Recommend me a smart-phone!

[Taake]

So, I'm considering getting a new phone... but I'm conflicted about what to pick! I've never been interested in gadgets, since I got my first cellphone as a teenager it's always been the same story - my older sister picks one, puts it in my hand and says 'use this'. Then I do until it falls apart. Or I get a used one from her husband. Basically, I've no idea what makes a phone good cause I've never considered it/been interested in finding out about it/ or even picked my own phone. I just pay the bill and stay happy for as long as it works.

Now I'm asking you guys:
1. What phone do you have?
2. What do you use it for?
3. Is it good/would you recommend it and why?

Please remember to speak slowly and clearly, I am - without a doubt - lacking in understanding for gadgets of any kind. 😉
 
oh and I use my phone mainly to take pictures, play wordfeud and use the reminder/task function.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I'd get an iPhone. Without question I'd get an iPhone. The only other phone I would consider would be a Nexus just because you know it's always going to work.. like an iPhone.

 

[Taake]

I'd get an iPhone. Without question I'd get an iPhone. The only other phone I would consider would be a Nexus just because you know it's always going to work.. like an iPhone.

Are you being a smart-aleck now?

 

[Fuffy]

Why an Android ?
Androids are more sturdy and klutz friendly since they have a plastic screen while iPhone's have a glass screen.

Android has more free apps.

Unlike with an iPhone, I haven't heard of a case where an Android electrocuted someone to death.

With an iPhone, you will often get a 'the device cannot be charged with this accessory' message, this has never happened for me with Android.

A lot of Androids are cheaper than an iPhone.

With an iPhone, you need to cut your SIM card so it will fit, this is not the case with Android

Why an iPhone ?
The touch screen is easier to use since it's made of glass.

Unlike an Android, it's rarely unresponsive.

Apple products are less likely to get viruses than Android products.

The camera is better.
---------

 

[GwenRaiden]

Don't get a HTC, they are awful in my experience.

I'd recommend either a Sony Xperia Z (there's many to choose from and if you look up the specs you can you decide which is best for taking photos. Obviously the more expensive, the better the camera. I have a Z1 and you've seen my photos on Instagram. It does have a glass screen though. The Z2 has an even better camera).

Or a Samsung Galaxy s5 (big but beautiful, and a very decent camera).

I use my phone for browsing the web, apps and taking photos. I usually go for phones with a good memory size (although I do always end up buying a bigger memory card online) for storing plenty of apps and photos.

 

[white avenger]

I have (I think) a Galaxy S5 (my son got it for me last Christmas) and I absolutely, utterly, DESPISE IT!!!!!!!!! I went, through no choice of my own and without consultation, from a simple flip phone that did everything that I required of it (making and receiving phone calls) to this huge over featured hunk of plastic that catches on everything, has ruined 4 belt holsters, and digs into my side, regardless of where or in what position on my belt that I wear it. Carrying it in a pocket is even worse, since I do not have a pocket that I can designate solely to it, and even if I did, I would either be sitting on it or having it dig into, not my side, but my stomach or... well, never mind where else it digs, but it's damn uncomfortable. (and before anyone says it, no, I am not tremendously overweight)

It has become so irritating that I went back to AT&T to try to exchange it for something else. Guess what. In order to exchange it for a simple flip phone once more, or if I buy one from another source, I will still have to pay another $200 plus for the one that I have now, unless I wait another 2 YEARS before being able to exchange it. So I'm stuck with this thing until late in 2017 before I can get back to what I really wanted, and had, in the first place.

All that I can say is, be sure that you really, really want it before committing to buying this thing.

 

[The Bronze]

I'm also a Xperia Z1 user. I've had it for a few years now and when it breaks or I think I need a new one I'll almost certainly get another from the series. It's sturdy and waterproof so I don't worry about damaging it. The processor and ram allow you to do what you like without lagging.

I can play games and watch live TV to a good standard. The camera is decent. You can also put in an SD card for as much storage as you're likely to need.

My recommendation would be to look at the range and see what screen size suits you and get that. Also buy it out right and then get a rolling contract. You can get good deals on nearly new stuff from people on auction sites and so on.

 

[sk]

It's basically the same crap whatever you choose... 🙂

For normal folks that are not any "superusers" I always says that today it doesn't really matters.
Basically any phone will work for you.
It's mostly a matter of what screen size you prefer and what you are used to since before.
You might want to avoid the absolutely cheapest stuff though if you want some kind of decent experience.

Personally so do I have both iPhone and Android (Sony Z series) and I think they are more or less equally good, or equally bad.
It feels like they are getting more and more alike. Can't say that I can recommend one over the other.
(The iPhone is much more fun to develop apps for though... 😉)

/SK

 

[gite63]

I had a Samsung Galaxy-something, and I've recently changed to a Samsung Gran Prime, white, with digital TV – it was one of the cheapest of the bunch and I'm liking it very much. I use for taking photos (I don't have a camera anymore) and browsing the web; good for apps, too, although I don't have many.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I
(The iPhone is much more fun to develop apps for though... 😉)

What apps have you developed and why is the iphone much for fun for doing so?

 

[sk]

What apps have you developed and why is the iphone much for fun for doing so?

I have made some small games and a location reminder app.
It's just a hobby of mine that I do for fun on my spare time, that I don't have enough of, so it's just minor apps.
They are all for iOS. Have never released anything for Android. Has just made some personally stuff there.

The thing is that it's just a mess making an app that works properly for all the different Android phones out there.
There is an endless variation of hardware combinations, screen sizes and stuff. Basically is it impossible to test it on all devices. For iOS it's much easier with the limited number of devices available.
But it's also my dislike of Java and the lack of a really good IDE that makes Android developing less fun for me.
Since the release of Android Studio it has become better though.

For the iOS you program in objective-c (or more recently Apple's new languange Swift) using xcode. And I find both of them much easier and fun to work with than Java and Android Studio.
It's much a personal peference though. Others will prefer Java over Objective-c.

It's great that you can do it for free on Android though.
On iOS you must pay to get your apps on your phone. Even if it's just for personal use and not the AppStore and that really sucks.

Sorry Taake for all this completely off-topic stuff. I blame mr Pole who asked... 😉

/SK

 

[Taake]

Thanks guys, this helped! I'm still not sure what I'll go with but at least I've got some user feedback now from people I trust.

 

[brinkster130]

Get an iPhone! I love mine. But in all seriousness, I'm not a tech or gadget person so I couldn't give you any legit reasons why an iPhone is the way to go.... 🙂 Go to the store and play with several and see which ones you like.

 

[Taake]

Go to the store and play with several and see which ones you like.

Haha, that sounds like my nightmare! There's a reason why my phones have been picked for me 😉

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Get an iPhone! I love mine. But in all seriousness, I'm not a tech or gadget person so I couldn't give you any legit reasons why an iPhone is the way to go....

But that is the way to go.. because, no disrespect to you brinky, they are idiot-proof. You don't have to root the phone. You don't have to install a different launcher. Everything is simple and easy with the iphone. That is a plus.

The minus is everything is simple and easy and it always will be.. you cant alter it.

 

[white avenger]

Just for the record, I would like to add something to my less than favorable review above.

I am not a computer person. I don't play games, beyond, occasionally, simple solitaire. I see no reason to read my email, play games, listen to music, watch movies, or read books or magazines on my phone. ( do have an inexpensive mp3 player on which I listen to audiobooks when exercising, but it is very small and doesn't get in the way of anything, unlike my phone) Those are things that I simply see no point in doing. I have a laptop (in fact, two) at home to do any of those things in a quiet, comfortable, and private environment. For me, those, and other features are totally wasted, and I see no point in paying for something that I have no use for.

For the people who enjoy those things, I suppose a smart phone is a wonderful thing, and, by all means, if you are that person, buy one and enjoy it. It just isn't something that I either need or enjoy.

 

[GwenRaiden]

Ahh, but that is why smartphones were developed and became popular. To be able to do all those things "on the go" in accordance with your lifestyle. I wouldn't have been able to survive without a smartphone at college. I used it for everything; calendar, taking quick snaps of notes, writing notes, emailing lecturers without having to go to the computer lab (if I were on lunch etc), listening to music on the journey to college (while also typing up references and browsing the net for articles for essays). It was invaluable.

I guess it's all about your lifestyle rather than enjoyment. I didn't particularly "enjoy" using my smartphone for those things, it was just handy and useful for those tasks without having to lug around a heavy laptop in my bag.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Ahh, but that is why smartphones were developed

Not really. Smartphones were developed as a PDA that had phone calling capabilities. You could look up phone numbers from your phone book, make calls and send emails. That's all a smartphone was designed to do. It's just when it became a more consumer-based commodity item versus simply a business tool that they started to incorporate more technology into it. What they call smartphones today are basically pocket computers.

 

[The Bronze]

But that is the way to go.. because, no disrespect to you brinky, they are idiot-proof. You don't have to root the phone. You don't have to install a different launcher. Everything is simple and easy with the iphone. That is a plus.

To be fair though rooting and switching launchers on Android isn't a necessity. The launcher on mine is fine and I've had no need to root it either. I'd be surprised if Taake had any need for it given the things listed.

There is something to the simplicity of iPhone though. My girlfriend has one and enjoys it and it all links up with her other apple stuff. I'd just be wary of paying the apple premium, especially if buying brand new.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

To be fair though rooting and switching launchers on Android isn't a necessity. The launcher on mine is fine and I've had no need to root it either. I'd be surprised if Taake had any need for it given the things listed.

That's not really accurate. Alot depends on what phone brand you have and what alterations they made to the Android OS. For instance, Samsung UI is horrible while HTC's is (as far as I can tell) good. The reason why you would need to root the phone is to be able to upgrade the OS. Because my phone is over three years old and I have not been 'allowed' an OS upgrade in over a year, I am having alot of problems with apps running correctly and things staying loaded. In order to make my phone work right I would need to root it to upgrade the OS.

The problem isn't with Android- which is why I said the only Android phone I would get would be Nexus- it's with too many hands involved. My OS is 'up to date' even though it is 4.04. Android is on 5.0. There have been numerous updates since mine..

It creates a bad user experience. For two years I was fine with it.. it's been two years of a pain in my ass since then.