Phones.... which one to get??

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 30th, 19:43

My present contract is just about up. I've looked at the Windows phone, the iphone, the balckberry, and the Samsung galaxy 3s.

The iphone is out (piece of crap). The Windows phone.... still unsure as to where that's going. Blackberry is heading to the crapper, so that leaves the galaxy. Looks like a nice phone... anybody have one? What are they like?

**Almohada** · 2012 July 30th, 22:35

iPhone

**Video Frank** · 2012 July 30th, 22:38

The Mrs has a Samsung. She's pretty happy with it.

**Dr. Benway** · 2012 July 30th, 22:43

I'd go to your local mall and handle the Samsung and iPhone 4s, get the specs, and then think about which one you like the best.

**cgbier** · 2012 July 30th, 22:52

Nokia?

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 30th, 23:04

Originally Posted by Dr. Benway

I'd go to your local mall and handle the Samsung and iPhone 4s, get the specs, and then think about which one you like the best.

As stated... the iphone is out. They're crap. My son has the 4s. He was all up in arms to get it when it first came out and now today he's the first one to say it's wildly over rated. I presently have a cheap Sanyo phone. My son and I have the same service provider... yet his phone service craps out at the cottage (150 kilometers outside the city) and mine keeps right on going. Not to mention a battery that can't be removed.... a tracking system which can't be turned off, and that old antenna issue which apple put nothing but a band-aid on.

I played with a galaxy today... it feels pretty good. I also played with the new windows phone (Nokia). It's quite nice also, but again I don't know if Nokia is going to be around for the long haul.

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 30th, 23:44

Originally Posted by Video Frank

The Mrs has a Samsung. She's pretty happy with it.

Yeah... I'm leaning towards that. The cheapest plan is $50 a month and $200 for the phone on a 3 year contract. I don't need any kind of detailed plan. My employer already supplies a phone (BlackBerry) for company business so I just need a phone for personal endeavors.

Anyway, the more I read up on the galaxy 3s the more I like it. I do have one major concern though... I have the Pioneer AVH-8400BH multi media player (built in blue tooth) in the van and I've heard the odd person say the phone has trouble auto connecting to the pioneer deck. That's pretty important since we have some stiff laws here with regards to cell phones in cars (they must be in 'hands free' operating mode because if you get caught holding a cel phone while driving it's a $300 fine).

**wildside50** · 2012 July 31st, 01:19

If you're dissapointed with the iPhone you're going to be WILDLY dissapointed with the S3. I had an iPhone 4, and go the S3's to replace it. I am fairly anti-apple, so I was like "Woohoo! No more apple!"

Boy was I wrong. Let me just give you the short list of things that went wrong in the first week (after which I returned them). The first night I had it, I had yet to install any apps. I went to bed with it at 87%. I woke up, having not touched it for 8 hours, and it was at 13%. Awesome. This same thing happned on both my and my wife's phone about 4 out of the 7 nights we had it. The same thing happens during the day while it's in your pocket. You don't touch the thing and it loses 20% battery.

I took a few pictures with the phone. I then attempted to send them to my wife. She has the same phone on the same network. I got an error "This format is not supported". A reboot fixed the problem, but it happened on several ocassians, again always requiring a reboot.

I could not send several videos because they were too big. They were only like 90 second clips. Convert them good phone. Convert them.

The e-mail app is utterly worthless. You select the Yahoo option, put in your stuff, and it doesn't work. You ahve to choose other. Makes perfect sense... and the font is far too large. Yes, you can get other email apps, but shouldn't an integrated piece of software work?

The power button being on the side, same height as the volume, is a terrible idea. Because of the size of the thing, it is virtually impossible not to hit Volume Up while pushing Power 1 handed.

The predictive text is MUCH worse than the iphone. Whereas the iphone can recognize multiple words where a space is simply missed, the Galaxy not only cannot do that, but replaces what you're typing as you're typing it. So if you type hoy when attempting to type house, it changes it to toy mid stream. now you aren't even sure what you did wrong. Bad design that.

As for the good stuff -- the screen is nice and big. I found the colors over saturated, but some like the look of OLED.

The app universe is now more or less on par with the iPhone, and its easy to find stuff and it runs really well. The phone is pretty fast.

You can hate the iPhone all you want. I tried to. But you're just doing yourself a diservice. If you're dead set against it, far be it from me to convince you otherwise. But there's a reason it is the most ubiquitous phone on the planet -- it does most everything right. It's problems are far far smaller than any other phone. I learned that lesson the hard way. Come on iphone 5!

**Krane** · 2012 July 31st, 03:55

Originally Posted by Bob Sanders

The iphone is out (piece of crap).

You dare!!

Originally Posted by wildside50

You can hate the iPhone all you want. I tried to. But you're just doing yourself a disservice. If you're dead set against it, far be it from me to convince you otherwise. But there's a reason it is the most ubiquitous phone on the planet -- it does most everything right. It's problems are far far smaller than any other phone. I learned that lesson the hard way. Come on iphone 5!

You couldn't give me one. I'll use a string and two cups first. I will never bow down to Apple...NEVER!

**blondandfun** · 2012 July 31st, 04:11

my clamshell phone charges full from zero in 15 minutes. It lasts 3-4 days without charging.

Get a cheap phone, if you want internet wait for the smaller ipad to come out.

**MrMicah** · 2012 July 31st, 04:17

I have a Galaxy SII. Quite large, which is good for my fat fingers, but it might be an annoyance for others. Terrible battery life, but luckily I usually make regular contact with a charger.

These would probably be my only "down" issues on the phone, which has otherwise been tons of fun and useful.

**cgbier** · 2012 July 31st, 04:36

Bob, as long as Microsoft subsidizes each Nokia phone sold with 250 bucks, they'll still hang a round for a while

**HueyNRolf** · 2012 July 31st, 05:03

Get the Nokia, Bob. Come on, you know you want to. Every time you're seen with it, you'll make that statement "I'm a believer."

**MrMicah** · 2012 July 31st, 05:05

Oh gawd ... isn't this meant to be in a different thread? ;-)

**Dr. Benway** · 2012 July 31st, 05:58

Originally Posted by Krane

I will never bow down to Apple...NEVER!

Mmm, I wouldn't mind an iPad but consider it a crippled, immature device. I'm prepared to wait.

**HueyNRolf** · 2012 July 31st, 06:17

Originally Posted by Krane

You couldn't give me one. I'll use a string and two cups first. I will never bow down to Apple...NEVER!

Keep the faith, Krane and enjoy!

**HueyNRolf** · 2012 July 31st, 06:22

Originally Posted by MrMicah

Oh gawd ... isn't this meant to be in a different thread? ;-)

Why? He asked and I think Bob should get whatever his heart is telling to buy. Even if the iPhone is the best solution for him, he couldn't live with that. He would be committing a sin according to his belief system.

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 31st, 06:24

Originally Posted by wildside50

If you're dissapointed with the iPhone you're going to be WILDLY dissapointed with the S3. I had an iPhone 4, and go the S3's to replace it. I am fairly anti-apple, so I was like "Woohoo! No more apple!"

Thanks for sharing that although it confuses me even more. I have heard it the other way around also. Some iphone users have made the switch to galaxy and claimed major victory. One wonders how much of this has to to with providers as opposed to the hardware itself. I do like the larger screen (and the larger font).... my eyes are not what they used to be.

I have come to learn that battery life on all these smart phones is simply awful, which is why I feel that a removable (replaceable) battery becomes a serious issue. My son can kill his 4s in less than 8 hours while my little (non smart) phone will last a week with heavy usage.

Any problems with reception and coverage?

**Almohada** · 2012 July 31st, 06:33

Remember, it's not illegal to Jailbreak an iPhone.......

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 31st, 06:35

Originally Posted by HueyNRolf

Get the Nokia, Bob. Come on, you know you want to. Every time you're seen with it, you'll make that statement "I'm a believer."

One big problem with the Nokia... My pioneer (car) entertainment system (pioneer avh-p8400bh) is optimized for either the iphone or android. I can link these phones to the pioneer and run various apps with it (navigation, traffic, weather programs... etc). The pioneer in combo with the iphone will even support Pandora.
http://www.pioneerelectronics.ca/POC...rs/AVH-P8400BH

Other phones will work... you just get basic telephone operations is all

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 31st, 06:36

Originally Posted by Almohada

Remember, it's not illegal to Jailbreak an iPhone.......

Clue me in here.... what the heck is this "Jailbreak" stuff with iphone??

**MrMicah** · 2012 July 31st, 06:52

I think its the process of modifying the firmware so that non-Apple controlled applications and such will run on it.

**cgbier** · 2012 July 31st, 06:59

Why would you need a smart phone?

**Bob Sanders** · 2012 July 31st, 07:40

Originally Posted by cgbier

Why would you need a smart phone?

Never needed one before.... don't need one even now. However since my daughter is now old enough to text (and driving up my phone bill as a result) the monthly bill is now pretty much that of a smart phone. If I'm paying the equivalent of a smart phone then I may as well get one (which includes text messages and such).