Community Forums => General Chat => Topic started by: tendoboy1984 on April 09, 2012, 12:16:53 AM
Title: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 09, 2012, 12:16:53 AM
Out of those 4 popular smartphones, which is your favorite?
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: TJ Spyke on April 09, 2012, 12:22:51 AM
I don't own one, but want one. If there was a iPhone with a pay as you go plan (here in the US) rather than those super expensive contracts, I would get one. I can get a Android phone with it though and for a decent price, so that will be default my pick.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 09, 2012, 12:37:58 AM
I don't own one, but want one. If there was a iPhone with a pay as you go plan (here in the US) rather than those super expensive contracts, I would get one. I can get a Android phone with it though and for a decent price, so that will be default my pick.
There are Blackberry phones on no-contract plans, but are they really that popular now that iPhone and Android are dominating the smartphone sector?
And I wonder if we'll ever see Windows Phones on no-contract plans? It took a while for Android phones to appear on no-contract plans, so who knows.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Adrock on April 09, 2012, 06:41:39 AM
I have an iPhone 4S and I love it. Technically, it's my favorite because I own one and don't hate it. I previously owned a Blackberry Bold 9700 which was awesome for like 6 months before I realized, I couldn't really do the one thing I even wanted a smartphone for well: browse the Internet. In that way, I'm extremely easy to please. iOS, Android, and Windows Phone 7 all do that well. I liked the form factor of the Blackberry because I like physical keyboards but there was more than enough reason to ditch the platform.
I chose an iPhone because everything is made for it, from apps to accessories, and Apple releases 1 new model a year and supports it for 3. I'm serious, that's it. I don't care that I can't mod it as easily as Android because I'm not modding anything. Apple made a phone that's pretty straight forward. Some people don't like that kind of simplicity; some people do. The iPhone does what I need it to do and largely gets out of my way. Android and WP7 would function in exactly the same way for me so I don't have anything against those platforms. The only thing I don't like about Android phones is how quickly the vendors are to release new models and product lines but that's not a mark against the operating system which, from my limited experience, is pretty awesome.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on April 09, 2012, 07:13:50 AM
I have an iPhone 4, and before that I had an iPhone 3G, and I like the iOS platform a lot. Part of that is I'm a lifelong Mac user, so I'm predisposed toward liking Apple's design choices and the iPhone works better with a Mac than other platforms do. iOS has developed to the point that I don't have many complaints with the feature set, although I still have my phone jailbroken for a few specific things.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 09, 2012, 09:15:25 AM
I think technically this thread should say "Favorite Smartphone OS?" since Android and Windows Phone are licensed to OEMs and there are thousands of different models, and there are a handful of new BlackBerry phones every year too.
Anyway, Android all the way. It's open source, you have a never ending supply of choices for a phone and carrier (though some people don't like that), and when you get an Android phone you can basically do whatever you want to with it, no hacks are necessary to install non-market apps (except with very rare cases with some AT&T phones a while back), and you aren't locked down to any specific desktop software or just a single shop for programs.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 09, 2012, 08:31:44 PM
I think technically this thread should say "Favorite Smartphone OS?" since Android and Windows Phone are licensed to OEMs and there are thousands of different models, and there are a handful of new BlackBerry phones every year too.
I was thinking the same thing.
Quote
Anyway, Android all the way. It's open source, you have a never ending supply of choices for a phone and carrier (though some people don't like that),
LOL
Anyway, it's iPhone for me. I'm kind of an Apple geek, and I like to use **** like AirPlay and the remote app. I know there's all sorts of options for similar ****, but I'm REALLY lazy. And Apple makes quality products with excellent customer service.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 09, 2012, 11:44:31 PM
...and you aren't locked down to any specific desktop software or just a single shop for programs.
Google Play?
No, you are not locked down to Google play, that's like saying Windows is locked to IE since it's the only browser included with the OS. You don't even have to use any market if you don't want to, and can just side load everything.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Oblivion on April 10, 2012, 12:39:39 AM
Anyway, it's iPhone for me. I'm kind of an Apple geek, and I like to use **** like AirPlay and the remote app. I know there's all sorts of options for similar ****, but I'm REALLY lazy. And Apple makes quality products with excellent customer service.
High five! While I'm not an Apple geek or anything, I find the sleek look and layout of their devices and OS incredibly enduring. I find Android devices sort of...unpolished? Plus most of the Android phones I've played around with have shitty screens compared to the sexy Retina Display. Yummy.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Plugabugz on April 10, 2012, 05:14:20 AM
I've had a Samsung Nexus S since launch day in December 2010. Last week i (re)upgraded to Ice Cream Sandwich, and my phone feels brand new again.
Of all the phones and devices before, while Nokia's just feel well built - the nokia 6280 excluded, their first 3G AND first sliding handset as it was a disaster from launch. their inexperience in 3G and non-stick phones was obvious - Something about the Nexus is very appealing. Plus add in vanilla Android for a clean no-BS feel.
I also have a iPhone 4S (work device) and while i like it, i like the actual customisation options that my Nexus provides me. Google needs to seriously work on the customer management side of the nexus line though.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 10, 2012, 08:42:53 AM
Anyway, it's iPhone for me. I'm kind of an Apple geek, and I like to use **** like AirPlay and the remote app. I know there's all sorts of options for similar ****, but I'm REALLY lazy. And Apple makes quality products with excellent customer service.
High five! While I'm not an Apple geek or anything, I find the sleek look and layout of their devices and OS incredibly enduring. I find Android devices sort of...unpolished? Plus most of the Android phones I've played around with have shitty screens compared to the sexy Retina Display. Yummy.
You've never seen an Android phone with a 720p display then (Rezound, Galaxy Nexus, basically all of the "new" Android phones coming out this month and later, high end at least), makes Apples qHD (lets call it what it is) look like old hat.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: S-U-P-E-R on April 10, 2012, 09:00:40 AM
I got the latest and greatest Japanese Android phone. iPhone users are subhuman garbage :smug:
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Stogi on April 10, 2012, 06:03:59 PM
It's Android for me. I like to customize pretty much everything if I can, and Android lets me do that to a much greater degree than Apple.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 15, 2012, 06:01:36 PM
You all know this was a poll right? I'd like to see a percentage of votes.
I'm surprised no one picked Blackberry. I thought they were still popular?
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 15, 2012, 06:47:24 PM
Not at all, their global market share shrinks every single day. I fully expect RIM to be bankrupt, or at least going to software-only (and then soon after completely gone) by the end of 2013.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Shaymin on April 15, 2012, 06:51:15 PM
I used to *work* for RIM, and still use a BB... but I'm jumping off the platform at my next upgrade assuming there's a good phone with a physical keyboard out by then.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 15, 2012, 06:51:47 PM
Not at all, their global market share shrinks every single day. I fully expect RIM to be bankrupt, or at least going to software-only (and then soon after completely gone) by the end of 2013.
My how things change in just a few short years. Before the iPhone and Android, Blackberry was the defenition of a smartphone. Then Apple and Google changed everything, and somehow RIM can't catch up.
Does anyone think Microsoft can gain marketshare with Windows Phone so they will be on even ground with iOS and Android? Android started out small, then it exploded in popularity in just a couple years, so the same thing could happen with Windows Phone.
Then again, many people think the "Metro" UI is horrible (including me).
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: nickmitch on April 15, 2012, 07:01:18 PM
Meh, that new Nokia has a few fanboys clamoring, but we'll see how it sells. It's not the Windows Mobile of old that was designed for enterprise users, so it kinda loses the market there. But when RIM finally goes under, somebody's gotta pick up the enterprise market. MS has been there before, but I think Apple wants it more and has the "cool" factor going for it.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 15, 2012, 07:10:06 PM
Meh, that new Nokia has a few fanboys clamoring, but we'll see how it sells. It's not the Windows Mobile of old that was designed for enterprise users, so it kinda loses the market there. But when RIM finally goes under, somebody's gotta pick up the enterprise market. MS has been there before, but I think Apple wants it more and has the "cool" factor going for it.
Microsoft tried to make Windows Phone (and now Windows 8 ) more accessible to a wider audience, with the Metro UI being designed to be simple and easy to understand. There is no "enterprise" market anymore; RIM / Blackberry had that cornered down, and look at them now. Smartphones are for everyone now.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: nickmitch on April 15, 2012, 07:30:17 PM
There's still an enterprise market. It's what keeping RIM in business now. The problem came when the smartphone market expanded and RIM couldn't keep up. All the other manufacturers had to do then was make their devices usable in that market space (remote wiping being a key feature) and slowly edge out the Black Berry as the go-to business phone.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 15, 2012, 07:32:30 PM
There's still an enterprise market. It's what keeping RIM in business now. The problem came when the smartphone market expanded and RIM couldn't keep up. All the other manufacturers had to do then was make their devices usable in that market space (remote wiping being a key feature) and slowly edge out the Black Berry as the go-to business phone.
Yes, the enterprise market is still keeping RIM in business, but it's so small compared to the overall smartphone market that Apple and Google expanded. RIM needs to expand to a wider audience, or else they will be left behind.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: nickmitch on April 15, 2012, 07:49:02 PM
It's bigger than you think. The problem is that it's too easy for a company to set up any modern smartphone to access company servers, retrieve/view/edit data, and provide decent security. So, anybody who wants their iPhone or Android device to load their work email can do so, albeit not as well as a BlackBerry. Basically, RIM won that market, but then that market got more options. It now comes down to the cool factor, which isn't RIM's strong suit anymore.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 15, 2012, 08:20:54 PM
It's bigger than you think. The problem is that it's too easy for a company to set up any modern smartphone to access company servers, retrieve/view/edit data, and provide decent security. So, anybody who wants their iPhone or Android device to load their work email can do so, albeit not as well as a BlackBerry. Basically, RIM won that market, but then that market got more options. It now comes down to the cool factor, which isn't RIM's strong suit anymore.
But the primary buyers of smartphones now are young adults. RIM needs to capitalize on this new market, because the enterprise market alone won't keep them alive forever. It's like you said, people have more options now, and the smartphone market has expanded greatly since Blackberry pioneered years ago.
It's similar to the gaming industry. Nintendo (with Wii and DS) expanded the video game market past the "core" gamer demographic. Being complete caught off guard, Microsoft and Sony frantically tried to capitalize on this expanded market. Microsoft got it right with Kinect, while Sony stumbled with the PS Move.
And even Apple (with iOS), and Google (with Android) expanded the mobile gaming market to a wider audience. Again, Sony tried to capitalize on this new market with Xperia Play and PS Vita, but they stumbled.
In a nutshell, RIM is the Sony of the smartphone industry.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: nickmitch on April 15, 2012, 08:53:33 PM
RIM is a little more dead in the water that Sony.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 15, 2012, 09:39:50 PM
RIM tried to go mainstream with the BB Storm, which sold a lot, but sucked as a "cool" phone and showed teenagers and young adults that BlackBerry was not for them.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Plugabugz on April 16, 2012, 02:52:34 AM
The problem with the storm was it was a pokescreen phone not a touch screen. That would annoy a lot of people very quickly.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: UncleBob on April 16, 2012, 03:08:11 AM
I don't have anything against the iOS software, but I have to vote for Android simply because I can frickin' get a phone with an actual keyboard on it.
I used to *work* for RIM, and still use a BB... but I'm jumping off the platform at my next upgrade assuming there's a good phone with a physical keyboard out by then.
If you're on Verizon, check out the Samsung Fascinate. It's a mid-to-high tier 4G phone with full slide-out keyboard and is pretty awesome.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 16, 2012, 09:47:00 AM
You are incorrect. You are thinking of the Stratosphere. The Fascinate (Verizon's first Galaxy S phone...though) came out a while ago, and does not have a keyboard. If you want the best phone with a keyboard, get a DROID 4. It's a DROID RAZR with a keyboard.
The Storm's screen was crap (though it takes nice pictures), but it also didn't help that any "fun" apps on BB simply do not exist, and the phone (like most BlackBerry phones) takes like 45 minutes to boot up.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Morari on April 16, 2012, 10:21:28 AM
If you want a keyboard you should... y'know... use a computer. Telephones are for talking... with your voice.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Adrock on April 16, 2012, 01:01:16 PM
By that logic, smartphones shouldn't exist because they do more than act as a mobile telephone. I don't want to live in a world where I can't access the Internet for largely unimportant reasons everywhere I go. I can barely comprehend how I functioned before I had a smartphone.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Morari on April 16, 2012, 01:29:23 PM
You're right, smartphones shouldn't exist.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Ceric on April 16, 2012, 01:35:59 PM
The problem the Windows Phone has is that. A lot of people just won't give them a chance. I have not met anyone who has actually used a Windows Phone for any length of time that didn't like it. The only problem is the perception of everyone has because its Microsoft and how much the phone does right is inhibiting the App Store. Why would a want a 3rd party app for something the phone itself does really well?
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Adrock on April 16, 2012, 01:45:47 PM
Have fun living in the past, Fred Flintstone. No wait, even he would have a smartphone made of rocks or dinosaur bones. Have fun living in the past, Jane Austen.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: NWR_insanolord on April 16, 2012, 01:57:07 PM
While vanilla iOS is good, and does everything most people need, there is just so much good stuff on Cydia that I couldn't go back to not being jailbroken. Activator and IntelliscreenX are worth it all by themselves, but there are tons more things that are really useful.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Oblivion on April 16, 2012, 06:40:45 PM
If the jailbreak didn't completely **** up my battery life, I'd probably keep it jailbroken.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 16, 2012, 11:30:06 PM
Jailbreaking in itself doesn't affect battery life. There was a bug with an old version of Cydia if you were on 3.1.3 that would make the phone keep trying to get certain certificates signed over and over which would kill battery quickly. Anyway, I will continue to hate iOS...but if you're gonna have an iPhone, jailbreaking it makes it much more accessible and well, fun, provided you know what to do next.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Lithium on April 16, 2012, 11:40:52 PM
i dont even have a smart phone, but if i were to buy one i would be getting a windows phone, I have a Zune HD and love the interface and don't really care about apps. I just want a no nonsense phone that's easy and quick to use. (which is why i don't even have a smart phone)
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Oblivion on April 16, 2012, 11:47:45 PM
Jailbreaking in itself doesn't affect battery life. There was a bug with an old version of Cydia if you were on 3.1.3 that would make the phone keep trying to get certain certificates signed over and over which would kill battery quickly. Anyway, I will continue to hate iOS...but if you're gonna have an iPhone, jailbreaking it makes it much more accessible and well, fun, provided you know what to do next.
You sure? I tested this once by installing cydia and nothing else. Installing cydia killed the battery life by 2-3 hours.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: nickmitch on April 17, 2012, 12:35:39 AM
Was it the old version of Cydia?
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: UncleBob on April 17, 2012, 12:41:08 AM
You are incorrect. You are thinking of the Stratosphere. The Fascinate (Verizon's first Galaxy S phone...though) came out a while ago, and does not have a keyboard. If you want the best phone with a keyboard, get a DROID 4. It's a DROID RAZR with a keyboard.
You are correct. You'd think I would know the name of my own phone. :D
I *hate* the wafer-keyboards on the Motorola DROID phones. They've slowly gotten better, but they still suck badly.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: MegaByte on April 17, 2012, 01:27:49 AM
Unlike the previous Droids, the Droid 4 has actual individual keys, not a keypad.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Oblivion on April 17, 2012, 01:52:48 AM
Not sure. I'm fairly certain I updated it correctly, but I could be wrong. In any case, I mainly used it as a way to try out apps and as an emulator. Besides that, I really don't have a use for all the fancy tweaks that were possible with Cydia.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: UncleBob on April 17, 2012, 07:35:05 AM
Unlike the previous Droids, the Droid 4 has actual individual keys, not a keypad.
It is leaps and bounds above the previous versions, but it's still... lacking. I think Motorola misses the point of having a full keyboard. We phone-keyboarders want the keyboard because we like the feel of the buttons and being able to easily type without having to look at the keys. If we wanted something flat and nondescript, we could just a touch screen keypad. Give us real, individual buttons with some height on them.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: Ceric on April 17, 2012, 03:20:58 PM
Unlike the previous Droids, the Droid 4 has actual individual keys, not a keypad.
It is leaps and bounds above the previous versions, but it's still... lacking. I think Motorola misses the point of having a full keyboard. We phone-keyboarders want the keyboard because we like the feel of the buttons and being able to easily type without having to look at the keys. If we wanted something flat and nondescript, we could just a touch screen keypad. Give us real, individual buttons with some height on them.
Initially there was several Windows Phones with Keyboards w/ more in the works. Now I can't find any. I wonder if they just sold bad.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 18, 2012, 09:30:53 PM
Unlike the previous Droids, the Droid 4 has actual individual keys, not a keypad.
It is leaps and bounds above the previous versions, but it's still... lacking. I think Motorola misses the point of having a full keyboard. We phone-keyboarders want the keyboard because we like the feel of the buttons and being able to easily type without having to look at the keys. If we wanted something flat and nondescript, we could just a touch screen keypad. Give us real, individual buttons with some height on them.
I really don't care if the phone has a physical keyboard or a digital keyboard. As long as it works, then I'm happy. That being said, the digital keyboard used in iOS devices works just fine.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 18, 2012, 09:32:45 PM
Motorola is owned by Google now, right? So why hasn't Google let Motorola make a Nexus phone? Google keeps teaming up with Samsung and HTC, but they're neglecting the company that they own.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: TJ Spyke on April 18, 2012, 09:44:39 PM
Google bought Motorola Mobility, there is also Motorola Solutions. Your point is valid though since MM makes the phones. Don't know.
The keyboard on iPhone and iPod Touch is alright, though far too frequently I make typos because the device though my finger hit the wrong button (even worse in portrait mode).
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BlackNMild2k1 on April 18, 2012, 09:49:10 PM
To suddenly give Motorola Mobility the exclusive rights to the Google Nexus would show unfavorable favortism to all the other phone manufacturers that have helped make Android as popular as it is.
In the mean time, MotoMobil has served it's purpose of strengthening Google's patent library against Apple and it's iPhones. But at some point in the near future, I hope it ultimately means that Moto starts making better Android Phones that update much quicker than they currently do.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: TJ Spyke on April 18, 2012, 10:03:33 PM
I don't think tendo means only MM should get to make the Nexus, just wondering why they don't make it too since Google owns them.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: BranDonk Kong on April 18, 2012, 11:19:02 PM
Google bought Motorola Mobility long after Samsung had started working on the latest Nexus phone (Galaxy Nexus), but like they have gone on record saying, it doesn't just mean that Motorola automatically gets to make the next Nexus phone. To be fair though, the Motorola Xoom is the Nexus of tablets...so they do have that going for them.
Title: Re: Favorite smartphone?
Post by: tendoboy1984 on April 20, 2012, 12:30:29 AM
