Getting Smart?

[leftbase]

I have no idea how old my cell phone is, but it's safe to say several years. Jackie's identical model broke a few months ago so she replaced it with a new but still basic phone.

Mine gets a lot less use, so I don't have to charge it very often, and a week or so ago I noticed that the battery indicator had been at two bars for quite a while. When it finally got down to one bar, I charged it. The next day, two bars again already.

Maybe the battery is on its way out. Maybe I can get another year or two out of the thing. I don't know, but it has me thinking that it could be time for an upgrade. Maybe even to a smart phone. I'm not sure I want the extra costs, but I'm definitely thinking about it.

The thing is, I know absolutely nothing about any of them. Before I listen to sales pitches at the Verizon store, I think I need to hear from people who have them. So I'll ask friends and co-workers what they have, and what they like or don't like. Including Livejournal friends, of course. :)

Any suggestions? Recommendations?

...

Comments

[susangalique.livejournal.com]

I purchased just regular 20 dollar phone from them and I really like it. It's samsung.

[leftbase.livejournal.com]

My regular phone before this one was a Samsung, and I liked it just fine.

[lady-fox.livejournal.com]

I love my iPhone. At this point, I wouldn't want to use anything else.

[leftbase.livejournal.com]

A former co-worker had one and absolutely loved it. Something to think about!

[serendipity-15.livejournal.com]

I have T-Mobile's 4g slide, which is made by HTC. I like it enough, it's fast and I enjoy being able to do stuff on the phone. I will say that the battery life leaves a lot to be desired but really that seems to be a problem with all smartphones, this particular phone's battery life is average for a smartphone. I have a physical keyboard and while I like it well enough the keys are on the flatter side, which makes it harder to type sometimes so I wish that the keyboard was more responsive like the G2 google phone T-Mobile had before.

[leftbase.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Every bit of information on this subject is helpful.

[anais-pf.livejournal.com]

I suggest you get a new battery for the phone you have. :)

[leftbase.livejournal.com]

Ha! I thought of that, but then I'd have no reason to think about getting another phone for years!

[lianarosanadana.livejournal.com]

When looking into smartphones, you have to consider two different aspects: the Operating System and the hardware.

If you're not interested in a touchscreen, you are pretty much limited to Blackberry. Some people absolutely love their Blackberries, but in my experience they are not user friendly. If you're okay with really learning to use your phone, they are obscenely reliable and great for backing up all your info (only to be accessed by another Blackberry mind you). In order to update the phone's software (software updates are common for all smartphone OS's), you must plug the device into your computer. The app market for Blackberry is somewhat limited, since it's not open source and all apps are approved by RIM (Research In Motion, the maker of Blackberry).

I have not personally used the iPhone, but I have a very personal opposition to everything made by Apple for ethical reasons. If you already use Apple products it will apparently sync well with those, including your iTunes... again if you use it. If you don't use Apple products, iPhones are still quite user friendly. Their commercials will like you to think they are the only phones that can do nearly anything, but I promise you everything you see being done in an iPhone commercial can be done on nearly every other smartphone, save perhaps Blackberry. With iPhone you will have only the option for a touchscreen, and no physical keyboard. I believe OS updates OTA, which means Over The Air. This means your phone will simply pop up with a message telling you an update is available, and you will download it via the cellular network, or a wi-fi connection if it is available.

For a very long time, I used Android and nothing else. I purchased literally the very first Android phone ever made, the G1 from T-Mobile, and I was hooked. However, Android can be quite overwhelming the first time you use it. It is so extensively customizable, that I have seen many new users get frustrated and angry with their phones. I personally love customizing anything, and had a blast with Android. Updates are released OTA as well, and come out fairly frequently. The app market is extensive, again sometimes overwhelmingly so. It is open source, meaning anyone who knows how to write a program can submit an app. This is exciting because it opens the door to so many different apps, but you must be careful and read reviews before installing anything as it may be either a ripoff or malicious. I am unaware of any Android devices that are not touch screen, but there are probably just as many with a physical keyboard as without.

And finally that brings us to the low man on the totem pole: Windows Phone 7. I. Love. Windows Phone 7. It is easily the most user friendly OS I have ever encountered in my life. It has all the capabilities of both Android and iPhone, with a somewhat more limited app market, but I have yet to find an app I used on Android I have been unable to replace on WP7. The interface is simple and elegant, but allows you to make sure you always see what's most important to you when looking at your phone. Also, if you use any kind of social networking, this OS offers the most easily filterable social network viewing I have ever encountered. You can also very easily update all the popular social network sites with one button. The updates are not OTA, and are done through the Zune software. I could spend just as much time talking about how much I love the Zune software, but I'll spare you the boredom. I am unaware of any devices that offer a physical keyboard, however the on screen keyboard is one of the most accurate and easily used I have ever encountered, and I've been using touchscreens since they were first introduced. The media interface on this OS is without a doubt the best media interface available on the smartphone market right now. I could literally go on and on for days about how great the OS is, but I won't. It's very unpopular because it is made my Microsoft, but I encourage everyone I know to give it a try, and many of those I have encouraged have truly enjoyed it. (Most of which were former Android users.)

[lianarosanadana.livejournal.com]

(LJ told me my comment was too long, so here's the rest!)

I know this is a lot of info, but I hope it helps and doesn't confuse you. I am a gadget junkie, as I'm sure you've guessed, and most specifically a smartphone junkie. I will be happy to answer any and all questions you have, just let me know. But really your best bet is to visit a store and play with the phones yourself. The sales person will have their own preferences and from my experience tend to steer people primarily to Android or iPhone, but there are other options which are definitely worth investigating.

[leftbase.livejournal.com]

It helps a lot, actually. Thanks!

You now hold the record for the longest comment ever in my journal. :)

[lianarosanadana.livejournal.com]

Yes! I hope to hold that record forever! :)

[leftbase.livejournal.com]

I think there's a good chance you will!