So I’m almost to the end of my current contract and I’m feeling a change in phones. Right now I’m using an iPhone 4S. I hate to admit it, but The iPhone is the extent of my smartphone experience. I’ve done plenty of research and I know there are some great choices out there, but I’m still worried about making the right choice when it comes to actually buying one. So far, my potential purchase list includes the HTC One, Galaxy S4, and the Droid Maxx.
iPhone 4S likes:
design
apps
it’s hard wired into my car
accessory options/availability
2 cameras
iPhone 4S dislikes:
small screen
terrible battery life
glass front and back/fragile
no multi tasking
not a huge fan of Siri
there seem to be a number of iOS 7 bugs i.e. Browser pages and apps all reload automatically when restoring
So what phone do you have, why do you like it, and what would up change?
Fast and fluid stock ROM (coming from a previous serial ROM changer on my Galaxy Nexus)
Decent camera
Good call quality
Good cellular signal (compared to my old Galaxy Nexus and iPhone 5)
Micro SD card slot (saki pointed me in the direction of $20 32gb cards at futureshop)
Loud external speaker (used for playing tunes outside while shovelling to reasonable effect)
Menu/back/home buttons below screen (so these don’t take up room like on stock Android)
Multi window/multi tasking
NFC tags (e.g. I have one in the car… tap the phone on it and it automatically pairs with the RNS-E. Tap it again and it turns BT off and connects to my work wifi. Lookup NFC tagstand for more fun)
Ability to use the S pen to take screenshots and then graffiti them like dis
The Note 3 is available and takes it to the next level. But I don’t like contracts and I don’t want to spend $749 on a phone that I will abuse and leave in strange places
S pen is good for storing in the phone, but I’ve become such a pen addict I’d prefer something bigger and heavier pen-wise
I don’t give a shit about the size as I got a case that doubles as a wallet, so I’ve finally got rid of my George Costanza wallet
With that being said, I use an iPhone 5S and I love it. I’ve been an iPhone user for many generations (my previous was a 4S) and the 5S is very fast and stable. The camera is much improved and the super fast shutter speed with taking multiple pictures is quite cool. Also, my company forces 6 digit pins for the lock screen so the print scanner works awesome. For me I believe the manageable size is a plus because I use it for several outdoor activities and don’t want to carry around a huge device.
If you’re happy with IOS, just get a 5s. If you want to jump ship, the note3 is pretty slick. S4 might be nice too but I haven’t used it. I wouldn’t switch personally because the 2 times I went to samsung I had tons of problems.
I was an iPhone user (3G so a while ago) and we do have an iPad air in the house. iTunes/App Store pisses me off asking for the stupid password every minute. I much prefer the Google Play store. I like the way you can just browse the store using any browser and then send the app to any of your Android devices. Great for remotely managing a parents’ phone for example.
However, there’s no doubt iOS is the “slickest” mobile OS out there. I just prefer Android.
If you use your phone for more work orientated and use it for a lot of emails i would recommend the iPhone its email app is much better.
If you use your phone for watching videos and general texting and talking and visiting forums then get a Note 3. I also got a Note based on Saki’s review, have not regretted it.
In saying that Bango have you seen the Samsung Galaxy Mega…
Honestly, I use it more often now that it’s available to everyone. Over the years I would see all my contacts disappear and I was left with just one. Now I’m back up to 3
Current iPhone 5 user from a 4 from a 3G…there’s nothing special about iPhone’s anymore. If you’re “wow’d” by the simplicity of a finger scanner or a “gold-plated” backing then you’re paying money for gimmicks.
Personally, the iPhone 5 should’ve been unveiled when the 4 came out but it took them two years to appease the masses with basic necessities of a smartphone. The only reason I’ve stuck with the iPhone this long is because of the AT/T iPhone unlimited data plan that I was grandfathered into. I’m use to the iOS and to me its simplistic and easy, compared to the Android OS. As Saki pointed out, the iPhone screens are small but it fits comfortably in the palm of my hand whereas my sisters Galaxy S3 is fu*king huge. I’m not a huge app user, I just use the basic apps: waze, iMessage, safari, tapatalk calenMOB, mail, NFCU, USAA, notes, etc.
I don’t have FB or IG or Twitter anymore so those apps have no use to me. When my contract runs up in September '14, Apple should be releasing the new iPhone 6 with whatever gimmicks…probably similar to that of the current S4 or Galaxy Note.
I think you should hold out on the 5S/5C and see what Apple has for the 6 OR just jump onto the S3 or S4 Samsungs.
Thanks for the feedback everyone. It sounds like I should check out the Note 3. I’ve also been thinking about just waiting for the iPhone 6 like you said saki so I also don’t have to sign another contract for a while.
Yeah slow4, Apple knows they’re gonna keep selling phones regardless of how long it takes them to release features that they probably thought of 5 years prior to the release. Keep that money rolling in forever. That’s kinda why I want to try an android, but all of my friends and coworkers pretty much have iPhones and have all had bad experiences when trying an android phone. At this point my phone works so I’m kinda leaning toward iPhone 6.
I don’t understand the fascination behind phones with huge screens. I’m not sure what exact model it was, but my sister’s boyfriend had a phone that was the size of my fucking iPad mini! It was almost impossible to fit in your pocket unless you had you OG thug jeans on or a nice satchel to throw over your shoulder. I ragged on him constantly because you couldn’t talk on the thing without a bluetooth earpiece because you’d look like an absolute fool holding it up to the side of your head.
End rant, just don’t understand where having a proper size phone ends. I do internet browsing and email/apps, but if I need a bigger screen I can wait to get my laptop or mini.
I have one device that does both. Trust me, all of you Apple devotees who cling to the iPhone and slam the Samsung larger form factor (including Tim Cook who will be fired soon) which is obviously insecurity about the iPhone’s major weakness, will all change over when the new bigger iPhones when they are Samsung sized. Nobody is saying ‘I wish my screen was smaller’. You will switch to the larger screens, just as Android users did.
Samsung sells small, medium and large devices. The medium and large devices destroy the small devices sales numbers. The market has spoken - it wants a bigger phone now that these are basically portable computers. So yes, you will soon see why your brother in law switched, and you will do the same. You’ll just do so 3 years too late and then wonder why you were so against a better design.
As for not being able to talk on it without looking like a fool, that makes no sense. My Samsung Note is not bigger than the home phone you have talked on for the past 20 years. Did you feel like a fool taking calls at home?
Further, who the fuck talks on their cell phone? I send text/what’s app/email, and rarely walk about talking on my mobile. I’m either at work where I use a work phone, or at home (where I use speakerphone on the phone so I don’t have to handhold it, no matter if it’s my 5.3" Note, or 10 years ago with my tiny blackberry). When I’m in the car, I have in car bluetooth. So I don’t get this whole thing.
p.s. you bought a little phone, and since you needed a screen you can actually use on the go without going blind, you also bought a $400 iPad mini? Who da fool now?
1st) I’ll actually say the size of the ipad mini is probably the perfect web browsing size. If you’re watching movies or tv, larger is nicer. But for forums, emails, google, etc, the mini is a great size (not meaning “the mini”, just meaning it’s size)
2nd) I’ll actually say it. I miss the size of the iPhone 4. Of course I like the larger screen on the 5 and can 100% see the appeal in larger screens. I know it’s only going to go one direction. But I miss being able to use one finger on one hand to comfortable reach any part of the screen. With the 5 and it’s added height, I feel I’m stretching to reach points that were otherwise easy on the 4. I have normal to large hands, but this is just my personal opinion. I wouldn’t want a smaller phone, but I do miss the connivence of reaching everything effortlessly.
iPhone 5S. My corporation pays for it, and they don’t offer android devices, so I don’t have much of a choice when it comes to “free.”
It is a good product, much improved from the 3 year old iPhone 4 that I upgraded from.
I particularly enjoy the fingerprint recognition (as my office requires a 8 digit password for every 5 minutes of downtime). While a game-changer for me, I doubt many other users are forced into an 8 digit password…
