What smart phone to get, S3, Galaxy note, or iphone 5?

[stalefish3169]

Just got a DNA this week, it's pretty tits. The screen is hudge and looks really really nice. I was on the unlimited data plan, but I dug back in time and the most data I've ever used in 1.7gb with tons of surfing and email, so I went to 2 gbs fixed data plan and saved a few bucks..

Um, yeah. I think I go a little over 2GB.

[sfotex]

Um, yeah. I think I go a little over 2GB.

Ha, just a bit. I have wireless at home and work, so my phone is on the wi-fi most of the time. Don't know if you have this option

[teletripper]

I'll be watching this thread for a bit as I now need to jump into this century and get a "smartphone" so for now I think I will go as cheaply as I can (HTC hero) till my upgrade kicks in next spring then I will get a real one. The Galaxy is pretty high on my list though. Holy fuckerballs Stalefish 16.5g on a phone, thats a bunch o porn my friend!

[stalefish3169]

Played around with a friend's S3 the other night and realized how sweet it actually is. Did the math and realized getting an unsubsidized handset so I could keep my unlimited Verizon plan was the way to go. Got a NIB 32GB one w/ warranty off of E-Bay last night for $450. I figure I'll make up the $250 dollar difference within about 4 or 5 months.

I sit in front of a CPU @ work all day so I refuse to pay $60+ dollars for internet @ home too. So the phone is my main source of internet at home, hence the large amount of data suckage. I'm sure the porn will look a lot better on the bigger screen!

[JayPowHound]

Not sure if it has heen addressed with the new iphone or not, but one major thing that kept me with android when buying a new phone a few konths ago is the integrated google maps and navigation...

[MarcusBrody]

Not sure if it has heen addressed with the new iphone or not, but one major thing that kept me with android when buying a new phone a few konths ago is the integrated google maps and navigation...

Google Maps is back as an iOS 6 app. My wife got the new iphone a week ago or so and we've tested out Google Maps navigation a few times. Seems to work well.

[9922]

What about residual value after two years (or 18 months)? I sold my iPhone 4 for $250. The 5 costed $200, so basically I received 50 bucks for upgrading. I don't know the used market for the S3, et al.

[P_McPoser]

Just bought the iPhone 5 because my droid is crapping out. No real reason other than the droid was buggy some times so I decided to try something different now that they are selling the factory unlocked version.

[sparkletarte.]

I've probably getting a Razr V this morning, just to use as a streaming radio/music player (my own wifi), music storage, and app unit. There's no cell service at a my place and I have no need for a cell phone, but they are cheaper than a Player. It's on some stupid cheap ($100) deal from Virgin (in Canada at the Source) and apparently you can break the contract after one month by just paying off the phone. It feels a little too good to be true, so I'm calling Virgin this morning to confirm.

[brown]

How's the battery life on the HTC DNA? I have an HTC Incredible, and the battery life is terrible! So, I'm debating between the SG3, Note2, or DNA. If anyone has input on the new DNA, please share.

[P_McPoser]

I've probably getting a Razr V this morning, just to use as a streaming radio/music player (my own wifi), music storage, and app unit. There's no cell service at a my place and I have no need for a cell phone, but they are cheaper than a Player. It's on some stupid cheap ($100) deal from Virgin (in Canada at the Source) and apparently you can break the contract after one month by just paying off the phone. It feels a little too good to be true, so I'm calling Virgin this morning to confirm.

I am continually blown away that there are still areas in the first world where you don't have cell phone coverage...

[bryanthebold]

I am not a huge iphone fan in general, but the fact that the iphone 5 is unlocked and can be used on practically any network is a huge plus. International and all US networks. I guess the FCC stepped in and forced verizon to do this, but I don't know why. The locked phones have always been a pet peeve of mine with verizon. Often times they advertise their phones with 'official' specs that they are cdma only and later we find out they have hidden gsm radios in them.

Example, Droid Razr Maxx HD is a kick ass phone which claims to be international ready (gsm radio) but pop in a gsm US carrier and it doesn't work! I really hate verizon sometimes but living in missoula we don't have much of a choice if you want decent 4g.

<end rant>

[TWINS]

Anybody pick up a HTC DNA yet? It looks pretty slick.

My Droid X is getting tired, but I'm clinging to my grandfathered 3G unlimited plan which is impeding me from pulling the trigger on a new phone. I think I burn through 2GB during my morning poop. Anybody know how to keep the unlimited plan besides paying full price for a new handset?

Well there is sort of a workaround if you have more than 1 line.I have 3 phones lines on my contract.I upgraded a basic phone with a new Note 2 at the subsidized price.When I went to turn it on I had Verizon move the Note 2 to my unlimited data plan #.
I kept the basic phone the same as before.I now have unlimited data on a subsidised Note2 and a new 2 year contract on a basic phone line.The basic line is costing me $9.95 a month.My unlimited plan is month to month.
You just need to explain what you are doing to the programmer at the time of startup.Worked great.

[Gripen]

I am continually blown away that there are still areas in the first world where you don't have cell phone coverage...

Ever looked at cell service map of BC? I would venture to say 75% is not covered.

Sent from my SGH-I747M using TGR Forums

[Chugachjed]

Look at Alaska, >90% with no coverage. Of course whether we're the first world or not is debatable.

[Alaskan Rover]

I seriously wouldn't touch a Google proprietary phone with a ten foot pole. Google,Inc long ago gave up on their pledge to "Do No Evil". They take absconding with much of your personal data and packaging it up in nice readily salable bow to new heights...along with Facebook and Foresquare.....they're absolute fucking creeps.


Of all the phones I've seen, I really like the Samsung Galaxy Note II...It's in between a Phone and tablet in size...and does everything an S3 can do....but with a better screen.


Except for fairly cool Siri (largely a gimick, anyway), iPhones are SO overrated....and like everything Apple, ridiculously overpriced.


I've always wondered what drug Apple impregnated into the plastic of their products....coke? Crack? Catnip?

[crackboy]

I am not a huge iphone fan in general, but the fact that the iphone 5 is unlocked and can be used on practically any network is a huge plus. International and all US networks. I guess the FCC stepped in and forced verizon to do this, but I don't know why. The locked phones have always been a pet peeve of mine with verizon. Often times they advertise their phones with 'official' specs that they are cdma only and later we find out they have hidden gsm radios in them.

Example, Droid Razr Maxx HD is a kick ass phone which claims to be international ready (gsm radio) but pop in a gsm US carrier and it doesn't work! I really hate verizon sometimes but living in missoula we don't have much of a choice if you want decent 4g.

<end rant>

i think that only the verizon iphone is unlocked. or maybe it was the only one that picked up other US GSM bands

[liv2ski]

I am waiting for the Blackberyy 10 that will be released at the end of this month. I have seen the photos of it with a qwerty keyboard scheduled for release in April and that is what I want.

[arild]

big, big fan of my galaxy note 2. youd think the screen would make the phone too big, but its not. the pen feature works, and the phone is fugging fast and can run a bunch of apps without slowing. i see my colleagues with their puny iphones and s3s and laugh.

why anyone would buy the iphone 5 or s3 over the note 2 is entirely beyond me.

norsk

[Hugh Conway]

Ever looked at cell service map of BC? I would venture to say 75% is not covered.

pretty sure he means "places where people live"


I'm more amazed there are places where you have to buy a contract to get a phone. fuck the US market

[liv2ski]

You only have to do the contract for the big discount on the phone. Buy it straight up and no contract is required.

[Hugh Conway]

You only have to do the contract for the big discount on the phone. Buy it straight up and no contract is required.

Well... yeah. More the retardation that the price for monthly service is the same with or without the big phone discount. 2 year contract = 24 months. iPhone 5 on contract = $199. iPhone 5, unlocked, no contract = $649 = $450/24 = $18.75 a month. Surely there should be some intersection between $0 and $18.75 a month.

[stfu&gbtw]

Just bought the HTC One X + for AT&T. Faster and better display than the GS3. 64GB on board, no sd card slot, no removable battery. 1080P video recording is supposed to suck. 2100mA battery. Jelly Bean out of the box. Wouldn't have minded if they'd upgraded to 2GB RAM, but benchmarks put this ahead of just about everything besides the Galaxy Note. $199 with a 2 year contract.

On another note, AT&T customer service has been killing it recently. I've had some problems with my current phone (HTC Status) and AT&T has provided great support. When the Android 4.0 update failed, they gave me a new phone for free. When the phone started overheating and chewing up the battery, they gave me another new phone for free, even though the warranty had expired. The replacement for that phone started having a problem with the power button, so they bumped up my upgrade date and let me buy a new phone with the discount even though my discount date is still a few months away. They took care of everything over the phone - no additional troubleshooting required - free priority shipping. The rep who helped me also noticed that some international services had not expired they way I thought they would and I was still being charged. He credited all the charges back to when the services were supposed to expire. The service I've gotten from AT&T on the phone and at the hardware support center has been consistently excellent over the last year or so.