First of all I am not very technical!
Increasingly friends show me their wonderful apps...how far have we skied today, total ascent & descent, where are we in the resort (its snowing a blizzard!). Finding the best rated mexican food within 6 blocks.Train times, museum opening hours etc etc
So, should I go for an android such as an HTC or Samsung Galaxy, or just get an IPhone? When used with a Mac Pro the latter seems the best option, although I do not have a Mac I am now seriously considering buying one.The idea of checking emails on the go, which when deleted would also be deleted from my 'base' Mac is very appealing, as are easy transfer of photos between the two and downloading music and transferring it between the two.
Suggestions would be much appreciated.
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iPhone - you don't see any moans on here about dodgy operating systems. My 4 is brilliant, Blackberry is still an upgrade option I may consider as I prefer the e-mail system.
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Iphone
Using I cloud everything can be synched or transferred.
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All my photos from the camera are delivered straight into iPhoto on my MacBook and onto the iPAD it is a very good interface.
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thats what I thought Zero. Some friends rave about this 'cloud' thing, and the idea of emailing photos to friends with other smart phones really appeals.
I admit to being behind the times, but this capability has many usesapart from social.
Last edited by: legacylad on Thu 1 Mar 12 at 22:36
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What's your primary use legacylad ? If you want a phone then an iPhone is a pile of poo...but then do you want your browsing history published for Google to exploit from Android (not that Apple would ever consider such a thing).
Do you really want a spy in your pocket ? Or, are you happy where you are viewing someone elses data ?
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>> The idea of checking emails on the go, which when deleted would also be deleted from
>> my 'base' Mac is very appealing,...
This is very easy on any phone/PC combination, using a protocol called IMAP - almost certainly supported on whatever email client you already use.
My mail replicates (including folders, deletions etc) betweeen my desktop, my laptop, a notebook and an android phone. Real 'anywhere' computing.
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Don't bother with Blackberry IMO! The complete instructions which came with it were on a postcard which said
1. Insert SIM card
2. Insert and charge battery
3. Switch on and you are done.
There is a 200+ page instruction book on line which doesn't cover everything. It is not at all intuitive and it is missing facilities that I had on a 6 year old Motorola RAZR 3. Plus, very few of the apps are free.
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I ran a work Blackberry for a few years - good basic Smartphones if a little unreliable. I got my own Bold which worked well at everything that was expected of it. It's e-mailing facility was ahead of iPhone which I found a little disappointing, it's what the BB does well. I might go back to BB next - happy to tick my iPhone over at the 11.80 a month it costs me for now and bide my time for when the next version comes out...
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>> First of all I am not very technical!
Then get the iPhone. To get the best out of Android IMO you need to be at least slightly technical. I know there will be many who are not and get on fine but the advantage of Android is you can change so much.
For my next phone, if the iPhone 5 is out and has a larger display I will seriously consider one. Especially as if/when I have the time I want to take a serious look at developing for both Android and iPhone.
... although some of the Android phones being announced at MWC 2012 look good. Android 4 (ICS) seems to be a big step forward from Android 2.3.x which is what I have now.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 2 Mar 12 at 08:42
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I have a Nokia 3110c. I've had it nearly 5 years. I don't use it much - I'm generally in the office or at home. It lasts about a week without being charged. It's pretty robust.
I keep thinking I should join the modern world. And carry a phone that's twice the size. And needs charging twice a day if you want to use those skiing apps. And is fragile.
I don't get Blackberries with their tiny keys. And I'm not very good with touch screen displays; they don't seem to recognise my fingers well. A full QWERTY keyboard in the width of a Samsung Galaxy doesn't seem to work well for anybody.
My Nokia's predecessor was an Orange SPV smartphone. I never actually did check my emails on it. I cannot imagine that a smartphone would change my life at all. So I don't. But I have this nagging doubt, like OP, that I should join the real world.
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Blackberry do have a variety of phone designs, including touchscreen models. (I find BB's full QWERTY keys quite easy to use, but that may be because I have nuero-surgeon's dexterity.)
If you have a Blackberry, presumably you also subscribe to BB services which give you free encrypted SMS and a generous free international daily allowance of data.
Touchscreen phones - sensitivity of touch is not universal across all models.
Syncing to a mail server - iPhone and Blackberry are not the only game in town.
Having said all that, look at what is coming this year, eg.
www.bgr.com/2012/02/27/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-full-specs-1-5ghz-quad-core-1080p-display-ceramic-case/
Last edited by: John H on Fri 2 Mar 12 at 11:54
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>> Having said all that, look at what is coming this year, eg.
>> www.bgr.com/2012/02/27/samsung-galaxy-s-iii-full-specs-1-5ghz-quad-core-1080p-display-ceramic-case/
"looks like the baddest Android smartphone the world hasn’t yet seen"
Better wait for a good one then?
:)
Last edited by: Focus on Fri 2 Mar 12 at 12:26
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>> Better wait for a good one then? :)
>>
You had better go back to the brick mobile phones then. ;-)
In today's modern, fast moving, and cool world, you have to get the jargon and get jiggy with it.
baddest:
"Supreme in status or standing. The very best at something. The Ultimate Champion or Warrior. Ultimate Title or Crown. The Greatest.
Always used complimentary, unless used by someone who has poor grammar.
Ironically, "baddest" and "worst" are complete opposites, despite the fact that at first glance, they appear to be synonyms."
:)
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Most smartphones require so much juice that they can't be considered "mobile" anymore.
Whatever smart phone you buy, always keep a dumb phone as backup so that you can talk with someone when emergency arises.
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It will be interesting to see what the battery life of phones using Nvidia's Tegra 3 ARM9 based SoC are like. Although this is a quad core (+1) architecture it is power gated. In lay terms that means the extra cores only take power when needed - the rest of the time they use nothing.
And the real interesting bit is there is a fifth core which takes over when lower performance is adequate (e.g. phone locked and only checking for emails, etc.). This extra core is implemented to run slower and use power.
There is also the argument some of the fast dual core ARM processors that is get things done quickly and then return to a lower power state for longer. So high clock speeds only in bursts.
I've said it here and before though, if you are not that technical get an iPhone - it will just work. The original iPhone4 had phone call problems due to the barmy antenna design but the iPhone4S mostly fixed this with the antennas being configured differently.
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>> Most smartphones require so much juice that they can't be considered "mobile" anymore.
My iPhone4, with approx 2 or so hours surfing, along with emails, an occasional game or two, and a few phone calls, lasts me the day.
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Just try using run keeper (or equivalent) for a day's skiing. It will kill the phone before you've finished the day. Not mobile.
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>> Just try using run keeper (or equivalent) for a day's skiing. It will kill the
>> phone before you've finished the day. Not mobile.
Yes well you cant run apps like that on your "last me all week" 2005 nokia. In fact if it wasnt for the phone capability the app wouldnt exist.
The fact is no-one runs apps like that all day.
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And they do charge up to an usable state very quickly. The received wisdom on here that no harm will come to a half charged battery if you top it etc etc.
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Nicoles contract is coming up for renewal. She is currently on a small blackberry, but looking at the options and what she wants from a phone, I think a Windows mobile would suit. Nokia Lumia probably.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 2 Mar 12 at 16:31
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>> >> Just try using run keeper (or equivalent) for a day's skiing....
>>
>> The fact is no-one runs apps like that all day.
>>
Because the battery would go flat.
That said, the whole business with apps is bizarre.
How about a thread to (truthfully)list what apps you have on your phone?
(Complete with comments about when it was last used)
Edit - off to do that now....
I may be some time ;-)
Last edited by: AnotherJohnH on Fri 2 Mar 12 at 16:45
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I have over 100 apps on my Android phone. Most are rarely used but they are sometimes so I leave them. It's not as if it's short of space. Thinking of things like IMDB, Google Goggles (can be fun and useful), TrafficEye, RAC Traffic, various utilities.
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Can't be bothered with apps. by and large; 4 of the 7 screens on my Wildfire S are still blank after 9 months. Most used app is torch. Use Mapdroid (offline map of UK) now and again, Google Navigate once every 3 months. Got bored with Angry Birds in a couple of weeks.
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So unless Spamcam uses the web browser, music player or video player... should have gone for a phone instead?
My phone has only 3 screens used for apps etc. But there are folders on screen two organising frequent apps into category. Others can be accessed from the apps folder.
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>> So unless Spamcam uses the web browser, music player or video player... should have gone
>> for a phone instead?
>>
I do occasionally use the web browser, not a deal breaker though. Going back to one of my 'old faithfuls' isn't difficult - SE K750i or Nokia E70. google navigate is jolly impressive on the very few occasions I've needed to use it.
The only real reason I went for a 'smart' phone was the display size, my eyesight is getting crap and the E70 display in particular was getting difficult to read.
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Fair enough about display size :-) E70 was a good phone IMO. Symbian has/had many advantages over iOS/Android but Nokia messed up with development especially the interface. They rested on their laurels for a long time knowing they were ahead - then realised they had messed up and were well behind.
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Guy I work with has been using an E70 since before first release, still working although the 9 button has fallen off, best he doesn't try to ring plod in a hurry. I can still text faster and more accurately on the E70 than a touchscreen, but the ultra sharp display - more than 300 ppi IIRC - meant web pages in particular rendered unreadably small.
I fired up my 9210i the other day, nice big display and still makes phone calls :-) - best speakerphone I've ever had.
Nokia can still make proper phones with good call quality and long battery life e.g:-
www.reghardware.com/2012/02/20/review_nokia_asha_201_qwerty_phone/
..but that's not where the money is nowadays.
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>> 9 button has fallen off, best he doesn't try to ring plod in a hurry
Dial 112 instead. Sorted.
>> I can still text faster and more accurately on the E70 than a touchscreen, but the ultra sharp display
Swype and similar on Android means you can type very quickly. But I let a few mistakes creep in to a post earlier today I think I've let it learn my lazy ways to be honest. Oops. It went crazy a few days ago... I'd accidentally switched to use the Dutch/Netherlands dictionary :-)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 2 Mar 12 at 21:48
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>>Ironically, "baddest" and "worst" are complete opposites, despite the fact that at first glance, they appear to be synonyms." <<
Not according to Frank Sinatra. See Youtube, 'Bad, Bad Leroy Brown'...
I prefer American English to teenager moronspeak.
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I too have a Nokia 3110C and a delightful phone it is too.
It makes phone calls very well.
All this talk about Apps.....
My next giant leap ion the phone world will be to the Nokia C1-01, I've had it some time and now may have plucked up the courage to use it.
Try one Mapmaker....we luddites are the salt of the earth;)
Pat
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Another Luddite here.
I have the C1-01, Pat, and it's fine. I use it for phone calls and texts.
I can't get on with a touch phone; I have enough problem with a normal keyboard and my fingers hitting 2 keys at once! I don't feel the need to be online when I'm out of the house.
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Thanks for all your replies.
I currently pay £17pcm to Orange for my SIM only deal. 300 mins + unlimited calls to landlines, which is ideal for keeping in touch with elderly relatives who don't know how to use their mobiles!
Orange offered me a no upfront cost Iphone 4S with 600 mins & unlimited data for £36pcm & a 24 month contract. Over the contract period this will cost me an extra £432, almost enough for a flight to visit family in sunnier climes so for the meantime I'm staying as was. If costs reduce when the Iphone 5 is launched I may reconsider. Thanks again.
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Don't even think about a Blackberry!
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Buying advice for my first 'smart' phone - R.P.
