The new forums will be named Coin Return (based on the most recent vote)! You can check on the status and timeline of the transition to the new forums here.
Please vote in the Forum Structure Poll. Polling will close at 2PM EST on January 21, 2025.
Help me pick a new [smartphone]
Richy
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So I'm sick of my old cell phone, and I've decided to enter the digital age and buy myself my very first smartphone.
My requirements (and also the reasons I'm changing from my cellphone):
1. Internet connectivity, likely through a data plan, because I often need to access information (especially work information) away from the offices. In addition to googling up and reading information, this will likely include installing Dropbox and/or LogMeIn apps for remote access to my work computer and files, and of course reading and responding to emails.
2. Apps and games to keep me busy in transit, waiting rooms, etc. The only entertainment I can get from my current cell phone is juggling in.
3. Good call quality, as I intend to make it my primary phone.
4. Good texting quality. My #1 annoyance with my current cell phone is that it sucks for texting, with no way to sort messages by user, no way to read both incoming and outgoing messages to follow a conversation, and a hard-coded 100 message memory limit.
5. Good camera. While I do have an actual camera I bring with me on trips, I do not walk around with it every day, so my phone is what I'll be using for random on-the-fly pics.
6. Good CPU and memory, because if I start using this phone a lot as a computing device and it is too slow, it will annoy me and I will end up chugging it at a wall.
7. Must fit in my pocket. This is the one thing my current cell phone excels at.
8. I dislike Apple, and Blackberry is dying, so I'd rather avoid these two companies.
I've looked around a bit and I see four likely candidates:
1. Samsung Galaxy S5
2. HTC One
3. LG Nexus 5
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
So far as I can tell, the differences between them are not major.
* Note 3 has a screen 0.7inches larger than the other three candidates, which may not be a blessing as it does make the phone bulkier to carry.
* CPU ranges from 2.26MHz to 2.5MHz, which doesn't strike me as a massive difference.
* All but one have 2MB RAM and 16GB internal storage. The only exception is the Note 3, at 3MB RAM and 32GB internal storage.
* HTC One seems to have a crap camera but the others are ok.
* Network-wise, unless I'm not seeing something, they all seem pretty equivalent.
* They are all Android phones, Note 3 has the older 4.3 and the others have 4.4. I don't know if it's possible to update Note 3 to 4.4. But I assume that means they can all use the same apps and work pretty much in the same way.
So, I need help to make a decision:
1. If you use some of these phones, what are your recommendations? Do you like your phones?
2. Is there another potential candidate I should add on this list, or an obviously bad one I should remove?
3. Given how similar they all seem to each other, what should I base my decision on?
Thanks for the advice!
My requirements (and also the reasons I'm changing from my cellphone):
1. Internet connectivity, likely through a data plan, because I often need to access information (especially work information) away from the offices. In addition to googling up and reading information, this will likely include installing Dropbox and/or LogMeIn apps for remote access to my work computer and files, and of course reading and responding to emails.
2. Apps and games to keep me busy in transit, waiting rooms, etc. The only entertainment I can get from my current cell phone is juggling in.
3. Good call quality, as I intend to make it my primary phone.
4. Good texting quality. My #1 annoyance with my current cell phone is that it sucks for texting, with no way to sort messages by user, no way to read both incoming and outgoing messages to follow a conversation, and a hard-coded 100 message memory limit.
5. Good camera. While I do have an actual camera I bring with me on trips, I do not walk around with it every day, so my phone is what I'll be using for random on-the-fly pics.
6. Good CPU and memory, because if I start using this phone a lot as a computing device and it is too slow, it will annoy me and I will end up chugging it at a wall.
7. Must fit in my pocket. This is the one thing my current cell phone excels at.
8. I dislike Apple, and Blackberry is dying, so I'd rather avoid these two companies.
I've looked around a bit and I see four likely candidates:
1. Samsung Galaxy S5
2. HTC One
3. LG Nexus 5
4. Samsung Galaxy Note 3
So far as I can tell, the differences between them are not major.
* Note 3 has a screen 0.7inches larger than the other three candidates, which may not be a blessing as it does make the phone bulkier to carry.
* CPU ranges from 2.26MHz to 2.5MHz, which doesn't strike me as a massive difference.
* All but one have 2MB RAM and 16GB internal storage. The only exception is the Note 3, at 3MB RAM and 32GB internal storage.
* HTC One seems to have a crap camera but the others are ok.
* Network-wise, unless I'm not seeing something, they all seem pretty equivalent.
* They are all Android phones, Note 3 has the older 4.3 and the others have 4.4. I don't know if it's possible to update Note 3 to 4.4. But I assume that means they can all use the same apps and work pretty much in the same way.
So, I need help to make a decision:
1. If you use some of these phones, what are your recommendations? Do you like your phones?
2. Is there another potential candidate I should add on this list, or an obviously bad one I should remove?
3. Given how similar they all seem to each other, what should I base my decision on?
Thanks for the advice!
Richy on
0
Posts
http://www.cnet.com/news/oneplus-one-to-hit-general-availability-in-june-schedule-says/
The form factor on htc phones is pretty nice and the one has a good feel to it. Men's pants pockets are a lot bigger than what I usually have available, so you may not have trouble with the galaxy, but if you put any sort of case on it, its going to be a hulking monster. I dont keep a case on my phone, and its survived a few falls. My boyfriend keeps a case on his, its giant, but he can still pocket it.
Go play with the phones in person, though. Android feels different on one device to the next. Fiddle with them and find the one that makes the most sense for you.
On the Oneplus One, I am assuming there is going to be a long wait for that one (also, it won't be available on Verizon as of now if that matters to you).
why?
1) the S5 has slightly better specs that matter than the HTC in almost every way. HTC one has a better 'design' which I could care less about.
2) nexus 5 is more expensive and i understand its a pain to get it to work on a verizon network
3) the camera on the HTC
4) HTC and Nexus 5 do not have removable batteries which is a must imo.
5) S5 is waterproof.
I just got an HTC One (m7) for $1. I messed around with it before as some friends have it and I really liked it, and I don't mind being one year behind in the tech curve.
No you can't save me! The dark side is all sorts of welcoming right now.
It's a great phone though. I don't get the bitching about the camera. It's a fine phone camera and the Zoe function (it'll automatically make little movies for you with music) is actually pretty great.
Replaceable battery is a great thing both for longer trips away from chargers (smartphones drain battery rather quick if used) but also to increase the lifespan of the phone.
I have used my galaxy s2 for years now, and am currently working my way through the third replacement battery.
My husband's work phone is an S4, and his camera is better than mine but not by as much as I thought it would be. I like the look and feel of the S4 the best of the three phones.
I hear the HTC One is pretty great as well, and if not for my love for the Galaxy series I would probably have one of those. I've used an HTC phone longterm in the past... it was a good phone for the time and the price was right.
Cheaper than s5 while not being that much worse spec-wise, replicable battery and memory card. Also, the only phone to get TCO certification, which implies (at least in theory) some level of sustainability.
Also, is a replaceable battery or charger really that big a deal? Right now I just charge my phone at home every second or third night, while I sleep. Why can't I just keep doing that with a smartphone?
The Note series all have styluses and screens designed to work with them. They also have very big screens - the Note 3 has a 5.7 inch screen compared to 5.0 for the Galaxy S4 and 5.1 for the S5.
A replaceable battery can be important in so far as it's a fact of life that batteries in devices (any type of device, from phones to laptops) tend to sometimes lose capacity and generally crap out over time. If you have a phone with a reliable battery, you buy a new battery for say $50 or so, pop it in, and you're golden. (Or you have the option of getting an aftermarket high-capacity battery to get more life between charges if you aren't satisfied with the battery life you get out of the box.)
On a phone where the battery isn't removable, though, if your battery starts to bite the big one, you're basically out of luck, unless you can get the phone repaired/replaced under warranty.
That said, it's not like it's guaranteed you'll ever find yourself needing to replace the battery, and if you see yourself upgrading to another new phone in a year or two anyway, it -probably- won't ever become an issue for you. The trend in smartphone design is definitely against removable batteries - Samsung is the only major holdout, LG's G2 last year had one but we'll have to see what they do with the G3 this year. On the other hand, if you're a little paranoid (nothing wrong with that) or want to maybe hold on to the same phone for a few years, the ability to easily swap in a new battery may be more important to you.
I've had a Lumia 920 for 1½ year now and if I had to swap it out for a new phone I would for sure get another Lumia. Now there is not the crazy amount of apps for Windows Phones as there is for Android or iOS, but there is still loads to chose from and on top of that Nokia loads their phones with great stuff like navigation, travel planer for public transport that works globally and more. The hardware is also very nice, great cameras, clever audio when recording video, wireless charging, solid build quality. Worth a look I'd say.
I can take showers with my phone
In general unless you want the big ass phone I'd go with a HTC One over Galaxy these days. the Galaxy phones just have a cheap feeling body.
Which chances are good he will cover up with a case anyway. Not saying the One's body isn't a lot nicer, but I don't understand why people act like this is a top-tier criterion for choosing a phone when 90% of the people I see have some ugly bulky case on their phone regardless of what type it is.
I mention all that because you may be looking at a deal for the M7--if you do, you absolutely need to check the serial number for manufacture date and the camera sensor for potential problems.
Since you did mention the M8, the thing with it is that HTC continues to push really stupid alternative camera technologies on the rear of the phone. The front camera is actually 5MP full HD while the back Duo Camera is dual 4MP. If they'd just put a standard 8MP or better camera on the back, the conversation would pretty much be over.
(Speaking of which: http://www.trustedreviews.com/news/official-htc-one-m8-mini-pictures-leak-without-dual-lens-camera )
So, if size is an issue and you can give a little on specs, that's also a choice. One thing you don't mention is sound and music quality. If you happen to play music on your phone, the M7 and M8 both have really nice dual speakers.
Games: Ad Astra Per Phalla | Choose Your Own Phalla
Other than that, I would suggest it. The camera is okay on it. I can take some photos from both the front and back end cameras to show you what they look like so you'll get a better idea of what you're dealing with if you want to go this route.
I don't. I'm really not the kind of person who listens to music to pass the time. Quite the opposite in fact: I listen to news interviews in my car while driving and to lectures on tape on my mp3 player in the gym, and silence is ideal when I work. Music and me are in two different worlds.
Not all phones are made the same (and I'm not talking about some rugged army phone):
youtube.com/watch?v=jH4xYN9I5Kw
But it can of course be destroyed if one insists even though running it over with a car is not enough.
youtube.com/watch?v=E3c8il_Q6SU
Compared to the S4 (haven't touched the S5) and the Note 3, it feels better in the hand (though this may not mean much since a case can change that considerably) and feels better built. I have several DSLR and P&S rigs and like to take photos and I don't think the differences in PQ on any of the flagship phones is significant. It's not like any of them will compare to a DSLR or nice P&S. Samsungs tend to have deeper color saturation if you like that. I like the built-in panoramic and HDR functionality in the nexus, but the competition may have equivalent (don't know).
I don't particularly care about removable battery. I haven't had battery issues using a smartphone for 1.5-2 years like my S3, or EVO, or iPhone, though given how much I'm saving I could just outright buy the next Nexus when it comes out.
I tend to shut off mobile data and just use wifi, unless I don't have a wifi connection and need data. If you've any specific questions about Nexus or things you'd like me to try let me know.
Hijacking for a second to ask, @tuxkamen does the camera problem having anything to do with some sort of focusing mechanism? A few months after I got mine the camera fucked up and I just never got around to getting it fixed.
the only downside to the M8 is its camera, but unless you're a professional or enthusiast photographer and you need your phone to meet that level, you probably won't notice. otherwise, if you're looking for a premium looking and feeling phone with a clean interface and really really good processing power/performance, you'd be good with the M8.
steam | Dokkan: 868846562
Um, the cameras are *also* known to have focusing problems, but the issue is a crappy sensor in the initial runs that is prone to overheating (like, within moments). The primary symptom is that pictures start going purple/pink, eventually becoming a permanent problem. If your phone is still under warranty, you should absolutely contact HTC and get it repaired, they have acknowledged the problem.
Games: Ad Astra Per Phalla | Choose Your Own Phalla
As I mentioned, I plan right now to use my phone's internet ability as a backup, for when I'm not near my office or home computers. It will be mostly checking emails, directions, or information online, reading text with a few images (this forum or Facebook when I'm bored waiting somewhere, recipes or tech sites if a question comes up when I'm shopping). I do not expect I'll be doing very data-intensive tasks like watching hours of videos on YouTube. Given this, I back-of-the-envelope estimate I could use less than 300Mb per month.
Could anyone with usage history similar to what I describe confirm or refine these numbers?
One thing that got me the 1st month on a metered plan is when I put in my Google info on my new phone it downloaded and installed all my apps over mobile data network running through about 300 MB of my plan on 1st day. So you might want to shut off mobile data and force that over WiFi if you are moving from another android phone.
That pretty much describes me. I was on Sprint's Unlimited Everything Plan where you had unlimited data, but I primarily used Wi-Fi for intensive activities like watching videos or downloading podcasts (by far the most), so I was only using around 300mb a month. I'm not the kind of guy who has to be doing something on my phone at all times, mostly just when I'm waiting for something, or want to check email or scores. I switched over to Verizon because it was going to save me a lot more and am trying out the 1gb plan, and in a week's usage it's only been about 100mb.