Alternate Smart Phone

Sick and tired of my iphone and apple. Looking for another that plays music (as if any don't), apps, map thing, etc, also needs to be on STUPID FAGGOT ANNOYING SERVICE GayT&T. I don't think I'll be switching anytime soon.

inb4: I know I could look up on their website (which I am) but I wanted some personal input from personal use/ownage.

I notice that you mentioned that you're tired of your iPhone and Apple, yet your still want apps. Let me just remind you that iOS is the most thriving platform of applications by far. There no way you will find the same convinience on other platforms. Regardless, I'll fulfill your request of a recommendation of a non-iOS smartphone.



I don't recommend getting any phone right now because the Samsung Galaxy S II is coming out in a month. It's a beast of a smartphone. It's powered by a dual-core 1GHz Tegra 2 chip (the fastest mobile CPU in existence beside the Apple A5, which is only in the iPad 2 right now), has an unprecedented 1GB RAM, and sports 4.2" Super AMOLED Plus display, which is nothing short of brilliance. It will also record full 1080p video @ 30fps, with its 8MP camera. Even with these beastly specs, it's still thinner than the iPhone 4, making it the thinnest phone in existence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samsung_Galaxy_S_II
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_i9100_galaxy_s_ii-3621.php

what imperial said is nothing but the truth... also i heard that CiSco is in the process of starting there own smartphone and they are amongst the 1 of the largest Co. in the world for ISP and Networking.

Wait, what? Is Android not just as thriving as the iOS for available apps? At the very least, I have been able to find all but one of the apps I've ever needed and that's an app for my bank account. Not really a deal breaker for me. Just as easy to call the bank to check my balance.

Anyway, any smartphone running Android: http://www.android.com/ should suffice in place of an iPhone and that Galaxy S II is quite awesome and puts my Google Nexus One to shame. I would say shop around of course. There are Smartphones running Android on nearly every provider, so it comes down to which provider you want to go with and the quality of phones they offer. Any of these phones should come stock with Google Maps app and Navigation GPS app.

Nope.





Android doesn't support proper HTTP video streaming so you don't have apps like AirVideo or StreamToMe, which for me is really compulsory because I like having my anime on the go, and I want to watch episodes stored on my computer back at home. Converting is really a pain, you know?

Aside from video streaming, I do agree that Android apps can do everything iOS apps do and have equivalent apps for everything, but iOS apps usually execute them in a more elegant, polished and powerful way (Reeder vs NewsRob, Twitter for iPhone vs Twitter for Android, LogMeIn Ignition vs Xtralogic). Android apps can't stack up in terms of their UIs, and if you used both systems like I have, I don't think you can disagree.

For reference, my history with smartphones:

Apple iPhone [iOS] (July 2007 ~ July 2008)
Apple iPhone 3G [iOS] (July 2008 ~ August 2009)
Apple iPhone 3Gs [iOS] (August 2009 ~ March 2010)
Samsung Galaxy S [Android] (March 2010 ~ September 2010)
Apple iPhone 4 [iOS] (September 2010 ~ January 2011)
Samsung Omnia 7 [WP7] (January 2011 ~ February 2011)
Apple iPhone 4 [iOS] (February 2011 ~)

My next phone is going to be a battle between the Samsung Galaxy S II and the yet-to-be-announced Apple iPhone 5. I'll decide which one is superior when the details are laid out in front of me.

I'm highly skeptical about Optimus. If anything, LG will come out with a kind of prototype model to be surpassed other companies like Apple or Samsung.

Since it's on AT&T, I would also second ImperialX's recommendation of waiting for Samsung GalaxyS II (aka 'Impulse' on ATT)

OSwise, I would recommend Android. The only thing iOS attracted me was the combination of jailbreaking + installous.

^This.

The Optimus is a gimmick. Buy a solid smartphone like the Galaxy S II and then get a 3DS if you want 3D. At least it will have games designed specifically for a 3D device.

Holy crap! You clearly go through way more phones than I do. Yeah, before I splurged on a Nexus One, I was using a Nokia 5610 Xpress Music for 2 years. You certainly seem to use yours more often than I do as well which has a big influence on what's best for either of us.

I love the idea of apps, and literally having a computer in the palm of your hand, but with the way my days go, I either have no time to be staring at my phone or am always in front of a full sized computer.

Haha, so your first smartphone was a Nexus One. Android does have its annoyances for the beginning user, such as having an awkward multitasking procedure (you need manually to get an usable application switcher and app killer), and requiring you to get root access to customize a lot of things. In the end, it's still the most customizable for free mobile OS out there - just not the most user friendly.

I'm glad you didn't mind these difficulties and still enjoyed your Nexus One. When your contract runs out, are you intending to stick with Android, or are you planning to try something else such as iOS or Windows Phone 7? For the average user, all 3 platforms are perfectly powerful enough. Just remember, when you buy an Android device, try to get it straight from Google (Nexus One or Nexus S) if you don't want to root it and install a custom ROM. Stock Android is the way to go.

I don't lock myself with a contract. I'm always selling and buying new handsets because I'm always on the go, and use my iPad/smartphone more than my computer. I have a big demand for using the best out there right now, and for now, I'm using iOS with the iPhone. I tried using Windows Phone 7 but it simply lacked a lot of apps that I need such as remote access, file storage, Skype and a proper tethering solution. I'll see if some new Android handsets will make me jump back to Android. I've used it in 2010 as you can see and it was really good, albeit missing a few apps like I mentioned. Maybe the upcoming 3.0 Honeycomb release will change things too. I'll just have to wait and see - and my iPhone 4 can do everything I need a smartphone to do right now.

I didn't really have that much trouble setting up the phone initially and using it. I mean, I'm always in front of a computer, I'm used to navigating menus and finding things. If that's what you mean. Then found all the apps I think I would need at the time. I also haven't rooted it, nor felt the need to do so. There's an app to take control of the LED flash and use it as a flashlight. Being on T-Mobile and having an unlocked phone I'm not blocked from using USB/wifi tethering for Internet. Have not had the desire to overclock it either.

Strangely enough, I had a 2 year contract on T-Mobile, then got my Nexus One, swapped my SIM card into it, and changed my plan to one without a contract. Though I know I got the new plan a few months before the end of the 2 year contract. Not certain how their policy really works for that $200 cancellation fee for a contract, but regardless, didn't have to worry about it.

So yeah, since I'm not on any contract, and because my lifestyle and how much I really need to be connected, will determine when I'll actually upgrade. Though I plan on sticking with Android, since I've become a fan, and for the moment it does what I need to. I intend to get 2 years out of the Nexus One(bought it in June/July), if not a little bit more since I'm really not a heavy user. I also do like having an unlocked phone, but it's damn expensive having to pay the full price. :)