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Posted: Aug 03 2011 06:06 pm

Probably around mid-late October I'll be joining up with Verizon and getting a smart phone. I've been trying to research, but it's tough to filter out all the Apple and Android fanboys arguing over each other.

I'm looking for objective opinions on what might be the best option around that time. I know the iPhone 5 is supposed to be coming out, but unless you can get a deal I'm not willing to pay too much. I like the fact that Android is open-source, but it seems like iPhone users all rave bout how smoothly it operates.

It'll be my first smart phone. Any opinions?

Posted: Aug 03 2011 06:16 pm

How much are you willing to pay? Knowing that will give me a much better idea of what phones you might want to take a peak at. Are you willing to sign a 2 year contract, 1 year? Is it just you? I ask because some phones have a buy one get one deal. Also how much are you planning on paying monthly? All smartphones are going to require a data plan on top of the normal monthly access. Do you get a discount from anything?

Posted: Aug 03 2011 07:08 pm

I'll be latching onto my fiance's plan (after Oct 1st she'll be my wife). She's on a plan that her dad gets through his company......I'm not really clear on the specifics but I think she's got the unlimited data plan and pays about $50 per month.

I know the unlimited data plan is going away......I'm not sure what kind of data usage plan I'll need, since this is my first smart phone. I'd be willing to pay in the $100 to $200 range. I'm not really sure what that gets me.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 07:28 pm

That's pretty much any phone, since you will be a new line. The Droid Charge is 299 and the iPhone 32 GB is 299. Everything else looks to be fair game though.

I have the unlimited data plan, and am Grandfathered in, however I haven't come close to going over 2GB of data since I used my phone as a wifi hotspot. So chances are if you aren't streaming Netflix on your phone you will be fine paying the $30 for 2 GB.

Another thing to look at is if you are in a 4G area, I have an upgrade coming soon and am debating between getting the iPhone, The Thunderbolt, or the Droid 3. I like the slide out keyboard of the Droid 3, The Thunderbolt apparently has battery life issues and the iPhone is...well I don't really have that much negative to say since I haven't really touched one. All are 4G capable. In all honesty the iPhone is pretty sweet from what I have heard and seen, but I have a love for the Android OS and the development kit for it.

My best advice would be to go to a Verizon store play around with some of the floor models and get a feel for what you want. I have passed up superior phones because they felt awkward in my hand. When you narrow it down to 1-3 phones go online and look at reviews and search for the pros and cons.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 07:30 pm

I have a droid X that I couldn't be happier with. However, like with PCs, if you're looking for peak performance but no flexibility, Apple is the way to go. You're under their thumb, but everything works pretty much perfectly.

Still wouldn't trade my droid though.

Joined: Mar 13 2009 Location: Arlington Posts: 467

I think the new technology (Iphone 5, Android dual-core) will be out in the next 1-2 months. For me, it'll be between the Iphone and the Droid Bionic(dual core). The most important thing and I can't stress this enough is battery life. The Droid Incredible, while a completely awesome phone has garbage battery life. It's useless to have a phone that can do everything but always dying on you. When the new phones come out this Fall, read the reviews to see which ones have the best battery.

I love android for the fact that it gets so much support, not only from Motorolo, HTC, etc but from individual developers. My first phone was a WinMo Samsung. Sucked. There no updates after the first year and I was stuck with a piece of crap for the longest time. I bought a used Droid and haven't felt the need to upgade. While the new phones are not as customizable, it's still possible with android that you can get "unofficial" updates after the phone stops being supported. This is huge when you sign a 2-year agreement. Really, an OG Droid can do almost everything any other phone can do after it's rooted. Its only drawback for me is I'd like a larger screen like the Droid X or the Bionic when it's out.

Lastly, consider Verizon's tiered data plans. Luckilly, I'm grandfathered and have unlimited data. I'm on Youtube, pandora and veetle all day so I use a ton of data. I don't think I could get away with the 2Gb limit, or whatever the basic plan is now. I think AT&T is still unlimited so if you're going the Iphone route(I think they have the Motorola Atrix which is very nice), it's something to factor in.

You can get some pretty good Droid info by going to http://www.droidforums.net/.

Posted: Aug 03 2011 09:33 pm

Thorton02 wrote:

I think the new technology (Iphone 5, Android dual-core) will be out in the next 1-2 months. For me, it'll be between the Iphone and the Droid Bionic(dual core). The most important thing and I can't stress this enough is battery life. The Droid Incredible, while a completely awesome phone has garbage battery life. It's useless to have a phone that can do everything but always dying on you. When the new phones come out this Fall, read the reviews to see which ones have the best battery.

I love android for the fact that it gets so much support, not only from Motorolo, HTC, etc but from individual developers. My first phone was a WinMo Samsung. Sucked. There no updates after the first year and I was stuck with a piece of crap for the longest time. I bought a used Droid and haven't felt the need to upgade. While the new phones are not as customizable, it's still possible with android that you can get "unofficial" updates after the phone stops being supported. This is huge when you sign a 2-year agreement. Really, an OG Droid can do almost everything any other phone can do after it's rooted. Its only drawback for me is I'd like a larger screen like the Droid X or the Bionic when it's out.

Lastly, consider Verizon's tiered data plans. Luckilly, I'm grandfathered and have unlimited data. I'm on Youtube, pandora and veetle all day so I use a ton of data. I don't think I could get away with the 2Gb limit, or whatever the basic plan is now. I think AT&T is still unlimited so if you're going the Iphone route(I think they have the Motorola Atrix which is very nice), it's something to factor in.

You can get some pretty good Droid info by going to http://www.droidforums.net/.

I agree, just stay clear of Windows Mobile phones they have no support past a year.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Ice, if you aren't planning to get a phone until October, then you should wait until about a week earlier to ask.

There is a great phone called the Bionic that has been discussed for months on end and has yet to surface.

Here is the Apple vs Android thing in a nutshell. Pick one and plan to stick with it. It is hardest to switch from Apple to anything else once you have committed to it. This is mostly because they have a fairly closed off system. Apple's product is more polished and has less trouble than the Android. On the flip side, the Apple products seem to lose their flair fairly quickly. A year into ownership of an iPhone and you'll be asking, when is the next one coming out. Apple has a tendency to lag their hardware and software behind when it comes to new features. Obviously they set the bar high with the original iPhone, and it took Android a long time to get to that point, however as they trade blow for blow now, it feels like Apple is sluggish when it comes to bringing new features to the table.

Personally I have more faith in the Android OS as a long term solution, and I know that I can go to Apple easily if I ever decide to do that in the future. I will however, very clearly, and very honestly state that most people who have iPhones love them because they are easier to use.

Posted: Aug 04 2011 09:28 pm

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

I'll definitely go into the store and play around with them to see what strikes my fancy. I think I'm leaning slightly toward Android, simply because I don't like the idea of being locked into Apple's proprietary system. But if the iPhone really appeals to me, I could be swayed that way. I'm not sure what my data usage will be since I haven't had a smart phone yet. I'll have to ask around and see what kind of usage most people run through.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Ice, keep tabs on the news, there is a lot of nonsense between Apple, Microsoft, and Google right now. Expect that to keep on going for the next two months. Things could change dramatically before October, so just be informed.

Posted: Aug 05 2011 07:46 am

I read cnet.com often. Are there any other good non-biased (or something like it) technology news sites?

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

I read cnet.com often. Are there any other good non-biased (or something like it) technology news sites?

Non-biased doesn't really exist. You would be best off reading both ends of the spectrum. I'd say read Ars Technica and MaximumPC (includes MaximumTech) both are slightly biased, but generally report the news and then state their opinion.

Posted: Sep 04 2011 11:24 pm

Update:

I wound up pulling the trigger on this a little earlier than expected. I got the LG Revolution (Android, 4G). It's my first smart phone so I have nothing to compare it against, but thus far I really like it. The touch screen is taking some getting used to, but I'm getting the hang of it. The battery life seems to be decent.....I'll need a little more time to pass judgement on it.

Here's a question I was hoping someone here could answer......

I know this will make me sound dumb, but I don't understand the purpose of wi-fi on a cell phone. Why does my phone detect wi-fi networks, and why should I care? Should I go ahead and allow it, or should I turn it off to conserve battery life? I always thought that 3G or 4G is the network the cell phone uses. Why does the phone need wifi?

If someone could clear this up for me, I'd appreciate it.

Joined: Jun 08 2010 Location: Termina Field Posts: 1541

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

Here's a question I was hoping someone here could answer......

I know this will make me sound dumb, but I don't understand the purpose of wi-fi on a cell phone. Why does my phone detect wi-fi networks, and why should I care? Should I go ahead and allow it, or should I turn it off to conserve battery life? I always thought that 3G or 4G is the network the cell phone uses. Why does the phone need wifi?

If someone could clear this up for me, I'd appreciate it.

It's included so you don't have to use cellular internet all the time. Using your home Wi-Fi connection to connect is much cheaper than using a cellular connection. It's also much faster (at least compared to 3G, I can't say anything about 4G, since 4G is non-existent where I live). However, when you're not in range of Wi-Fi, turn it off.

Posted: Sep 05 2011 09:17 am

Does wifi have any other advantages over 3G/4G other than speed? Like does it not count toward my data allotment if I'm using wifi?

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

WiFi:
* Does not use your Cellphone bandwidth or data plan
* Runs at the speed of your home network b/g/n - For me, it is faster than WiFi because I pay for a fast internet connection at home (25mb/s) or work (1000mb/s)
* Uses less battery life than regular data plan... when you are in range of the WiFi. If there is no wifi, it drains the battery searching for a signal.

At home and at work I leave WiFi on
On vacation or when I go out for a while I turn it off
I use Juice Defender - https://market.android.com/details?id=com.latedroid.juicedefender

Worth a read once in a while
http://reddit.com/r/android
http://gizmodo.com/5739420/the-best-android-apps

Posted: Sep 05 2011 03:26 pm

Ah, ok......I think I get it now. So when there is a wifi network available, any data that I use doesn't count against my 2GB limit, correct?

Joined: Jun 08 2010 Location: Termina Field Posts: 1541

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

Ah, ok......I think I get it now. So when there is a wifi network available, any data that I use doesn't count against my 2GB limit, correct?

Yes, providing you've connected to it, of course.

Posted: Sep 05 2011 06:43 pm

Cool. I entered the WEP key for my home wifi, so the phone should automatically connect to it when I'm home, right? If I go to a place like Starbucks that has free wifi, it will also connect to that?

Posted: Sep 05 2011 11:26 pm

DUDE! You should have waited til Thursday, the Droid Bionic comes out! I've been waiting on my upgrade for so long now it seems. Really excited to get a new phone. This Droid 1 is starting to lose its awesomeness.

I'm not sure if it will automatically connect but you would be turning it on when you get home anyways, so connecting to it would be an additional 5 seconds. 4G is typically faster then most normal broadband connections (apparently).

Joined: Jun 08 2010 Location: Termina Field Posts: 1541

Ice2SeeYou wrote:

Cool. I entered the WEP key for my home wifi, so the phone should automatically connect to it when I'm home, right? If I go to a place like Starbucks that has free wifi, it will also connect to that?

I'm not sure about Android, but I think it will only connect to networks automatically if you have manually joined them once.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

Douche McCallister wrote:

DUDE! You should have waited til Thursday, the Droid Bionic comes out! I've been waiting on my upgrade for so long now it seems. Really excited to get a new phone. This Droid 1 is starting to lose its awesomeness.

I'm not sure if it will automatically connect but you would be turning it on when you get home anyways, so connecting to it would be an additional 5 seconds. 4G is typically faster then most normal broadband connections (apparently).

I tried waiting for the Bionic myself... if I had waited though, I would have given up the last four months of usage with my Thunderbolt. In a year and a half I'll have something else. This is one market where waiting is only ok if you do so for a short period of time.

4G is blazing fast. It is faster than local broadband. However, not all 4G offerings are equal, and it depends where you are located, and it depends how your phone handles it, and it uses your data plan, and in most cases the connection is not as stable. It is supposed to be at least 100mb/s. While my home connection is only 25mb/s there is no comparison. Indoors at my location WiFi is faster. Outside 4G is. In all cases, 3G is slower.

Also, once you set a WiFi network and it remembers the password, you will autoconnect if WiFi is turned on.

Have any of you downloaded this app yet?
[NSFW:62af49d688] https://market.android.com/details?id=sex.position.phoenix.love.animation [/NSFW:62af49d688]

Posted: Sep 06 2011 12:00 pm

GPFontaine wrote:

I tried waiting for the Bionic myself... if I had waited though, I would have given up the last four months of usage with my Thunderbolt. In a year and a half I'll have something else. This is one market where waiting is only ok if you do so for a short period of time.

4G is blazing fast. It is faster than local broadband. However, not all 4G offerings are equal, and it depends where you are located, and it depends how your phone handles it, and it uses your data plan, and in most cases the connection is not as stable. It is supposed to be at least 100mb/s. While my home connection is only 25mb/s there is no comparison. Indoors at my location WiFi is faster. Outside 4G is. In all cases, 3G is slower.

Well I've only been able to upgrade since the 27th of August so that's why I waited. That and every review I have read on all the current 4G phones from verizon have said the batterys are really crappy. Also I have an unlimited Data Plan, Grandfathered in, so Data means nothing to me.

Posted: Sep 06 2011 02:54 pm

Yeah the Bionic was on my radar when I originally thought I'd be getting the phone in October. I wound up doing it a little earlier, and when I was in the store I liked the Incredible 2 and the Droid 3. I was gonna go with the Droid 3 because it had a regular keypad (I was fearful of touchscreen only, since I sucked at using my fiance's). The sales guy said they were both good phones, but recommended that I go with something 4G. He pointed out the HTC Thunderbolt, but I'd heard the battery life wasn't great so I wound up going with the LG Revolution. Thus far I'm glad I did. I've gotten used to the touchscreen, the phone seems to work really well, and the battery life doesn't appear to be an issue based on my usage habits.

Joined: Dec 06 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 11244

I have a Thunderbolt and it works fine without battery issues... when it has signal. If you have no signal and don't put it in airplane mode, the thing drains like crazy. Also, Juice Defender is essential.