It's possible over on this side of the pond. Looks like they have you guys over a barrel.
Opinions on Smartphones Wanted
- Thread starter Spot's Meow
- Start date
Actually, if it's a jailbroke/unlocked one, you probably could.
I used to have a crappy pay as you go plan but I ditched the phone that came with it and used the sim in an unlocked Sony smart phone running Symbian. And before that I used the same sim in an unlocked Motorola RAZR.
Now though I have a Droid and a Verizon contract.
Just one additional piece of info about the iPhone. Like many who bought the 4s and/or upgraded their 4 to iOS 5, I have been having issues with significant and unexplained battery drain. I got a message this morning that the rumored iOS 5.0.1 was ready to install and would fix the battery issue, among other things. However, in the 2 hours since installing, I'm finding my battery drain issue even worse than before, and certainly not better. 
For this reason, I cannot in good conscience recommend a 4s (or iOS 5, for that matter, I suppose.) I'm actually to the point where I'm considering taking it back. 
For this reason, I cannot in good conscience recommend a 4s (or iOS 5, for that matter, I suppose.) I'm actually to the point where I'm considering taking it back. 
My main phone has been an HTC Mozart running Windows Phone 7.5 (Mango). I am absolutely in love with it. The interface is sleek, new, and it is fast as lightning. It's very easy to use, so it would be a very good phone for someone who is just now approaching the realm of smartphones.
My second phone is also an HTC, but an Android. I like it well enough but I find it more complicated to use, just not as easy and instinctive as WP7. I love the smaller size, that still manages to hold a large enough screen to enjoy videos and pictures on it.
I hope that in the future Nokia will decide to put on the market a WP7 phone the size of the HTC Wildfire S, with better hardware specs, a gorilla glass, a Carl Zeiss camera, a front camera for video calling/Skyping and a long-life battery. Oh, and affordable, of course.
There, that's my wishlist done.
My second phone is also an HTC, but an Android. I like it well enough but I find it more complicated to use, just not as easy and instinctive as WP7. I love the smaller size, that still manages to hold a large enough screen to enjoy videos and pictures on it.
I hope that in the future Nokia will decide to put on the market a WP7 phone the size of the HTC Wildfire S, with better hardware specs, a gorilla glass, a Carl Zeiss camera, a front camera for video calling/Skyping and a long-life battery. Oh, and affordable, of course.
There, that's my wishlist done.
I highly recommend a battery upgrade for most smartphones. I have a Seidio battery for mine and it hardly ever goes out of the green.
http://www.seidioonline.com/
RAMA
http://www.seidioonline.com/
RAMA
^
I was going to add that one advantage of not going with the iPhone is the ability to switch batteries. I got the MetroPCS Samsung Indulge and noticed that the battery life is horrible due, mostly to the 4G, which I'm not willing to give up. I bought an extra battery through MetroPCS, which came with its own cradle charger and I'm not able to double my battery life when I'm not near an outlet long enough to give it a good charge.
As much as I love the slide-out keyboard, I find myself only using it when I'm typing for an extended period, as it does have its drawbacks. With the Swype keyboard, it's often easier, especially for shorter uses, to use that over the physical keyboard. But that's another point in favor of Android, in that you can choose your virtual keyboard (maybe this is true of other smartphones, but I've heard that, barring jailbreaking it, you're stuck with the keyboard that comes with iOS on the iPhone).
Though I've heard there are some glitches, I do feel the need to point out that Google has many of their apps are available on the iPhone, so you needn't make your decision based on the Google apps.
For me, an iPhone was never a choice, since we originally had T-Mobile back when only AT&T had the iPhone and now we're on MetroPCS.
I was going to add that one advantage of not going with the iPhone is the ability to switch batteries. I got the MetroPCS Samsung Indulge and noticed that the battery life is horrible due, mostly to the 4G, which I'm not willing to give up. I bought an extra battery through MetroPCS, which came with its own cradle charger and I'm not able to double my battery life when I'm not near an outlet long enough to give it a good charge.
As much as I love the slide-out keyboard, I find myself only using it when I'm typing for an extended period, as it does have its drawbacks. With the Swype keyboard, it's often easier, especially for shorter uses, to use that over the physical keyboard. But that's another point in favor of Android, in that you can choose your virtual keyboard (maybe this is true of other smartphones, but I've heard that, barring jailbreaking it, you're stuck with the keyboard that comes with iOS on the iPhone).
Though I've heard there are some glitches, I do feel the need to point out that Google has many of their apps are available on the iPhone, so you needn't make your decision based on the Google apps.
For me, an iPhone was never a choice, since we originally had T-Mobile back when only AT&T had the iPhone and now we're on MetroPCS.
I've used turn by turn on my Focus with the built in Bing Maps app (the 'mapp'
the WP7 Mango update added turn-by-turn so it's standard on all the handsets
the Lumia 800 is by far the phone to get . . . best of the bunch right now, but sadly won't come to the US for a good while
I thought Mango only added the theoretical ability to implement turn-by-turn, whereas Lumia actually has the software built-in for free (rather than needing to buy software to do it)?
In any event, I agree that Lumia definitely seems a step up from anything else right now. Especially with regard to battery life (also important to me, as I'm sometimes lazy about plugging my current phone into the cigarette charger while driving and using it for navigation over shorter distances of a few miles or so).
When are you getting it in the States? It seems weird for us in the UK to get something BEFORE you guys!
) it says the street names and everythingstill no word on a US release, but I'm sure it'll be inevitable
I've used turn by turn on my Focus with the built in Bing Maps app (the 'mapp'
Good to know. Sounds like it works well, too, which is a relief. I still can't believe it wasn't in the original WP7 release.
A sim-free Lumia 800 is nearly £480 at the high street shop I went into yesterday to ask, though a quick online browse finds one at closer to £440. Given the mark-up we have to put up with here, I suspect the US figure will end up being around $500.
The good thing for me is that even with the UK price, I'd only need to keep it for about 20 months to break even compared to a competitive contract, and even that contract isn't as good as my current tariff in terms of what it offers. Plus it would be a 24 month contract anyway. So for me it will definitely be worth getting it sim-free/unlocked. It's now on my unofficial Christmas list, barring any surprises!
For anyone who's interested, I found out that the Samsung Captivate Glide and Samsung Double Time will be coming out on November 20. The Glide will be $149.99 and the Double Time will be $49.99.
I really like the Glide, it is perfect, but it's too expensive for me. I'm actually now considering getting the Sharp FX Plus, which is available on AT&T's website but not in stores. It is one of the VERY few Android phones with a keyboard that they have, and it will be free with a new contract, so it seems like a good fit to me. It's not high end, it's still running Android 2.2 Froyo and is 3G, but since I have never had a smartphone before, I figure anything will be a huge improvement over what I have at the moment!
And I've quickly learned that reading cell phone reviews is a complete waste of time, as they all contradict one another. Apparently the phone has great battery life, awful battery life, sluggish response, fast response, great call quality, and horrible call quality all in one!
I really like the Glide, it is perfect, but it's too expensive for me. I'm actually now considering getting the Sharp FX Plus, which is available on AT&T's website but not in stores. It is one of the VERY few Android phones with a keyboard that they have, and it will be free with a new contract, so it seems like a good fit to me. It's not high end, it's still running Android 2.2 Froyo and is 3G, but since I have never had a smartphone before, I figure anything will be a huge improvement over what I have at the moment!
And I've quickly learned that reading cell phone reviews is a complete waste of time, as they all contradict one another.
Apparently the phone has great battery life, awful battery life, sluggish response, fast response, great call quality, and horrible call quality all in one!
Or type on an actual keyboard.
For anyone who's interested, I found out that the Samsung Captivate Glide and Samsung Double Time will be coming out on November 20. The Glide will be $149.99 and the Double Time will be $49.99.
I really like the Glide, it is perfect, but it's too expensive for me. I'm actually now considering getting the Sharp FX Plus, which is available on AT&T's website but not in stores. It is one of the VERY few Android phones with a keyboard that they have, and it will be free with a new contract, so it seems like a good fit to me. It's not high end, it's still running Android 2.2 Froyo and is 3G, but since I have never had a smartphone before, I figure anything will be a huge improvement over what I have at the moment!
And I've quickly learned that reading cell phone reviews is a complete waste of time, as they all contradict one another.
The Sharp FX looks pretty decent. I have Froyo on my Samsung Intercept. It's pretty solid. Whether or not it's quick or sluggish will depend a lot on what you install on it. People who report their Android phones as sluggish or with poor battery life are usually running all kinds of stupid things in the background.
If you aren't a "power user," something like the Sharp FX should be just fine for you. Just don't load it up with too many games and apps, and make sure you install a good task manager so you can kill programs you aren't using automatically.
^ What has Apple done for me? Made computers, software and even phones that I like and are easy for me to use, that's what. 
^ What has Apple done for me? Made computers, software and even phones that I like and are easy for me to use, that's what.
No offense, but if all you do on the phone is talk, then how can any phone out there possibly be any more difficult for you to use than an iPhone?
^ The disposable cell I have now, is rather cumbersome to use (its display sucks, the keys are too small, and the reception is not too good). And that's just for calling. I can't replace it, since it's a prepaid plan that I'm on.
^ What has Apple done for me? Made computers, software and even phones that I like and are easy for me to use, that's what.
No offense, but if all you do on the phone is talk, then how can any phone out there possibly be any more difficult for you to use than an iPhone?
What...you are supposed to talk on phones???
^ What has Apple done for me? Made computers, software and even phones that I like and are easy for me to use, that's what.
Many companies make fine products. "Brand loyalty" in consumer tech? Really? Might as well light money on fire.
^ What has Apple done for me? Made computers, software and even phones that I like and are easy for me to use, that's what.
Many companies make fine products. "Brand loyalty" in consumer tech? Really? Might as well light money on fire.
Of course many companies make fine products. That doesn't mean you can't prefer one company's products over another.
Similar threads
