? lol

"All the other" smart phones are practically given away FREE with a contract and provide 80-99% of the same function so??

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#11 Post by Larry B. » Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:59 am

dali wrote:
Larry B. wrote:As I said before, I'm somewhat of an Apple fan, but I can't think of a reason that would convince me to pick a smartphone other than an iPhone.
H'mm, maybe something like PRICE would be a reason? lol
Yes, but Killerlax's office will be providing this one, so I don't think price would matter :noclue:

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#12 Post by creep » Sun Apr 01, 2012 6:14 am

another thing i don't like about the iphone is that you can't make it a mobile hotspot. with the android phones you can. i use the mobile hot spot all the time with my laptop. are you sure you don't have more phone choices? it's nice having a 4g phone and none of those are. for $99 you can get a 4g phone with a slide out keyboard. an iphone is more than that.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#13 Post by Larry B. » Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:24 am

creep wrote:another thing i don't like about the iphone is that you can't make it a mobile hotspot. with the android phones you can. i use the mobile hot spot all the time with my laptop. are you sure you don't have more phone choices? it's nice having a 4g phone and none of those are. for $99 you can get a 4g phone with a slide out keyboard. an iphone is more than that.
?

I've seen iPhone 4 being used as mobile hotspots, and apparently it's a built-in choice. Like, go to Settings > Connection > Activate hotspot.
I have a 3G and it can't be used as a hotspot.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#14 Post by creep » Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:56 am

Larry B. wrote:
creep wrote:another thing i don't like about the iphone is that you can't make it a mobile hotspot. with the android phones you can. i use the mobile hot spot all the time with my laptop. are you sure you don't have more phone choices? it's nice having a 4g phone and none of those are. for $99 you can get a 4g phone with a slide out keyboard. an iphone is more than that.
?

I've seen iPhone 4 being used as mobile hotspots, and apparently it's a built-in choice. Like, go to Settings > Connection > Activate hotspot.
I have a 3G and it can't be used as a hotspot.
oh...i'm not an iphone expert. i think it does suck that most carriers charge you for that though. when i was with tmoblie they didn't. i am now with verizon and they do.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#15 Post by killerlax22 » Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:30 am

Money is not a problem as my company is paying for it. Those 3 phones are the only options I have because my company got a package deal.

I will want to be able to use twitter and facebook and being able to use my phone as a hot spot for my laptop when out on the road.

Does anyone know if one of these phones have a better touch screen keyboard? I hate accidental typos that I need to go back and fix.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#16 Post by Pure Method » Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:35 am

The iPhone has the most seamless interface of all of those phones. Those phones, particularly the Droid, tend to 'break' or 'crash' more like a traditional computer, whereas the iPhone breaks a lot because it's made of glass. Not being a mobile hotspot may be an issue, though. I'd go with non-Droid.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#17 Post by Larry B. » Sun Apr 01, 2012 11:51 am

creep wrote:
Larry B. wrote:
creep wrote:another thing i don't like about the iphone is that you can't make it a mobile hotspot. with the android phones you can. i use the mobile hot spot all the time with my laptop. are you sure you don't have more phone choices? it's nice having a 4g phone and none of those are. for $99 you can get a 4g phone with a slide out keyboard. an iphone is more than that.
?

I've seen iPhone 4 being used as mobile hotspots, and apparently it's a built-in choice. Like, go to Settings > Connection > Activate hotspot.
I have a 3G and it can't be used as a hotspot.
oh...i'm not an iphone expert. i think it does suck that most carriers charge you for that though. when i was with tmoblie they didn't. i am now with verizon and they do.
Really, they charge you for that? How can they tell when you're using it as a hotspot? Here it doesn't cost extra.

You can use the iPhone as a 'real', wireless hotspot, or as a portable modem, i.e., plugged to a single laptop, which provides more speed.

About the screen breaking, is it really an issue with newer iPhone models? Most of the people I know use iPhones and not once they've had their screens broken :noclue: . Unless you mistake your iPhone for a baseball.

Oh, and I'd also say the iPhone is the more user-friendly of all. I've seen old(er) people trying to find where to read or write SMS in a Galaxy and it's no use. The almost complete absence of menus and sub-menus in the iPhone makes a HUGE difference in terms of usability.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#18 Post by Bandit72 » Mon Apr 02, 2012 1:26 am

Larry what's your username on Draw Something?

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Larry B.
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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#19 Post by Larry B. » Mon Apr 02, 2012 3:23 am

Bandit72 wrote:Larry what's your username on Draw Something?
'Govindivino'

See you on the canvas :wave:

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#20 Post by Hokahey » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:39 am

Galaxy SII is my vote. I have it and love it. Several of my friends have the iphone 4s and are all eager to get an SII now.

Haven't played with the Evo 3D.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#21 Post by killerlax22 » Mon Apr 02, 2012 9:57 am

hokahey wrote:Galaxy SII is my vote. I have it and love it. Several of my friends have the iphone 4s and are all eager to get an SII now.

Haven't played with the Evo 3D.
What do you like better about the SII? Anything specific? Can you sync music/contacts/etc wirelessly to your laptop like the iphone can?

I appreciate everyone's feedback and input!

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#22 Post by Hokahey » Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:27 am

killerlax22 wrote: Can you sync music/contacts/etc wirelessly to your laptop like the iphone can?
No clue. If you use itunes I suppose the iphone is your best bet. I don't use itunes, which brings me to:
What do you like better about the SII? Anything specific?
I like that it's open source. I don't like having to screw with Apple's software and coverting MP3s.

I like Androids better in general for the same reasons. I like how open they are, I like the OS, the market, the aesthetics...

So in general I'll take an Android over an iphone.

BUT - I though the iphone 4s seemed cool so I actually went to buy one when I got my SII instead. I played with both for a few minutes and instantly was hooked on the SII. It was faster, thinner, bigger/brighter screen. Just all around a more luxurious looking and feeling phone. I felt like I was buying the latest and greatest instead of a few years old phone with voice response software.

I'm not as techinically inclined as many so I cant offer much in that regard.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#23 Post by wally » Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:30 am

killerlax22 wrote: Can you sync music/contacts/etc wirelessly to your laptop like the iphone can?

I appreciate everyone's feedback and input!
yes.

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#24 Post by Larry B. » Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:25 am

hokahey wrote: I like that it's open source. I don't like having to screw with Apple's software and coverting MP3s.
?

What do you mean by 'converting mp3s'?

Converting music into mp3? Converting mp3 into something else?

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Re: Getting a new smartphone.

#25 Post by Hokahey » Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:32 am

Larry B. wrote:
hokahey wrote: I like that it's open source. I don't like having to screw with Apple's software and coverting MP3s.
?

What do you mean by 'converting mp3s'?

Converting music into mp3? Converting mp3 into something else?
As I've been told the iphone only plays music from itunes so a conversion process is required if you downloaded them from a different source.

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