Time for a new smartphone? Any Ideas

[alanf]

Time for a new smartphone contract up so any ideas

I know i can get a samsung galaxy s3 for nothing with a good package

i am currently using a htc desire which has been canny bar the camera

So what do you have and whats it like

You've potentially opened up a can of worms here!

A lot of iPhone owners can't see the wood for the trees, and will swear blind that the iPhone is the best thing ever (which it isn't, and I own one).

A lot of Android owners will dismiss anything that an iPhone owner says on the basis that "iPhones are crap".

I've owned countless Android handsets (HTC Desire, Desire HD, Sensation XE, One X, Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy Nexus), and every version of the iPhone, as well as 2 Windows phones (HTC HD7 and Nokia Lumia 800) so I feel that I'm fairly well qualified to comment without giving some of the one-sided nonsense that Apple/Android fanboys tend to spout at one another.

To tell the truth, there really is very little to set any one of the current crop of smartphones above another. Each phone will do everything you ask of it, and each phone will do certain things better, and other things worse than others. A lot of it will boil down to:

a) Whichever operating system you prefer (Android/iOS/Windows)
b) Your budget
c) Your requirements (good camera/good screen/powerful processor/good social network integration etc)

- If you want a good camera, look at the HTC One X, Nokia Lumia 820/920 (when released) Samsung Galaxy S3 or iPhone 4S or 5.

- If you want something with a powerful processor, look at the HTC One X or Samsung Galaxy S3.

- If you want something with a good battery, look at the Motorola Droid RAZR MAXX (I think?), or the iPhone 5 (which I'm currently testing the battery on and I'm very impressed with as it knocks the HTC One X into a cocked hat).

- For something with a decent screen for watching movies etc, look at the Galaxy S3 with it's 4.8" Super AMOLED HD effort, which looks fantastic.

So, as far as I see it, you have a few choices. If it was my money, here's what I'd narrow it down to:

Android - Galaxy S3, HTC One X
iOS - iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 (worth the extra)
Windows - Nokia Lumia 820/920, or wait a few months for the HTC 8X.

Ignore what he says! iPhones rock

 

[Barneyballbags]

Blackberrys do what they do well. But an Android/iOS/Windows phone can do everything a BB can do, better.

No, they can't... especially not if you use the excellent BBM (Which I hadn't until recently, despite having had a BB for a few years.) Sadly, there is now NO smartphone available that can adequately replace my BB and fulfil my checklist of requirements;

MUST be "candy bar" format
MUST have a proper numeric keypad (it's a phone, remember?)
MUST NOT rely on touch screen in any way (filthy things, what idiot thought that constantly wiping grease all over your screen was a good idea?)
MUST HAVE: Long battery life (three days between charges at least, fairly heavy use), GPS + semi-decent camera (autofocus and flash, at least), WiFi and SSH terminal available

It's fashionable to scorn RIM because their phones aren't as hyped and fashionable as some of the competition... but if you're actually relying on your phone as a communication device, you'd be stupid not to consider one (something from the Bold line, now that the Pearl 3G has sadly been ditched)

Yes, I agree. If you rely on you phone predominantly as a communication device (phone/text/email), then a Blackberry would suit the purpose very well.

However, a lot of people use their phones for far more than that.

 

[Barneyballbags]

Ignore what he says! iPhones rock

Yes, they do.

And so does the Galaxy S3, HTC One X and the new Nokia Lumia WP8 phones.

 

[gtRTSdh]

MY nokia E7-00 is fairly useless and eats battery, the MRs loves here galaxy 2, but also loves her (work) iphone 1

 

[mikee]

i have an i-phone
i can play angry birds on it
and it will even let me phone wifey

seems fine

 

[alanf]

Ignore what he says! iPhones rock

Yes, they do.

And so does the Galaxy S3, HTC One X and the new Nokia Lumia WP8 phones.

in this case they suck! I cut a lot of what you posted but the damn Iphone posted it anyway...

 

[hamster]

If you want to scare yourself silly, read the McAfee malware report.
It's all on Android. The issue that malicious apps aren't properly pre-screened is a killer to me.
Download a flashlight app for free...it then sends £1200 of texts to Panama. :shock:

BB or iOS until Google get this sorted.

 

[Raging_Bulls]

If you want to scare yourself silly, read the McAfee malware report.
It's all on Android. The issue that malicious apps aren't properly pre-screened is a killer to me.
Download a flashlight app for free...it then sends £1200 of texts to Panama. :shock:

BB or iOS until Google get this sorted.

When you want to install any app, your phone will show you a list of permissions the app wants from your OS. If a flashlight wants control over the "phone" and "text" functions, you should click "cancel" instead of "install".

As for the malware report, it's true that the lack of pre-screening allows some virusses to get through. However the downloaders' feedback will get those removed rather quickly. Also, that's what antivirus apps are for, but that's a sensitive area for McAfee because AVG owns nearly the entire AV market.

I'd rather rely on common sense than any AV, and that has kept me virus-free for years now. (both on my phone and my Windows PCs and laptops)

 

[hamster]

There have been a fair few cases of people who have been ripped off by malware on Android. While I absolutely agree that caution is the best policy, I don't like a security system based on locking the door after the horse has bolted...

Who are you going to ask for your money back? The developer, Google, the service provider or phone maker?

I just think that the world has moved on from testing stuff out on consumers and relying on security being done by people reporting they have been ripped off.

 

[lrh]

Trouble with going for Blackberry or Windows Phone right now is they're both about to launch new operating systems that are a big step forward and won't be available to older phones.

Anyone wanting another Desire-like phone should look for a Huawei Ascend G300 at £80 or less. It's been the geek's favourite for the last 6 months.

If you're not into tweaking your phone, get something with Android 4.x already on it (Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean). Networks will try to flog you high-end Samsung's or HTC's but Sony and Motorola make good stuff too and in a wider variety of sizes.

There have been a fair few cases of people who have been ripped off by malware on Android.

Not compared to the 500 million devices sold and 1.3 million activated every day Most people will stick to the most popular apps in the market. You're more likely to be ripped off replying to a spam text.