Battle of the Phones - (Was "Need help choosing new phone.")

[DQuaN]

*edit*
I figured it best to change this thread into a poll/discussion on phones as the Android vs iPhone vs other smartphone is only going to get more intense.


I'm finally chucking Orange as my mobile provider. I've been with them for 10 years and now and although they are a good mobile company, I'm just sick of not having any signal when indoors. My girlfriend is on T-Mobile and her phone works everywhere. It's not my phone either, everyone on orange gets no reception in my flat (amongst many other places).

Now I am stuck though. The new iPhone 4 looks brilliant. But so do the HTC's and other android phones. Everyone that has an iPhone tells me to get an iPhone, everyone that has android tells me otherwise.

HELP!

What are your thoughts / experiences?

Ta

Dunc

 

[Neal]

I work in the mobile telecoms industry and I still had exactly the same problem and questions!

I have decided to get an iPhone 4 though in September with the help of a bit of birthday cash. I've not met anyone who isn't 100% happy with their iPhone 4 although the same can be said about HTC phones, personal choice I guess.

I get rubbish reception in my house on Orange so won't be going with them and in a flat I used to live in years ago I got zero reception with 3. It's pointless checking the operators website for coverage because they will usually say you'll get full coverage but this doesn't account for dead spots in buildings. Put your post code into this website and check where the mobile phone masts near you home/work are to get an idea of which operators are closest, line of sight from the antennas is important so think about local topography getting in the way. It's worth noting that this website isn't necessarily 100% accurate as the operators can be a bit lax updating it.

As most contracts are now 18 or 24 months it's worth being 100% sure you'll get coverage and decent internet speeds before you commit. I got my current phone unlocked (in a dodgy phone shop but they know their stuff and it was only £7) and ordered a few pay as you go sim cards for free from the operators websites to check coverage then put some credit on the ones that were shortlisted to check down load speeds. Fortunately I get decent reception with 3 so I'll be going with them and they have the cheapest iPhone

Hope this helps

Neal

 

[DQuaN]

Thanks.

From that site I can see that there are 3 transmitters near me but I can't see where it says which operators they are.

Any more thoughts on iPhone vs Android?

 

[Jondot]

I'm finally chucking Orange as my mobile provider. I've been with them for 10 years and now and although they are a good mobile company, I'm just sick of not having any signal when indoors. My girlfriend is on T-Mobile and her phone works everywhere. It's not my phone either, everyone on orange gets no reception in my flat (amongst many other places).

Now I am stuck though. The new iPhone 4 looks brilliant. But so do the HTC's and other android phones. Everyone that has an iPhone tells me to get an iPhone, everyone that has android tells me otherwise.

HELP!

What are your thoughts / experiences?

Ta

Dunc

The iPhone is eleven million times more expensive than pretty much all Android handsets, but you can sort of justify it in that it's a 16GB iPod Touch at the same time. What you can't really say is that it's eleven million time better. Because it's not. To be honest, I just renewed my contract (or rather cancelled it and got them to stick me on a rolling sim only one) and the only thing that stopped me accepting the nice South African call centre woman's deal on a Samsung Wave is the fact that my house is filled with iPod docks. If it wasn't for that I'd have probably taken her up on the offer and ebayed the iPhone.

...mind you, mine's a 3G and as such has the processing power of a pocket calculator. But still.

And excellent advice from Neal there on phone signal 👍 You really can't go off the operator's websites (or indeed even Ofcom's charts) - for example, my flat is slap bang in the middle of a city with great coverage, but as long as we're actually in the flat it's utterly useless for every network we've tried. You just never know.

 

[Touring Mars]

I quite fancied an iPhone but reckoned it was too expensive, esp. since I already had an iPod for music and video, and didn't feel the need for the HD video capabilities of the iPhone. I ended up with the Samsung Galaxy Portal which was free, and I got a deal with unlimited internet for just £12 a month with 3. Compare that to >£30 a month for a similar deal but with an iPhone.... The Android market has lots of apps that are as good as any I've seen on the iPhone... I even found my favourite game, Sokoban, as a free app! For me, the iPhone has bags of style, but not enough extra substance to justify the extra cost. That said, my new phone is not perfect - battery life is pretty woeful, and I still have problems texting with the touchscreen (although I reckon this would be an issue with any touchscreen phone) - but otherwise, I'm happy with a fully internet-capable phone with a decent size screen that doesn't break the bank.

 

[ExigeEvan]

Not having been in the market a while, I can't really help.

But can I just say I'm amazed that T-mobile gets a better signal. I'm with Virgin Media who piggy back on T-mobile and it's the worst signal ever.

 

[DQuaN]

I should mention that whatever phone I go for, it will be free. Does that make the iPhone a more attractive offer? Is it the better phone if price is no object?

 

[Jondot]

TM that sounds like a ridiculously good deal - can I assume it was a 'gimme a deal or I'm leaving your network' type thing? Clearly I need to ring them up and give it a try

Not having been in the market a while, I can't really help.

But can I just say I'm amazed that T-mobile gets a better signal. I'm with Virgin Media who piggy back on T-mobile and it's the worst signal ever.

Interesting. My friend on Virgin also always got a hideous signal in my old place where I always got a great one with 3. The funny thing is, I could have sworn 3 steals (or used to steal) Orange's network for their 2G signal - and yet Neal is getting completely different levels of service between the two of them. Maybe they've stopped doing it now.

I should mention that whatever phone I go for, it will be free. Does that make the iPhone a more attractive offer? Is it the better phone if price is no object?

In a word, yes. If you can actually find one. When I was on the phone to 3 yesterday they said Apple are having issues meeting their demand, so essentially they have no stockpiled iPhones to sell at the minute. I don't suppose any other network is any different - I remember seeing Tesco Mobile had run out the other day too, and even the Apple website is quoting 3 weeks.

 

[Neal]

Thanks.

From that site I can see that there are 3 transmitters near me but I can't see where it says which operators they are.

T-Mobile and 3 share a lot their site locations as do Vodafone and O2 although their deal is more recent so there are fewer shared sites. Also Orange and T-Mobile have now merged and will soon trade under one company of Everything Everywhere. Clear?

This should explain

If you can actually find one. When I was on the phone to 3 yesterday they said Apple are having issues meeting their demand, so essentially they have no stockpiled iPhones to sell at the minute. I don't suppose any other network is any different - I remember seeing Tesco Mobile had run out the other day too, and even the Apple website is quoting 3 weeks.

But, but...I want want for my birthday in 3 weeks

 

[DQuaN]

Shouldn't be a problem. My company is also a business telecoms company. I've already requested the cancellation from orange and my company will pay my cancellation fees and give me whatever phone I want for free. Contract for the iPhone will be £38 a month for 600mins, unlimited texts, 10 free o2 numbers (I only know a couple of people on o2!) and unlimited internet. A soon as I decide they will have whatever phone I choose to me within a week.

*edit*
Thanks Neal. Looks like there are Vodafone and O2 transmitters 50m from my flat.

 

[Neal]

Shouldn't be a problem. My company is also a business telecoms company. I've already requested the cancellation from orange and my company will pay my cancellation fees and give me whatever phone I want for free. Contract for the iPhone will be £38 a month for 600mins, unlimited texts, 10 free o2 numbers (I only know a couple of people on o2!) and unlimited internet. A soon as I decide they will have whatever phone I choose to me within a week.

I like you less now

 

[daan]

From that site I can see that there are 3 transmitters near me but I can't see where it says which operators they are.

Zoom in as much as you can on the transmitter you want to check, then the text at the side changes to "Click map to :View Base Details", then click on the transmitter, and a popup window will appear with more info

 

[DQuaN]

Neal gave very detailed instructions 3 post above yours daan, but thanks for the effort.

 

[daan]

Yep, looks like I was tree'd to Giant Redwood proportions

 

[Bram Turismo]

What you can't really say is that it's eleven million time better. Because it's not.

It is if you have a 3GS

My friend has an HTC HD2, which is only 6 months old and an impressive piece of kit. I asked him why he's going for the iPhone 4 when his HD2 is still kind of brand new. He said "Pull out your 3GS and you'll see for yourself".

Personally I always thought his HD2 was an impressive phone, but when I compared it to my 3GS the differences became apparent. For one his screen is plain and simple yellow. When you use it you don't notice it, but if you then quickly use my iPhone you immediately see that the screen is sharper and much clearer color-wise. I don't know if it's just me being so clean, or my friend having such greasy fingers, but the screen of my iPhone seems very well resisted against fingerprints. I even bought a new protection layer for it and it gave off fingerprints immediately, which should indicate the iPhone's screen is very well made. His HD2 is well... You ought to not see most of with all those fingerprints on the screen...

Android is very nice with the HTCs, but its design just isn't on par with the iPhone's. I can't get enough of the simplicity, yet wonderful design of my 3GS.

I may sound biased, but I am extremely happy with my 3GS. Whatever you choose, I think a smartphone battle automatically is an HTC vs iPhone as these two seem to make the best smartphones.

Last piece of advice? Get the iPhone 4

 

[DQuaN]

Ok, I'm leaning much more towards the iPhone now.

 

[Flerbizky]

HTC Desire with OLED screen.. And now it even comes with frozen yogurt!.

I can not recommend this phone enough..

 

[DQuaN]

Well, I've placed an order for an iPhone.

I figured seeing as Vic has an Android phone, between us we'll have one of each so it's the best option.

 

[DQuaN]

I have an iPhone!!

It's not connected yet but I can connect it to the wireless and play around with it. Can anyone recommend any good aps?

 

[barryl85]

Angry Birds and GT5 countdown !!

 

[DQuaN]

Installed Angry Birds but not the GT5 countdown as I don't have a PS3 and I do have a calendar.

Any others?

 

[irnbrutwinturbo]

The iPhone 4 all the way.

- Download the opera browser, its great when you have a weak signal. Not as smooth as safari but very very fast.
- Direct your safari browser to the tvcatchup website, presume its tvcatchup.com , you can stream loadsa TV channels for free. Including all the normal bbc, itv etc.
- Don't forget that BBC iplayer is fantastic on the phones fancy screen. Completely free and fantastic quality.
- If you shop, the argos, amazon and ebay apps are definately handy.
- Also for price comparison, theres a barcode scanner called 'RedLaser'
- Dont forget to get the official apple ibooks app. Very good.
- There are a few free sat-nav apps, some are very good in well mapped cities, London will definately be mapped well in any free version.
- Tomtom is pretty good, although if you can justify the cost is your decision.
- Ensure you turn on location services for taking photographs, its pretty cool to see on the map where you took the picture.
- Theres also a few apps that let you use your flash as a torch, works very well.
- Learn how to use street view on the 'maps' app, very cool feature, very handy when visualising a route.
- Shazam is great, your iphone listens to a song thats playing, then goes online and finds out the name/artist. Soundhound does the same, not sure which is best.

If your brave definatelty consider jailbreaking your phone. It adds plenty of cool features, your probably best researching more about this yourself. Its a bit of a grey area.

 

[DQuaN]

Thanks. I've been looking at free satnav apps but there are so many and I'm sure lots of them aren't very good. Can you recommend any good ones?

 

[Jondot]

If your brave definatelty consider jailbreaking your phone. It adds plenty of cool features, your probably best researching more about this yourself. Its a bit of a grey area.

Mmmm I wouldn't. Supposedly Apple now have some way of checking if it's been jailbroken (even after a full reset). Ergo, buh-bye warranty.

That is, however, just a rumour.

 

[irnbrutwinturbo]

Mmmm I wouldn't. Supposedly Apple now have some way of checking if it's been jailbroken (even after a full reset). Ergo, buh-bye warranty.

That is, however, just a rumour.

Interesting to know, but this isn't the first time this rumour has been mentioned. It came up with the release of iOS3 as well. Will definately be one for the hackers to work on if this is true.

The problem with such a watermark is legal implications in some countries. The law is generally on the side on the consumer, and Jailbreaking is not illegal. With the latest jailbreak being stupidly simple, anyone could argue that they thought it was completely ok, just like bookmarking your favourite website.

I suppose time will tell.

 

[Crash]

Mmmm I wouldn't. Supposedly Apple now have some way of checking if it's been jailbroken (even after a full reset). Ergo, buh-bye warranty.

That is, however, just a rumour.

Well, even though technically jailbreaking will void your warranty, even if it is legal to jailbreak in your country, whether Apple will replace the phone or not even though the phone is jailbroken is totally dependent on the tech support person or Genius that you talk to.

 

[barryl85]

and I do have a calendar.

Jeeze louise.....

everyone has calanders - but we have count downs to everything in this world





Posts like this is the reason i dont frequent this site as much any more.

 

[DQuaN]

Easy tiger, just poking a bit of fun!

 

[irnbrutwinturbo]

Jeeze louise.....

everyone has calanders - but we have count downs to everything in this world





Posts like this is the reason i dont frequent this site as much any more.

You seriously jumped on the uber defensive there. If posts like this bother then i doubt you'll enjoy any forum. In fact, if you take a defensive stance automatically then i personally would avoid email, IM, telephone, twitter, sms, fax and maybe even postal mail.

If in doubt, just imagine a smiley face after every sentence.

and I do have a calendar.

 

[boiltheocean]

Posts like this is the reason i dont frequent this site as much any more.

What because he stated two realistic reasons why he doesn't need a countdown for GT5?

I don't see what has made you so upset by that post.

EDIT: Sorta Tree'd

Dunc I'd suggest Airfoil and Airfoil Speakers if you've got an Stereo with iPod dock or Line-In.