smartphone wars

do i even need a smartphone? i'm still happy with my rapidly aging razr. of course i'm not like in the demographic that needs these things much anyway. i spend almost all my time either at home or at work, and i have easy internet access both places. 10 years ago i would've loved a smartphone. 5 years from now, maybe i'll love one then. (surely i'll have one by that point whether i need it or not.)

just curious what phones people have, what they use them for, what they love or hate about them.

thread prompted by this new droid ad, which i think is clever in its takedown of the whole iphone/apple aesthetic -- right up until they roll out their own aesthetic at the end and seem to be targeting mostly gamers and bad-remakes-of-j-horror-film fans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoYr8-uG5C0

one thing that worries me about smartphones, really, is the times when i might use them -- like, when i'm following the kids around the playground. i can totally imagine pulling it out to check email or something, and then suddenly one of the kids has a broken arm from falling off something. and what's my excuse, that i was voting in the "worst song on led zeppelin ii" poll? i don't know if i need that level of access to anything...

should i cop this DROID? i'm up for a new verizon phone in march. i'm kind of wary of the first gen of a smartphone (verizon had the bb storm and everyone said it was awful) but i kind of want a more... up to date phone and verizon doesn't have anything except blackberrys

ryan's blackberry is beautiful

+ with the verizon service, he is very happy

fwiw the v1 RAZR is one of the best mobile handsets of all time. of all time! and based on your typical day it's probably just fine. that said, even low-end handsets (and the RAZR's better than that) are getting smarter all the time, so the gap is getting sort of narrow.

that said: a device with a decent qwerty keypad is pretty handy, and mobile email is pretty handy, and occasional mobile browsing is pretty handy, so if you're thinking about a new phone a smartphone can be pretty handy.

Palm PRE is also pretty nice, and there are a BUNCH of android-based devices coming that should also be pretty nice. the iPhone is still kind of its own beast. it's a really pleasant device to interact with, which may or may not be something you need in a mobile phone.

i was just about to ask if anyone had a pre, they look sort of snazzy. and i hear you on the keyboard. number-pad texting is onerous. would be doubly or triply so with internet access, typing stuff into search engines, emails, etc.

but i do really like my razr. i'll miss it whenever i give it up. it's just so sleek.

Having had a massive phonebill - 1200 euros - which was given back, mind you- has sort of taken away the appeal of my iphone. I had internet blocked cause I am not keen on having another massive bill. (I think what happened was, when I thought I was on WIFI, the first seconds I wasn't, so they clocked five minutes every time. Yes, they charge 5 min even if you are only on there a few seconds.)

But if you have a good plan, it is very nice. Nothing you actually need (if you're not out and about much).

jesus christ a 1200 euro (or dollar, for that matter) bill would be enough to send me back to stone tablets and smoke signals.

the razr menu system is an abomination

oh yeah. i mean, if i really used my phone much for anything other than short phone calls, it'd be frustrating. i just how slim and sleek it is. sometimes i forget i'm carrying it, which i've yet to see a smartphone that that seems likely.

Tipsy, 1200 euros=1800 dollars. I started crying when I told my husband. hahaha I can laugh now, but that weekend - waiting to call back on monday to file a complaint - was worrying how they would reacht and nightmares. I mean, shit, I can pay 1800 dollars, but I rather not. :-)

Flat-rate data is vital for the iPhone.

I spend most of my time on iPhone reading ILX, Twitter and Facebook all with their own apps, reading news feeds and and the web. Combined with the syncing, it's not far off having a smaller version of your computer in your pocket.

i don't need to be on the internet anymore than i am already.

Flat-rate data is vital for the iPhone.

Never more apparent than when you're abroad. I was in Belgium last week, and faced with a £3/mb data tariff, I turned data roaming off. Then I realised that only about 5% of iPhone functionality is any fun at all once you're out of internet range.

Not sure if they have that ability here. If they do, the price will be VERY costly. Belgium is renowned for ripping off cellphone users.

i've had my blackberry for 3 weeks and despite a few "how do i make it do that, why is it not doing that" humps, i love it. being able to reply to time-sensitive emails while away from my computer has removed a ton of mild stress.

i loved my razr too, but it was really old and the navigation had slowed to a crawl. i switched to iphone because i've had a blackberry through work long enough to know i hate blackberries and couldn't find a verizon phone that was as well-designed as the razr.

iphone is great--even if you're not super into the internet functionality navigation is pretty much flawless and you WILL find apps to use--i've gotten in the habit of scanning through facebook/twitter/ilx while waiting in line and whatnot.

I basically no longer wait in a queue anywhere for more than about 5 seconds without getting out my iphone.

i'm kind of wary of the first gen of a smartphone but i kind of want a more... up to date phone

^^^ i think i might wait til the spring when there are a billion android phones

I basically no longer wait in a queue anywhere for more than about 5 seconds without getting out my iphone.

this is part of what scares me, tho i can't really say why. as it is i often have my ipod on, so it's not like i'm immersed in my surroundings or anything.

My husband says I'm one with my iphone. :-( (Well, less so now, but for a while I was taking out my iphone a LOT)

If there are a billion android phones it's going to kill it as a platform. It's hard enough making an app just for one specific kind of phone; it's impossible to make a good one for zillions of different configurations. It'll end up with all lowest-common software.

yeah it's a concern obviously. the hero, only the third android device has a lot of app issues since everyone has coded for the t-mobile phones since last year and haven't adjusted. gonna be interesting

my dad has the droid, it's really, really cool - most iphone-y non-iphone smartphone i've seen

i want it

i'm gonna get it

iphone likely available on verizon come june

i would much prefer a keypad tho

the droid buttons are super small & i find using the touchscreen keyboard to be easier

ymmv tho, i think it is good to have both

i haven't investigated the droid's chat apps tho - there needs to be some AIM/ichat thing for me to be totally happy w it

even for typing? my LG buttons are super small (tho separate buttons) and i type REALLY fast on it. can't imagine touch-screening a msg fast.

i think verizon typically has AIM options

yeah ramz, it might just be something you have to get used to - but typing with my thumbs was much easier on the touch screen pad

I fucking love the iPhone. It's rapidly changing the way I live my life.

can't get Zing for the droid though (not yet)

super tempted to get a droid. my main fear is that i'm lazy and forgetful when it comes to charging my phone, so it would probably be dead constantly.

verizon are some bitches. tried to get one, but according to my contract i can't get a new phone for a year and they won't let me put an extension on it. so if i got a droid, it would be at retail price ($600).

oh well, i'm sure there will be something better out by then anyway.

i assumed they'd want to have me on a more expensive plan and exposed to more ads, but i guess it makes sense that the only point is to get folks not on verizon to switch over.

iphone likely available on verizon come june

― ice cr?m, Monday, November 23, 2009 2:13 AM (1 week ago) Bookmark

THANK GOD.

I fucking love the iPhone. It's rapidly changing the way I live my life.

― exploding angel vagina (Scik Mouthy), Monday, November 23, 2009 6:59 AM (1 week ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^ this

droid opinions?

verizon are some bitches. tried to get one, but according to my contract i can't get a new phone for a year

― hey trader joe's! i've got the new steely dan. (Jordan), Tuesday, December 1, 2009 3:28 PM

at&t pulls the same shit re: upgrade discount eligibility

every phone company does this! if you have bought a phone w/in the past 2 years you are fucked.

yeah i have my cheap nokia dumbphone for the next 1.5 years so i will prob be the last person in the world who doesnt have iphone

i got a free iphone w/ cracked screen from co-worker and switched my plan over to it for $20 http://www.stargateforum.net/forum/images/smilies/coolshades.gif

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/12/12/google-phone-unlocked-confirmed

i want a ridiculous phone but i don't want to commit to living in this country for another year :/

IPHONE vs GALAXY

somebody clue me in here! don't make me wade thru cnet comments

or is there another android phone that's better?

i'm leaning android because i use google products waaay more than apple

Get the Nexus 4 if you wanna go Android. imo.

can you elaborate?

i suppose a parallel question is what network. i've been on verizon for years, have nothing especially good or bad to say about it

galaxy >>> iphone

If you buy it direct from Google you will get all Android software updates. And you will get a 'stock' version of Android. And no contract. Most Android devices from carriers are not stock, and they get software updates on the whim of the carrier, who move slow with this sort of thing.

On the other hand the Galaxy S4 is gonna be announced next month, so it might be worth waiting for.

I won't say which is better. I use both. iphone is better at a lot of things, android is better at others. it boils down to preference or what matters to you. If google services are your thing, go with android.

android stuff is better for pirating and other naughty things.

the galaxy is undoubtedly a better phone. apple's falling miles behind in terms of what a phone can do.

that said, apple's return/exchange policy is better than anyone in electronics. good luck getting an on-the-spot galaxy replacement eight months after you bought it.

will there ever be another android phone as small as an iphone 5? when i looked recently i was sort of surprised that they barely exist.

there will be wearable android wristbands

and moccasins

Samsung Galaxy S4 unveiled later today, word is it has eye scrolling technology. Imma get one of these as soon as humanly possible.

weighing HTC One vs. Galaxy S4 vs. waiting for the iPhone 5S/6

If the next iPhone is the same aspect ratio/size as the 5, it's out. I find the 5 more awkward to use than the wider Android phones.

HTC One - sounds like it's better/more responsive out of the box; same price as S4 for 32GB version; that Flipboard-knockoff home screen is nice.
S4 - sounds like it's bogged down with bloatware unless you root it; SD cards and removable battery are nice

Very not happy with my new S4. Everyone I know loves them, but it's really unintuitive and full of bloatware and nasty little bugs. It's slow too and this morning it woke me up an hour early having thought it was in Cairo for some reason.

Does anyone have a Moto X? I'll probably just upgrade to the iPhone 5s but I'm just considering the alternatives. It's weird bc Moto X seems to get compared online to the 5s but it has the price point of the 5c.

Don't have one, but have used one. Its nice, prob my Android of choice at the moment.

Solid build, pretty much vanilla Android OS, and not as big as the S4 or HTC One.

S4 Mini is pretty great although I gather missing some bells and whistles from the bigger version.

Based on playing around with it at the store, I really like the Moto X, but I don't think I'll be able to convince my wife to switch to Android when all of our family is on iMessage and FaceTime.

hmmm... my Galaxy s4 has all of a sudden stopped playing FLAC files properly (popping and skipping all over the place) and consuming battery so fast it runs down if I'm using it while charging. Anyone else had similar problems? I reckon it could be a software issue rather than hardware so I'm thinking of rooting it to see if I can't get a fix but I'm not very confident in doing so...

Whenever I run into a problem like this I always do a google search for it, more often than not someone else has had the same problem. In this case we find:

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2655007
http://www.reddit.com/r/nexus4/comments/1qwgkv/audio_choppy_on_44/
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=62562

The last of these has a link to a "source code patch" that supposedly fixes the problem but I have no idea how one is supposed to apply that patch.

thanks anagram. i'd seen those links and mysteriously the majority of people who had the problem had it at the end of last year, whereas mine just happened. I believe these fixes / patches only work if you root your phone but I'm scared of 'bricking' it (as they say in today's tech geek parlance). bit of a frustration as it's a choice of living with it (why should i? it's an expensive bit of kit) or risking voiding my warranty (why should i? it's an expensive bit of kit)...

If it's still under warranty get it replaced

smartphones? i like to call `em dumb phones cuz you gotta be stupid to buy one!

it's like this whole facebook thing they've got now, have you seen this? my wife is always nagging me, "why don't you get on facebook?" I turn to her and said, listen honey, if i wanted to give up my constitutional rights i'd move to north korea!!!

one thing that worries me about smartphones, really, is the times when i might use them -- like, when i'm following the kids around the playground.

I hope tipsy mothra eventually found out this is actually a great time to be dicking around on your smartphone. hey, great, kiddo, the fiftieth time you went down that slide was just as captivating as the first

I still kind of can't get over my ambivalence and resentment of my iPhone -- even the way the 6 looks, like the monolith from 2001, it feels so imposing, I'm so aware of its presence at all times and even anxious when it's absent. I read something about a study about how even having a smartphone on the table, unused, changes the nature of conversations. But every time I imagine living without it I think "well isn't it good that I can respond to a work email from the gym, since that means I can actually feel free to go to the gym for over an hour in the middle of a work day? Isn't it good that I always have this handy navigator and restaurant finder and music player on me?"

It's cool.

omg the 2009 posts are as if from another age

i can totally imagine pulling it out to check email or something,

Put an Otterbox or bicolored Speck cover on the thing, it'll look far less imposing

Still happily smartphone-free in 2015.

i think verizon typically has AIM options

http://www.nme.com/news/music/jack-white-bans-phones-gigs-2227093

https://www.overyondr.com/howitworks/

I turn to her and said, listen honey,

hmm maybe I should get one of those Yondr bags to use at home :P

Using an iPhone Xs Max to send an sms is like driving a Ferrari around the corner to buy chips at a corner store

As Siri to do it for you.

Am I the only one who, in 2018, wishes I had a physical keyboard to type out that text?

No you’re not
Look at the blackberry keyOne

i inadvertently let my old android, which was down to a pay-per-minute plan that i never use, expire so the number was reclaimed by the phone company - but it was nearly a relic at the time i bought it several years ago, a samsung with a slide-out physical keyboard

nifty to use it to pull up a shell on a remote server with a terminal app

Using an iPhone Xs Max to send an sms is like driving a Ferrari around the corner to buy chips at a corner store

― calstars, Monday, October 8, 2018 3:32 PM (two days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I felt like such a chump the last phone I bought, upper end LG at the time. Phones are way past the point where it makes any sense to buy a flagship, cameras are fine across the board, most people use the same 10 apps they've been using forever. Next time I'm getting of the new unlocked sub 300 Androids that are out there now

I've got one of those, works perfectly fine

as someone who held onto his last phone for four years... that obsolescence will hit you before you know it, whether it's through software lockout or just plain hardware degradation

not rly ime

android sub 300 is my shit and ive not run into obsolescence issues in years

Depends on the phone and the OS

I'm still on my iPhone 5s (!!!) and it runs great. After this one goes, though, no more Apple phones for me unless I get a new computer running latest iTunes. My home comp is a Macbook Pro 2009 running 10.6.8 and so far still working great.

I really REALLY don't want some semi-tablet sized phone I can't put in my front jeans pocket

Ok but...maybe you’d like the pleasure of shelling out a grand to do so?

No, not that, either.

I am intrigued with this (if it was a standalone), I think I'm done with apple:

https://www.theverge.com/2018/10/15/17974850/new-palm-smartphone-android-lifemode-time-well-spent-verizon

I had a verizon plan since 1999 and then switched 2-3 years ago to unlocked MotoGs (~$100 new?) and the carrier Ting. I don't miss iphones at all. When I am out of the country I pay $6 per each line so my cell bill for 2 people with taxes is under $20.

I would probably pay for a phone or phone service that locks what apps you can install and makes you go through an extremely complex process to add more. I'd probably just want calling, text, email, google maps and a good camera. No browser or social media apps would get rid of most of the time wasting I do on my phone.

How small can you go?

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2018/10/this-business-card-sized-japanese-phone-bucks-the-giant-phone-trend/