Smart Phones: What Should I Get?

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ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:14 AM
My AT&T plan allows me to upgrade at the end of September, so I will finally be getting a smart phone. I don't look to go all out and buy an expensive phone; I want something within reason. I'd say probably within $100-$150 (which would include the iPhone 3Gs).

Any suggestions? Do you think the iPhone 4 will have a lesser version with the release of the iPhone 5? Droids better than iPhones? What are the best smartphones to get within that price range? (Remember, I'll get contractual discounts).
Jul 6, 2011 8:14am
imex99's avatar

imex99

Senior Member

4,927 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:25 AM
Might get some help from this thread: http://www.ohiochatter.com/forum/threads/26110-Getting-a-new-phone-in-the-next-month

Being new to a smartphone, an iphone is very user friendly and can pick up and use it... If your a a tech nerd or want to be, android and rooting, tinkering around is the way to go. Android is very easy, just people coming from iphone to android have an adjustment period but most love it after the adjustment.
Jul 6, 2011 8:25am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:29 AM
I'm a Mac/Apple user, so I'm extremely familiar with the iPhone and iOS. Something about Android intrigues me.
Jul 6, 2011 8:29am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:29 AM
ernest_t_bass;822224 wrote:My AT&T plan allows me to upgrade at the end of September, so I will finally be getting a smart phone. I don't look to go all out and buy an expensive phone; I want something within reason. I'd say probably within $100-$150 (which would include the iPhone 3Gs).

Any suggestions? Do you think the iPhone 4 will have a lesser version with the release of the iPhone 5? Droids better than iPhones? What are the best smartphones to get within that price range? (Remember, I'll get contractual discounts).

Not being a dick with this comment... just trying to help you... There's a long thread with a lot of valuable information already about this very issue.

Just thought I would point it out to you and help you in your search.

http://www.ohiochatter.com/forum/threads/26110-Getting-a-new-phone-in-the-next-month?p=821681#top

Right now... for Verizon... the only smartphones I would purchase from them are (1) Droid CHARGE, (2) Droid Thunderbolt, (3) Droid Revolution [in that order].

For AT&T... only the Motorola Atrix.


Personally, I'm holding out for the iPhone 5 in hopes that it will be 4G. If so, that's the pony I'm going with. If not, then... well... I've put all my eggs in that basket and I'm not sure what I'm going to do. Perhaps the Charge (but at that point it will be a couple months "old")
Jul 6, 2011 8:29am
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:29 AM
I would guess you'll be able to get the iPhone 4 in that price range.
Jul 6, 2011 8:29am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:30 AM
se-alum;822234 wrote:I would guess you'll be able to get the iPhone 4 in that price range.

I am pre-leaning this route.
Jul 6, 2011 8:30am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:31 AM
ATT options for Android:

LG Phoenix
Mot. Flipside
Mot. Atrix
Pantech Crossover
HTC Inspire
Sony Eric. Xperia
Samsung Captivate
Samsung Infuse
Jul 6, 2011 8:31am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:32 AM
How bad to Blackberries suck?
Jul 6, 2011 8:32am
Scarlet_Buckeye's avatar

Scarlet_Buckeye

Senior Member

5,264 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:34 AM
ernest_t_bass;822239 wrote:How bad to Blackberries suck?

I have the BlackBerry Storm II. I loved it when it first came out. It was a solid phone. It was very good to me. Then... Droid and Apple started doing some amazing things... and for whatever reason... BlackBerry just wasn't moving as fast as its two biggest competitors. I'm making the switch. I will NOT be sticking with BlackBerry.
Jul 6, 2011 8:34am
thePITman's avatar

thePITman

Senior Member

3,867 posts
Jul 6, 2011 8:47 AM
I would strongly recommend HTC Android phones over Motorola Android phones. I have had nothing but positive experiences with HTC phones, nothing but negative experiences with Motorola phones, and I know many who have had similar experiences. That's just my recommendation. Take it for what it's worth.
Jul 6, 2011 8:47am
sherm03's avatar

sherm03

I go balls deep.

7,349 posts
Jul 6, 2011 9:02 AM
If you're staying with AT&T, the choice is between the Motorola Atrix, the HTC Inspire, and the Samsung Infuse.

The Atrix is going to offer you more of a future-proof design because of the RAM and processor. It's the only dual core phone available at AT&T, and a software update coming in the very near future will help to correct the ugliness that is MotoBlur. At $99, it's a steal.

The Inspire is the best selling Android phone at AT&T. Most of that is because for awhile, it was the only one priced at $99. It's screen is definitely crisper than the Atrix, but does not offer you a dual core processor. While it doesn't seem important now, that will come back and be a bother as programs/games are developed for Android devices with dual-core processors, and the Inspire cannot handle them. But, the Inspire has the Sense UI, and it is definitely the cleanest UI out there right now.

The Infuse is the highest priced out of the three. At $199, it's a good phone, and has the biggest and brightest screen available. The only problem is that the bezel around the 4.5" screen makes the phone seem absolutely huge. There's no way you can put a case on that phone and then be able to carry it in your pocket. It's also got a single core processor, so once again, the hardware is already out of date.

Go to the store and play around with those three devices. Don't even bother looking at an LG phone. Their Android phones are pretty crappy.
Jul 6, 2011 9:02am
se-alum's avatar

se-alum

The Biggest Boss

13,948 posts
Jul 6, 2011 10:24 AM
ernest_t_bass;822239 wrote:How bad to Blackberries suck?
They don't, but they have pretty much stuck w/ the "business phone" image they created, and done very well with. If you want a fun phone, iPhone and Android are the way to go.
Jul 6, 2011 10:24am
R

raiderbuck

Senior Member

1,623 posts
Jul 6, 2011 10:35 AM
Have any of the Droid phones improved battery life? That's my biggest (and probably only) gripe with the Droid phones. My cousin's iPhone 4 smokes my Droid 2 with battery power. It also beats my friend's Samsung Instinct (or galaxy S, or whatever it is), and another friend's EVO.

Granted, those Android phones are "older," but still. The lack of power makes me want to switch to the iPhone.
Jul 6, 2011 10:35am
DeyDurkie5's avatar

DeyDurkie5

Senior Member

11,324 posts
Jul 6, 2011 10:40 AM
yes
yes
Jul 6, 2011 10:40am
Tiger2003's avatar

Tiger2003

Kill or be Killed

15,421 posts
Jul 6, 2011 10:43 AM
The Infuse is awesome. I picked up mine the other day and I love it. I had the IPhone and I am happy I switched. The camera is very very nice. I do have a case on it very similar to my iphone case and it still fits in my pocket with no problem.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk
Jul 6, 2011 10:43am
ernest_t_bass's avatar

ernest_t_bass

12th Son of the Lama

24,984 posts
Jul 6, 2011 10:59 AM
One reason I am leaning towards the iPhone is to keep my paid apps that I have for my iPod touch.
Jul 6, 2011 10:59am