I’ve been looking to buy a smartphone. Any suggestions, precautions, or advice as to which make, operating platform, etc. to go for?

Any comment appreciated. Oh, and like I recall Shelley commenting, I don’t think social networking would be high on my usage list.

Thanks, Fred

Who would your provider be. The Phone depends on what they offer.
I own a Droid 3 and it's a pretty decent phone. glitzy just
like a typical Android. Has many great features in the Multimedia area
. I have 2 friends with Iphones and they love them. One guy is not good with computer technology very much and caught on to it right away. taking pics and sending them off etc. They are very easy to use and never hear not one bad thing about them. They work. the quality is also excellent. I recommend it. There are some really nice Android phones also but need to tweak it and learn it's ways. You can do a lot with either one. Another Guy I know got one of those DROID RAZAR. It's also a fantastic phone. Nice big screen good audio and call strength great. If your the safe kind of guy get the Iphone. You won't be disappointed.

Nice recap, thank you.

Daughter and 1 grand daughter have the iphone and love them. The soninlaw and other grand daughter both have Blackberries. They are texters and love them too.

Yes I'm finding out re who carries which phones. Here in BC Rogers and Telus are the big players with a few resellers also.

I had searched the computer forum earlier and found only a few comments re phones and thought I'd be clever and post this here.(before reading the rest of the page, to learn here is where the discussions are taking place) Lots of good info for me too.

Thanks, Fred

Is Virgin available in your area? I purchased my phone in February and spent some time checking all of the Canadian offerings in my area (Manitoba). I was looking for a provider that offered clear, unambiguous pricing, sensible packages, and flexible plans. Virgin was the clear winner, with Telus a near second. I grudgingly went with Telus, as Virgin didn't have the better smart phones available in my area until August 1, and I didn't want to wait that long.

Dave

Wife and I have the Iphone 4. My daughters and son-in-law have them. The main problem is you must deal with Apples heavy handed, over the top control. Simple things you can't do because Apple says you can't.

Nightly Reader

"Is Virgin available in your area? "

Yes it is. Thanks for that Dave. I'll give them a look-see.


"Apples heavy handed, over the top control. Simple things you can't do because Apple says you can't."

That was one of my concerns as well.

Another question I have been pondering is how much per month do all these 'useful apps' I hear about, tally up to?

Thanks for the info. It helps an old guy.

Fred

Most apps that are useful to people use are Free for the Iphone and Android. Often the free version has less options or no Advertising.
If you do buy into any Apps they tend to be very cheap. 2-5 dollars for the Android or Apple. There are usually a selection of Apps that do almost the same thing that can be paid for or just free. With the apple your safer using the free apps, apple screens their apps before offering them for sale or free. Android not so much.

They are keepers and get regular updates just like the Paid Versions. If there is an app your looking for the best thing to do is READ the REVIEWS. The Reviews can be very accurate and help you decide. Always try for the Free ones. It is possible to have a great feature rich phone using ALL free apps. Apple or Android.

I agree many of the apps are free. But, if you're not careful, the data usage can go out of control unless you choose your apps carefully, understand how they function, and monitor their usage. I use a free app on my Android phone called Onavo that gives me instantaneous information regarding data usage, both local and roaming.

Also, Android apps from the Google Play Store are pretty safe, virtually as much so as from Apple, no matter what Apple hypes. It's the apps from other sources that are the brunt of the scourge. Just because Apple makes it impossible to use an app they don't endorse does not weaken the Android situation. It is a single setting on any Android phone to limit the install of non-Google endorsed apps.

Dave

I'm a fan of the Android platform. We have Droid Bionics and love them.

It's not a big deal. Any time you use Google search, or pretty well anything else on the Internet, data is being stored and used for advertising purposes. It's a lot more benign than 'those who are paranoid' would make it out to be. Location data is stored so that apps are aware of surrounding, nearby businesses. Without such data, how in the world could the app point you to the nearest filling station, a list of hotels, etc. I wouldn't pay too much heed.

The Google account is basically just a Google email address. You need an account to access the Play Store for apps, and so your Google email app can be functional. I have had a couple of accounts for many years with Google. Trust me, no harm has come to me, and I'm not the least bit concerned. The data collected is a lot more anonymous than the parnoid would make you believe.

The sync feature can be controlled to the degree you wish in your phone settings. The sync allows your phone data, contact list, etc. to be backed up on the Google servers (in the 'Cloud', so to speak). This will be useful to you in the event your phone is damaged, fails, or lost. The backup will allow a replacement phone to be fully up and running as it was in little time.

When you first get your phone, take the time to go through each and every setting so that you can understand and control the above features as you wish. If something doesn't make sense, post the question and someone here should be able to explain it. Trust me, it's a little daunting and confusing at first. But it soon makes sense and becomes effortless. Just remember that the more you lock down your phone the less functional it becomes. However, you don't want to go to the other extreme and leave everything uncontrolled.

Dave

The Google account is also what allows you to easily add apps to your cell phone directly from any computer web browser. When you log into your Google account while in the Chrome browser, and then access the apps page, you will be shown whether or not you have the app already installed on your phone and, if not, you will be able to install it from your computer. I'm pretty sure this will work the same from any browser but, as I only use Chrome these days, am not certain.

Your email account is directy linked to your mobile hardware for this purpose.

Dave

So after all the study and planning, when I went into my Telus Store
(they have actually started opening a few corporate outlets for the public again after years of Harris Mobility being the only access to "Telus people".
I visited a newly opened one that offered a few extras)
I received excellent treatment and advice, I thought. But came out with an HTC one S in the bag.

Assured that it had pretty much all the features I would find in the Galaxy S111 but is a slightly smaller physically, device.
I preferred the feel of it both in my hand and in my pocket so that is what I went with. There is a 14 day 'return it' policy if I am not happy with it.

So now I have my nose into the user manual while the battery is charging.

Seems like most people are delighted with android-google platform and it it comes highly recommended.

Thanks again for your help and I'll check in again when I have learned a little more about it.

Fred

Let us know how you like the HTC after a few days of "training." ")

Don't give up on Smart Phones.
What you experienced was that crappy Android. I have had it with it. It so unstable, You push an icon and nothing happens, push it again again and then it opens. There are so many bugs in Android I would be here typing all night. It is Junk.
Freezes up, auto reboots, starts an app all by itself. It is a nice Idea that just does not work.
When the Windows 8 phones and tablets hit the market give a smart phone a new try but not with Android.

How long has Microsoft been making Operating Systems?

How long has Google been making Android.

Just plain Reason is going to tell you who knows how to operate any computer. It's Microsoft they know OS more than anybody on earth.

Next time I am going with the Experience and know I will have a device that's fun, Works and familiar. Google should focus on that Chrome OS and sell Android to someone who can stabilize it. If that is possible.

Jeez Mike there are many millions that disagree with that view.I don't own one I have a Blackberry but know many people with one and they love them.I have rarely heard of people complaining other than if I do an internet search where btw I could come up with complaints about any of the phones.Are they perfect not a chance but not as bad as you are making out.

Hi JMC

With the recognized faults and weakness's taken into account. Even if it were a perfect system I had problems convincing myself how much use I would make of it.
I should have had a clue from the small amount of use I get out of my regular cell phone.
Not being a business person, student, on the go most of the time, or
in a position that needs communication abilities every hour of the day I really don't see a good use for it to improve my lifestyle.

Even that said, I will be watching with great interest for the launch of the new MS phone and how Apple responds.

Thanks JMC

Fred

Your relentless tirade against Android is tiring. Many, many folks, myself included, use Android daily without the issues you list. Microsoft may have been in the O/S business since 1981, but they have a history of releasing some of the most buggy and unstable code in the industry.

I'm glad that you have so much faith in Microsoft. You will likely need it when you get that 'phone to end all phones' that is running their crap.

Dave

I know some people that love android and don't complain. They also don't do any of the kinds of things I do with it. I am not happy with my current phone and it was not a cheap phone. I had 2 android based phones before that and they also had issues. So I complain for a good reason.
It if was so great I would think so also. People did not like when I was singing the praises of Android and now they don't like me knocking it.
Can't win.
The first few times I put the blame on my phones hardware not anymore.
The buggy Android is the problem and my newest phone lead me in that direction. I am glad your happy with yours and only time will tell if you stay happy with it.

MSU

Fair enough.

Actually not really caring which way you swing on the Android I just think it's a little inaccurate to flatly say Android is junk.Maybe you have found it to be buggy and you should state however YOU feel on the subject but just like any opinion not everyone shares it or your experience with it.Stating like it's the gospel is not an opinion shared by most tech sites that review phones.I'm sure that a lot of those people that are heavy phone users would have been stating that if that was the case generally.

There is no phone perfect for everyone. Even the iPhone has its problems as far as some are concerned. I think most people buy more phone thsn they need and then accept its faults. opinions are a dime a dozen, and everyone is entitled to their own.

Shelly

Thanks for the update. Looks like I won't be getting an HTC anyway unless I go with a lesser model.

I hope to try out the Samsung Galaxy S III tomorrow if Verizon has one in stock in Greenville, SC. The main thing for me at this point is to check its size and comfort in my hand.

I tried an iPhone 4 and really like its size. But I want the flexibility of a Droid.

Hi Allyn,

The reason I went with the HTC was I found the physical size of the Galaxy just a little large for packing around in a pocket, as I do, while the HTC was better suited for that. Nicer to see a larger screen on the Galaxy though, even if it was just a little bigger.
If you can make full use of one, either are very good. IMHO

Fred

I finally got my hands on a Galaxy S III. They are a bit heavier than I expected but I do like the larger screen. I'll look into possible purchase during the next couple of months.

My old basic phone has a cracked housing and broken camera. I won't waste an insurance claim so I hope it holds out for a bit longer.

The fact that the Galaxy S3 is a little too large was pretty much how I felt regarding the S2 that I tried before buying my phone. I settled on an original Galaxy S, as it was just about the size I was looking for. I am happy with the phone and am not considering an upgrade. It does what I want, and that's good enough for me.

Dave

Thanks, Dave. I'll keep that in mind. I really don't have to have the latest and greatest and may choose a smaller, less expensive phone for my service.

It'll be August or later before I look and decide.

I had a similar experience. One of my co-workers came in to work with a new Galaxy S2, which was the latest at the time. Although I liked the phone, the size seemed a bit extreme. I opted for the Galaxy S, which was a more sensible size. I am used to a phone being a svelte device. If I wanted a tablet, I would get one. Getting a giant phone just seems cumbersome to me.

I don't regret my choice. In A-B comparisons, the difference in specs doesn't seem to equate to a different user experience. My processor may be a little slower, and I may have a little less memory, but it handles whatever I throw at it.

Dave

Yeah, some of those smart-phones are so big they look silly and cumbersome being used as a phone.

edit: Speaking of cumbersome. I was at a school event for my daughter a couple months back. There was a mother there taking pictures with this big ass tablet.

MSU

I sure appreciate all the input you fellas have added to my query.
Thanks. I'll be sure to give an updated impression when I have had more "training"

I can't wait to see the expression on my grand daughters faces--

Fred

Which I can't suggest. What I do recommend is, after you load on all of those swell free apps, format or return to factory specs and reload only a few apps.
Of course if you want your phone to operate slow, you can ignor that advice.


Ethan

I have a Galaxy S

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
"Why shouldn't the American people take half my money from me? I took it all from them." - Edward Filene

I hear you Ethan.

Loud and clear.

I still can't see why eyes are strained reading that small screen when the 24" PC monitor makes it so much more comfortable.
I guess it's 'the on the go factor' that counts.

Fred

I'm having problems getting onto the onscreen keyboard. Getting there now. Looks like a pretty nifty device. Hanging in there

I though this link was appropriate to share with you guys if you haven't already seen it.

Fred


Dad's New iPad

A Daughter is visiting her father and is helping in the kitchen.
She asks: Tell me dad, how are you managing with the new I-Pad we gave you for your birthday?
This is in German but that's all you need to know. You'll get the rest:

http://www.snotr.com/video/8965/

Shelly

That is GREAT!