Smart Phone Choice!

[brianedm]

Google Now for iPhone and iPad: It's Here, and It's Great (UPDATED)
Specifically this:


Hmm, It appears I been mostly incorrect - it's much closer to Google Navigation than I assumed
Google Maps for iPhone Tips and Tricks - YouTube

That all said: I still hate iTunes with prejudice. Lack of expandable storage and non replaceable battery are other big show-stoppers. Now, some android phones have one of or both issues, but I find It's easy to find one which does lack these features.

To give an example closer to Audioholics hearts - My Samsung Galaxy S2 came with 16gb Internal storage. I used cheap $20-25 class 4 32gb microsd card to boost total storage to 48gb
I can drag and drop tons of Flac music and have flawless quality music playback on the go. No need to convert. No need for heavy management app etc...

You've got me there. iTunes isn't fantastic. I just stream Sirius whenever I need music on my phone so it's not that big of a deal for me

 

[speakerman39]

Get an Iphone wait for the 5s to come out or get the 4s, either of them are great and if you use Apple for your computer then its a no brainer really...although if you are still a pc guy you should go with the smaller of the pc based phones IMO ...........hope you are well Speakerman !!!

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I do not use an apple for my computing needs. Would love to do so, but just too darn expensive. The iPhone 5 is looking very tempting to me right now. Perfect size and weight. But, the 5 is also a BIG investment.


Cheers,

Phil

 

[speakerman39]

I worked in the industry for 5 years on the business side, but have kept up with the technology

Verizon Wireless:
I would definitely consider the Razr HD Maxx HD.
-By far the best phone when it comes to battery life
-Motorola was acquired by Google, so you can expect quicker updates to Android software
-I had the Razr Maxx (non HD) for a year and used it heavy for business and could always get 2 solid days off a charge.

If you can wait about another month, Motorola is coming out with the Droid X, which is supposed to be a super durable with even a larger battery than the Maxx HD.

AT&T/T-Mobile/Sprint: (SAMSUNG GALAXY 3)
-Samsung Galaxy 3 decent battery life (Battery reports on the Galaxy 4 seem mixed, so I would wait and read some reviews)
-Samsung is a full featured software phone
-Excellent in receiving Android software updates
-Removable battery so you can buy an extra if you are a heavy user.
-If the Galaxy 3 is too big, they are coming out with a Galaxy mini that might fit the bill
-Since it's the most popular phone, its fairly easy to find accessories for it (i.e. extra batteries)

Tips:
-Go to each carrier's website and check their network in your area, this could have the most impact on your provider of choice.

AT&T Coverage Viewer
Custom JSP Tag Page
Coverage Locator
U.S. Cellular Coverage Indicator | Cell Phone Coverage | U.S. Cellular

-In my experience as far as data networks I have had the best success with Verizon, then AT&T, followed by Sprint and T-Mobile
-If you go with Sprint, make sure the phone you buy supports 4G LTE. Older model Sprint Phones used 4G Technology called WiMAX, which is all but dead. Sprint has gotten with the times and upgraded to 4G LTE.

I have the HTC One M7(newest model) Great looking and performing phone, but its battery is not user replaceable. That and when you are using it with a heavy workload it does tend to get very hot. I don't think that it would be the best choice for your needs, though I love it for my job!

T-Mobile by far has the best pricing plan @ $70 Unlimited Voice/Text/Data. I have noticed that its voice is great (HD Voice), but its data network can vary greatly by location. That is why its so important to check data coverage in your area.

Great sites to check for phone reviews;

PhoneDog | The Leader in Mobile Phone News and Reviews | PhoneDog
Product reviews and prices, software downloads, and tech news - CNET
Phone Scoop

View attachment 11828


On Prepaid Carriers:
- I do not have experience with them, but a lot of people swear by them because of price.
- Other companies to consider may be in your area you might want to check out (i.e. cricket/ Metro PCS / etc)

On buying unlocked phones:
- Pretty much all unlocked phones are GSM
- T-Mobile uses the 1700 band for HSPA+ (3G+) and LTE most unlocked phone will not work for them in most markets though they are moving to 1900
- Unlocked phones are next to impossible to find and work on Sprint/Verizon because their CDMA networks are closed and would take an act of congress

Awesome! Very informative. Thanks for all of your info.


Cheers,

Phil

 

[speakerman39]

Folks, thanks for all of your suggestions. I am getting closer. So far, I really like what I have read about the RAZR MAXX HD! Have not seen one in person. I noticed it is ONLY available through Verizon. I also like what I am reading about the Samsung Galaxy S IV. But, once again it is a lil bit on the BIG side of things. Thus, I really like the look and feel of the iPhone 5. Either of these will require a BIG investment on my part. On the contrary, I am now also considering the Samsung Victory via the Virgin Mobile network. Not only is it much more affordable, but Virgin has unlimited everything for only $55 per month! Just need to go check one out at Rat Shack or Walmart, and etc. Feel free to keep the advice coming folks. I am listening to what YOU have to say. The more info the merrier I always say!


Cheers,

Phil

 

[Cos]

Folks, thanks for all of your suggestions. I am getting closer. So far, I really like what I have read about the RAZR MAXX HD! Have not seen one in person. I noticed it is ONLY available through Verizon. I also like what I am reading about the Samsung Galaxy S IV. But, once again it is a lil bit on the BIG side of things. Thus, I really like the look and feel of the iPhone 5. Either of these will require a BIG investment on my part. On the contrary, I am now also considering the Samsung Victory via the Virgin Mobile network. Not only is it much more affordable, but Virgin has unlimited everything for only $55 per month! Just need to go check one out at Rat Shack or Walmart, and etc. Feel free to keep the advice coming folks. I am listening to what YOU have to say. The more info the merrier I always say!


Cheers,

Phil

Check the fine print with Virgin Mobile unlimited data plan.
- Virgin Mobile is basically Sprint's prepaid plans, as it uses Sprint's network
- Same rules apply, make sure that the phone you purchase has 4G LTE (NOT WIMAX) i.e do not buy the Samsung galaxy II
- It may say unlimited data, but only a portion of that unlimited data is 4G, after you reach a certain benchmark, your data gets throttled down to 3G or even 2G. Be careful to read their data plan to see what you limit is, I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

Tips:
-Check the Sprint Coverage map and you will know your network coverage for 4G (LTE)
-Verify with Virgin Mobile that you will be getting 4G LTE with your device and what are the data caps for 4G

Price is great, but make sure you understand the details. On the positive side, I think that if you are with Virgin Mobile and decide you would want to be a Sprint Customer, the will let you do that since its on their network. It would only work for Sprint.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

FIY: Ting also uses Spring network. Don't get stuck on unlimited data. 99% use under 2GB a month and about 90% use less than 512 MB

My highest recommendation to you is simple:
Do the cost analysis on any device you buy by adding all the costs for next 2-3 years - you'll see big differences

 

[Cos]

Simple:
1. Coverage of Provider: Pre or Post Paid, make sure you have good coverage in the area and where you are going to travel
2. Pricing Plans of the Provider you are going to consider
3. Device: You are going to live with it for the next year or more, make sure you like it

If you do decide on Virgin Mobile the Samsung Victory is the only phone I would recommend because it's the only device that has 4G LTE
- Realize that if you go with Virgin the phone tech is a little older because they do not get the newest devices
- You might want to call Virgin and see if you buy a newer model Sprint Phone on ebay, could you transfer the ESN over to them, they may do it
- If you do decide to buy a phone from Ebay: Make sure the listing states: CLEAN ESN, if not don't touch it.
- Ting lets you bring over a Sprint Phone, but I am not a big fan of their bucket pricing, unless you are a minimalist user

Another Thought:
If you do go the prepaid route, or Post Paid, I would definitely suggest getting the newest model device you can afford if looking at Android:
- If you go Android, make sure you get a phone that has at least 1GB of RAM dedicated for the OS. (This is not storage)
- This is so it is possible to upgrade to the newer versions of the Android OS.
- One problem with getting an older phone, is that there is a possibility that it will no longer be supported for OS upgrades, unless you root it
- Right now the most current Android OS is Jelly Bean 4.2.x (4.1.x is also Jelly Bean)

 

[speakerman39]

Check the fine print with Virgin Mobile unlimited data plan.
- Virgin Mobile is basically Sprint's prepaid plans, as it uses Sprint's network
- Same rules apply, make sure that the phone you purchase has 4G LTE (NOT WIMAX) i.e do not buy the Samsung galaxy II
- It may say unlimited data, but only a portion of that unlimited data is 4G, after you reach a certain benchmark, your data gets throttled down to 3G or even 2G. Be careful to read their data plan to see what you limit is, I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

Tips:
-Check the Sprint Coverage map and you will know your network coverage for 4G (LTE)
-Verify with Virgin Mobile that you will be getting 4G LTE with your device and what are the data caps for 4G

Price is great, but make sure you understand the details. On the positive side, I think that if you are with Virgin Mobile and decide you would want to be a Sprint Customer, the will let you do that since its on their network. It would only work for Sprint.

I checked coverage for Virgin Mobile/Sprint and it looks like I will mainly get 3g. Not sure if that would be a good thing. But, 4g is not here locally yet. Would 3g suffice?


Cheers,

Phil

 

[speakerman39]

FIY: Ting also uses Spring network. Don't get stuck on unlimited data. 99% use under 2GB a month and about 90% use less than 512 MB

My highest recommendation to you is simple:
Do the cost analysis on any device you buy by adding all the costs for next 2-3 years - you'll see big differences

Interesting-I plan to stream movies into my tv so I figured 2GB of data would NOT be much to work with. Am I right? I have much to learn about smartphones.


Cheers,

Phil

 

[speakerman39]

Simple:
1. Coverage of Provider: Pre or Post Paid, make sure you have good coverage in the area and where you are going to travel
2. Pricing Plans of the Provider you are going to consider
3. Device: You are going to live with it for the next year or more, make sure you like it

If you do decide on Virgin Mobile the Samsung Victory is the only phone I would recommend because it's the only device that has 4G LTE
- Realize that if you go with Virgin the phone tech is a little older because they do not get the newest devices
- You might want to call Virgin and see if you buy a newer model Sprint Phone on ebay, could you transfer the ESN over to them, they may do it
- If you do decide to buy a phone from Ebay: Make sure the listing states: CLEAN ESN, if not don't touch it.
- Ting lets you bring over a Sprint Phone, but I am not a big fan of their bucket pricing, unless you are a minimalist user

Another Thought:
If you do go the prepaid route, or Post Paid, I would definitely suggest getting the newest model device you can afford if looking at Android:
- If you go Android, make sure you get a phone that has at least 1GB of RAM dedicated for the OS. (This is not storage)
- This is so it is possible to upgrade to the newer versions of the Android OS.
- One problem with getting an older phone, is that there is a possibility that it will no longer be supported for OS upgrades, unless you root it
- Right now the most current Android OS is Jelly Bean 4.2.x (4.1.x is also Jelly Bean)

Thanks a bunch Cos. This post is very informative. You bring up some very vital information.


Cheers,

Phil

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Interesting-I plan to stream movies into my tv so I figured 2GB of data would NOT be much to work with. Am I right? I have much to learn about smartphones.


Cheers,

Phil

Hmmm... No 2Gb would not be nearly enough for this ..
If this is requirement for you - then you have only one network to choose and it's to go straight to Sprint - pretty much the last company to offer truly unlimited data ( grandfathered plans don't count) and rest of "unlimited" will start to throttle you after certain limit. like I'm pretty sure that Virgin Unlimited Data plan has an asterisk next to it

 

[speakerman39]

Hmmm... No 2Gb would not be nearly enough for this ..
If this is requirement for you - then you have only one network to choose and it's to go straight to Sprint - pretty much the last company to offer truly unlimited data ( grandfathered plans don't count) and rest of "unlimited" will start to throttle you after certain limit. like I'm pretty sure that Virgin Unlimited Data plan has an asterisk next to it

T-mobile offers truly unlimited data and I believe 4g is available in my area. However, I would have to go to a different phone and I am really liking the Samsung Galaxy Victory phone. I am thinking about buying it and going with the $55 per month totally unlimited. The thing is though, Sprint only offers 3g in my area. Is that really a BIG deal? I am still a bit confused here........LOL!


Cheers,

Phil

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

T-mobile offers truly unlimited data and I believe 4g is available in my area. However, I would have to go to a different phone and I am really liking the Samsung Galaxy Victory phone. I am thinking about buying it and going with the $55 per month totally unlimited. The thing is though, Sprint only offers 3g in my area. Is that really a BIG deal? I am still a bit confused here........LOL!


Cheers,

Phil

T-Mobile Unlimited data phone plans start at $70+taxes/fees. Their "4G" is actually 3.5G.
Actual performance will not be most likely limited by cell network radio limits, but by their tower backbone (not same thing as 5 bars). Only way to test actual speeds is to take 2 similar phones on different networks to your location and perform the speed testing.

Check mobile forums for locals and see what they get in terms of speeds on networks in your area.

If I wanted to watch movies on my cellphone I'd rather have my phone with crap-load of storage and have the movies locally. We are far from Asian mobile networks to have perfect mobile video consistently.

Speaking of Samsung Galaxy Victory - it has internal 4gb space and option to add up-to 32gb. I think you'll see how increadibly quickly 4gb will fill just for system & your apps
Moving apps to SD is mostly possible, but far from any app.
I'd pick a different phone.

 

[Cos]

- T Mobile Everything Plan is 70+taxes & Fees
- BIG CAVVIOT The pricing is based on you paying full price for the phone. If you do the payment plan, please add $20.00/per month to your phone plan
- IE I paid $579 for my HTC one, my price plan is $70.00. If I paid the $99.00 instead of full price for the phone I pay off the phone over the 24 month timeframe @ $20.00/mo interest free
- Their data network consists of HSPA+(3.5G) and LTE (4G) which has just started to grow
- T Mobile's 3.5G is comparable or close to the 4G realized speeds of other providers and would be able to perform the streaming you suggest
- All things being equal I would go with T-Mobile's 3.5G over Sprints 3G as it has a significant performance advantage (of course depending on network coverage in your area)
- Sprint's Unlimited data plan with 900Min is $79.99+Taxes & Fees and if you only get 3G speeds, it might be a red flag.

As BoredSystemAdmin Suggested, I would google forums and network reports in your area of the different providers to see who is performing well.

 

[speakerman39]

T-Mobile Unlimited data phone plans start at $70+taxes/fees. Their "4G" is actually 3.5G.
Actual performance will not be most likely limited by cell network radio limits, but by their tower backbone (not same thing as 5 bars). Only way to test actual speeds is to take 2 similar phones on different networks to your location and perform the speed testing.

Check mobile forums for locals and see what they get in terms of speeds on networks in your area.

If I wanted to watch movies on my cellphone I'd rather have my phone with crap-load of storage and have the movies locally. We are far from Asian mobile networks to have perfect mobile video consistently.

Speaking of Samsung Galaxy Victory - it has internal 4gb space and option to add up-to 32gb. I think you'll see how increadibly quickly 4gb will fill just for system & your apps
Moving apps to SD is mostly possible, but far from any app.
I'd pick a different phone.

I thought I was making progress, but it appears I am not....LOL! I was all set on the Samsung Victory, but ONLY getting 3g bothers me. So, it looks like I am going to have to pick a different phone that will require a BIGGER investment. Might as well get the best network I can. Where would I find such forums that will contain info on signal strength locally? Have any suggestions?


Cheers,

Phil

 

[speakerman39]

- T Mobile Everything Plan is 70+taxes & Fees
- BIG CAVVIOT The pricing is based on you paying full price for the phone. If you do the payment plan, please add $20.00/per month to your phone plan
- IE I paid $579 for my HTC one, my price plan is $70.00. If I paid the $99.00 instead of full price for the phone I pay off the phone over the 24 month timeframe @ $20.00/mo interest free
- Their data network consists of HSPA+(3.5G) and LTE (4G) which has just started to grow
- T Mobile's 3.5G is comparable or close to the 4G realized speeds of other providers and would be able to perform the streaming you suggest
- All things being equal I would go with T-Mobile's 3.5G over Sprints 3G as it has a significant performance advantage (of course depending on network coverage in your area)
- Sprint's Unlimited data plan with 900Min is $79.99+Taxes & Fees and if you only get 3G speeds, it might be a red flag.

As BoredSystemAdmin Suggested, I would google forums and network reports in your area of the different providers to see who is performing well.

Yeah, I am aware of the $70 per/month plus taxes for unlimited everything. Whichever phone I go with will be extra, as well as, a down payment. At least the phone is interest free. T-mobile has excellent coverage in my area too. Lets just say things are looking real good for T-mobile right about now. Care to suggest a more local forum giving me more info on signal strength?


Cheers,

Phil

 

[Cos]

I just googled carrier feedback and my city state to get coverage information on forums, that may work for you

The best way to determine coverage is to try a phone out. All major providers have a 14 day no questions asked return policy on new phones. If T-Mobile seems like a logical choice for you, then get the phone you want from them, try it out for 1-13 days and if it works out for what you want to do, then keep it. If coverage is lacking you can return it for a full refund minus any usage fees during that time.

I was a happy Verizon customer but when the HTC One came out and T-Mobile's new pricing plans, it was too good to pass up. I bought the HTC one, and had them give me a new number for that phone. After testing it out for a week, coverage was excellent, data network was good so I just ported my Verizon Number after I determined that I was keeping the phone.

For me T-Mobile was great: I had a 20% corporate discount with Verizon and was still spending $112+Tax. Now with T Mobile I save $32.00 a month $ a year. Plus I had $10 for to share my data plan with my ipad 4. So take $42/mo $504 year. (Please note I added $10.00 to T-Mobile data unlimited plan so I could Tether 2.5GB of Data for my ipad. While data is unlimited on the phone, you can only tether 500MB.

 

[Rickster71]

Hi Phil,
just to add a bit to your decision making, when it comes to carriers.
Verizon is the only one that has emergency back-up generators on their cell towers.
Some other carriers have battery back-up; however they don't last very long.

Good Luck

 

[Cos]

Hi Phil,
just to add a bit to your decision making, when it comes to carriers.
Verizon is the only one that has emergency back-up generators on their cell towers.
Some other carriers have battery back-up; however they don't last very long.

Good Luck

Wireless carriers put disaster recovery plans to test after storm – USATODAY.com

Not completely true, but Verizon does a good job with backup

 

[jotham]

So, I'm definitely in the iPhone 5 camp nowadays but i agree with a lot of the points said earlier.

I guess lots of people use iTunes successfully but I personally don't care for it. When I buy CDs, I rip two copies to my home server, one is FLAC for playback over my home audio squeezeboxes, and one is MP3 Outrageous (or whatever it's called) for a high quality MP3 rip. I then use iTunes in manual mode to put the albums on my phone that I want, no autosync itunes stuff. I've found it is possible to have so much music on your phone that you have a hard time finding it. I could also do Apple Lossless if I cared but it's not worth it for my phone. DBPoweramp is your friend!

I went with the 64 GB model so that I could include movies and such.

There is no question that movies look better on a larger phone like the Samsung Galaxy or HTC One but the thing is, I only watch movies on it when I'm desperate or need to entertain a child. No phone comes close to a tablet (well, not most phones ) or my 92" projector.

I love a lot of the features of Android but with the exception of some of the Nexus phones, the wait for upgraded OSes is what kills it in my book. Sure, your HTC One is gorgeous but in a year when a new version of Android comes out, how long if ever will you wait for the upgrade. I keep my phones for a long time and I need them to improve over time. I just wish Apple would add some of the nicer features of Android sooner.

Lastly, I am really happy that none of the folks here have commented about iSheep. I find that really annoying as I am a professional programmer that has made a conscious decision to enter the walled garden because I just need something that works reliably, not because I can't handle re-skinning, swapping rom firmware, overclocking or all the other sort of ridiculous things my colleagues do when they "play" with their Android phones rather than just using them.

Still, I want an HTC One I guess what I really want is an HTC One with Nexus features.