Windows 8 vs. iPhone vs. Android - Battle of the Phones (1 Viewer)

[Mario Kart]

I currently have an iPhone 4. Have been contemplating moving to a Samsung Galaxy 4. But, Nokia has come out with a couple sleek Windows 8 phones.

I will probably wait till near the end of summer to make a decision. The fact Apple has not made their phone comparable to others is moving me away from iOS, in my mind. But, do I go Windows or Android?

I bought a Windows 8 tablet and find myself liking it more than my iPad. It is more of a tool than a "gaming" tablet and maybe in my work life/life, I am more in tune with a tool rather than games. I really like the fact you can do much more with the Windows 8 tablet than you can with an iPad (at least where I am).

I'm curious to hear from any Windows 8 phone users as well as Androids. My home computer is a MacBook Pro (Apple) and I don't anticipate me giving my computer up. My tablet usage is moving towards Windows. Not sure if I should make a phone switch or not. The only other drawback is my phone bill could jump from ~$75 a month to ~$90 a month. It would take me some time to get used to the new phone and its capabilities to make up that money a month but that is a "normal" learning curve.

 

[Mile High]

I went from a piece of crap phone to the Nokia 710 a few years ago. It's been up graded to a 7.5 windows phone so I don't have a windows 8 phone. It's been a great phone with no problems. I have been looking at the Nokia 920 now that is a really sweet phone.

 

[Fennis]

I am a Windows 8 phone user and I love my windows phone. Which one to get depends on what is important to you. If you are talking the OS, I think Windows is better. If you are talking the sheer number of apps, Android has it hands down,a lthough most of the top apps are available on both. If you are comparing the phones themselves it is a toss up depending on what you like in a phone.

 

[MaxThreshold]

IMO, you really can't beat the Galaxy S (Android) line of phones from Samsung. I have an S3 and I love it but I've never had anything BUT the Galaxy line and Android. I'm heavily invested in Android and have all of our family phones (5 of them) synced as far as contacts, calendars, etc... I just think Android phones are a lot easier to work with and use.

However, I do hear good things about Windows phones and of course the Iphone is a great device too.

 

[eoMMan]

Who wins as far as battery life goes with the newer smart phones?

 

[3C's]

Who wins as far as battery life goes with the newer smart phones?

Not sure if anyone has beaten the Moto Droid Razr Maxx. I have the HD version and I can go about two days of normal use without a charge.

 

[culdeus]

I'm in the same boat. I've had iphone as far as I can remember. The platform has gotten so stale and the hardware everywhere else has beaten it. Probably going to get the S4 just as soon as I can get my iphone unlocked so my wife can use it.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Went from iPhone to S3 and will not be going back. Love Android. Only crappy thing about S3 is the battery life.

 

[sho nuff]

My suggestion is always just to go to a store where you can actually use all the phones and see which one you like best...do it multiple times.

My last upgrade I was all ready to go from the EVO (android) to the iPhone5....til I played with both the iPhone and the Galaxy SIII.

Just liked everything about the Galaxy better.

Part of it is that I do prefer how Android does some things over IOS.

My wife loves her iPhone and we have an iPad as well.

She also uses an older Windows phone for work that she likes a lot for its email interface with her work stuff. Now contemplating a Windows tablet for her to be able to do some work without always lugging out her laptop and wanting a bigger platform than the phone.

So many things are just all personal preference though.

Have friends that are just Apple people...have always used macs and iPhones and iPads.

Others that are a mix (sort of like we are here...windows laptop, android phones, iphones, ipads all in the house).

 

[stbugs]

I'm starting to get a bit bored of iOS. Seems like there are much cooler base features in the other phones. I wouldn't be surprised if I switch with my next upgrade. Apple seems to intent on Apps doing everything cool, whereas the based features of the others just seem to have a lot more. Apple needs to update their core operating system. Sure, there are updates, but really it is the same UI since I got my iPhone 3GS years ago. The only significant UI change I can remember is folders. That is pretty sad when I think about it. If it weren't for the fact that I have so many apps/movies/music setup for my entire family, I would venture to a different phone. I just hope they do something soon. My son, who has his first phone now was so gung ho about getting it and now seems a lot more excited about the other options (he came with me when I had to update my wife's phone and added my FIL to our plan).

 

[AcerFC]

Went from iPhone to S3 and will not be going back. Love Android. Only crappy thing about S3 is the battery life.

How do you get movies from itunes onto your phone.

 

[Slapdash]

I love my Galaxy, but really like the Windows 8 on touchscreens. Android and iOS have a lot of apps, but I don't really care about most of them. iOS has stood still to the point it is easier to just use my phone than my iPad....

 

[GroveDiesel]

If you go with a Windows phone, make sure it is Windows 8. From my research, Windows 8 supports a lot of stuff Windows 7 doesn't. So going forward, a lot of newer apps won't be supported on Windows 7 phones.

I ended up with another Android phone because I'm invested in the Android apps and architecture and because the Windows "tiles" layout just doesn't do it or me.

But once you get and understand the awesomeness of widgets/tiles, that should be enoughto make most people realize how outdated iOS is getting.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Went from iPhone to S3 and will not be going back. Love Android. Only crappy thing about S3 is the battery life.

How do you get movies from itunes onto your phone.

Lots of info on google. Never done it myself though as I don't use iTunes for movies.

 

[JMon348]

I'm in the same boat. I just upgraded my Droid Bionic from 2 years ago to an iPhone5. But I have 14 days to return it. The salesman was selling me hard on the S4, which left me thinking really hard because I was set on switching to Apple. I played with the S4, and it really is cool. There is just a ton of stuff on it and it is huge(which is good and bad). Not sure what to do, but I'm leaning towards just keeping the iPhone. I am trying to do a little more research, so I'm glad this thread was created.

 

[randall146]

I too am tiring of my iphone 4 after years of iphones. I also have a 7 year old MacBook that's been failing recently, and am thinking about going back to a windows machine. I'd like to make the decision to leave Mac all at once if I'm going to do it.

My question is are windows and/or android machines/tablets/phones better about viruses and spyware than they were when I left Windows? My home PCs used to last only a few years before becoming overwhelmed with crap. I've loved my Mac because I've never had an issue. The threat of viruses is the main concern I have going back to a PC or Windows tablet

 

[Fennis]

I too am tiring of my iphone 4 after years of iphones. I also have a 7 year old MacBook that's been failing recently, and am thinking about going back to a windows machine. I'd like to make the decision to leave Mac all at once if I'm going to do it.

My question is are windows and/or android machines/tablets/phones better about viruses and spyware than they were when I left Windows? My home PCs used to last only a few years before becoming overwhelmed with crap. I've loved my Mac because I've never had an issue. The threat of viruses is the main concern I have going back to a PC or Windows tablet

Almost all new mobile malware targets Android Phones

Malware has always been a pressing issue for Android, which is the worlds most popular and fast-selling smartphone operating system. While this fact has been known, and unwillingly accepted for years, according to a new report that has been released, the situation seems to going from bad to worse.

According to the report by Kaspersky Lab, 99.9 percent of all the new malware that were detected in the first quarter of 2013 have been designed to prey on Android phones. In total, 22,750 new modifications of malicious programs targeting mobile devices were detected this past quarter. That number is clearly up more than half the total number of modifications seen throughout 2012.

Out of the threats detected, the largest chunk comes in the form of trojan viruses, which according to what Mashable reported, is used quite a lot. The most common trojan seen here are SMS trojans, which steal money by sending out unauthorised texts to premium numbers. The total amount of infection stood at 63 percent.


Malware infection for Android smartphones will be increasing this year

Some of the most seen infections include the SMS Trojans from the Opfake family – "Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.Opfake.a", which accounts for 12.23 percent of infection rates and "Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.Opfake.bo", which infected 11.49 percent of users. Today these malwares are disguised as new versions of other popular apps such as Skype or Angry Birds.

According to the report, nearly 60 percent of all malicious hosts are located in the US, Russia and the Netherlands. If you have to rank the most "popular" malware, the first place this past quarter has to go to "Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakeInst.a", which stands at 29.45 percent. This threat primarily goes for the Russian speaking Internet users who are attempting to download software for Android devices from dubious sites. The trick that most cybercriminals use on these websites is to spread malware while passing them off as useful software.

Apart from the mobile world, the report also talks about malicious links which comprise 91 percent of total threats seen in 2013. It’s clear from these numbers that hackers prefer this method of infecting victims. The most common repercussion of attacks like this, is too see an almost endless series of Twitter hacks

 

[Foosball God]

I got soured with Android when the phone I bought wasn't being supported with new updates within 6 months of it being released. Maybe it's better with Samsung's S line but it was just a bad experience for me. I have an Iphone 4 now and will be upgrading at some point this summer, either to a 5S/6 or potentially something else if Apple doesn't step it up, but we're pretty invested in apps and such at this point as well.

 

[AcerFC]

Went from iPhone to S3 and will not be going back. Love Android. Only crappy thing about S3 is the battery life.

How do you get movies from itunes onto your phone.

Lots of info on google. Never done it myself though as I don't use iTunes for movies.

Thanks. I mostly just use itunes for the digital versions I get with the blue rays. I have a ton of movies for the kids. Like everyone here, Im getting bored with the iphone. I have been with it since the first version.

 

[hxperson]

My suggestion is always just to go to a store where you can actually use all the phones and see which one you like best...do it multiple times.

My last upgrade I was all ready to go from the EVO (android) to the iPhone5....til I played with both the iPhone and the Galaxy SIII.

Just liked everything about the Galaxy better.

Part of it is that I do prefer how Android does some things over IOS.

My wife loves her iPhone and we have an iPad as well.

She also uses an older Windows phone for work that she likes a lot for its email interface with her work stuff. Now contemplating a Windows tablet for her to be able to do some work without always lugging out her laptop and wanting a bigger platform than the phone.

So many things are just all personal preference though.

Have friends that are just Apple people...have always used macs and iPhones and iPads.

Others that are a mix (sort of like we are here...windows laptop, android phones, iphones, ipads all in the house).

If you are gonna get a new Windows 8 tablet I'd suggest you wait a few months to get one with a Haswell processor (which should be released next month), as they supposedly will be 50% more power efficient and last 20x longer in stand-by than the current Ivy Bridge processors. It is also supposed to have better graphics performance.

 

[Bull Dozier]

I too am tiring of my iphone 4 after years of iphones. I also have a 7 year old MacBook that's been failing recently, and am thinking about going back to a windows machine. I'd like to make the decision to leave Mac all at once if I'm going to do it.

My question is are windows and/or android machines/tablets/phones better about viruses and spyware than they were when I left Windows? My home PCs used to last only a few years before becoming overwhelmed with crap. I've loved my Mac because I've never had an issue. The threat of viruses is the main concern I have going back to a PC or Windows tablet

Almost all new mobile malware targets Android Phones

Malware has always been a pressing issue for Android, which is the worlds most popular and fast-selling smartphone operating system. While this fact has been known, and unwillingly accepted for years, according to a new report that has been released, the situation seems to going from bad to worse.

According to the report by Kaspersky Lab, 99.9 percent of all the new malware that were detected in the first quarter of 2013 have been designed to prey on Android phones. In total, 22,750 new modifications of malicious programs targeting mobile devices were detected this past quarter. That number is clearly up more than half the total number of modifications seen throughout 2012.

Out of the threats detected, the largest chunk comes in the form of trojan viruses, which according to what Mashable reported, is used quite a lot. The most common trojan seen here are SMS trojans, which steal money by sending out unauthorised texts to premium numbers. The total amount of infection stood at 63 percent.


Malware infection for Android smartphones will be increasing this year

Some of the most seen infections include the SMS Trojans from the Opfake family – "Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.Opfake.a", which accounts for 12.23 percent of infection rates and "Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.Opfake.bo", which infected 11.49 percent of users. Today these malwares are disguised as new versions of other popular apps such as Skype or Angry Birds.

According to the report, nearly 60 percent of all malicious hosts are located in the US, Russia and the Netherlands. If you have to rank the most "popular" malware, the first place this past quarter has to go to "Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.FakeInst.a", which stands at 29.45 percent. This threat primarily goes for the Russian speaking Internet users who are attempting to download software for Android devices from dubious sites. The trick that most cybercriminals use on these websites is to spread malware while passing them off as useful software.

Apart from the mobile world, the report also talks about malicious links which comprise 91 percent of total threats seen in 2013. It’s clear from these numbers that hackers prefer this method of infecting victims. The most common repercussion of attacks like this, is too see an almost endless series of Twitter hacks

My understanding is that if you download apps from the android app store, you are relatively safe, as those apps have been approved. It's going to website and downloading apps directly from a website that gets you into trouble. I could be wrong, though.

 

[culdeus]

If you sideload apps from a .ru domain it's on you. Sorry.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

Went from iPhone to S3 and will not be going back. Love Android. Only crappy thing about S3 is the battery life.

How do you get movies from itunes onto your phone.

Lots of info on google. Never done it myself though as I don't use iTunes for movies.

Thanks. I mostly just use itunes for the digital versions I get with the blue rays. I have a ton of movies for the kids. Like everyone here, Im getting bored with the iphone. I have been with it since the first version.

Google Play store has options. No idea what their library is like.

 

[[icon]]

I'm starting to get a bit bored of iOS. Seems like there are much cooler base features in the other phones. I wouldn't be surprised if I switch with my next upgrade. Apple seems to intent on Apps doing everything cool, whereas the based features of the others just seem to have a lot more. Apple needs to update their core operating system. Sure, there are updates, but really it is the same UI since I got my iPhone 3GS years ago. The only significant UI change I can remember is folders. That is pretty sad when I think about it. If it weren't for the fact that I have so many apps/movies/music setup for my entire family, I would venture to a different phone. I just hope they do something soon. My son, who has his first phone now was so gung ho about getting it and now seems a lot more excited about the other options (he came with me when I had to update my wife's phone and added my FIL to our plan).

This is kinda where I stand right now. Just upgraded to iPhone 5 via handset insurance but I will agree wholeheartedly that the platform is getting a little (lot) stale. To add to the issue, what was once a 100% stable platform that never hung or crashed is now having increasing instances of hangups, app crashes, etc. That used to be one of the key reasons for my preference of iOS over a then buggier Android. However Android has gotten more stable and iOS has gotten buggier. Apple definitely is nearing a pivotal point where if they don't get in gear their already measurable loss in market share is going to accelerate. My contract is up this November and I'll be watching the next round of releases closely. I don't think I could go to a Windows phone on principle but I am definitely keeping a close eye on Android. I have zero desire to leave the Mac computing platform, however... and I don't use a tablet so that's not really a factor for me. I love my Macbook Pro and will be buying another if this one ever tires/dies. Considering dropping in a big SSD in this one as a refresh though. It's been very very good to me despite some serious abuse. Best computer I've ever owned by a large large margin.

 

[AcerFC]

I'm starting to get a bit bored of iOS. Seems like there are much cooler base features in the other phones. I wouldn't be surprised if I switch with my next upgrade. Apple seems to intent on Apps doing everything cool, whereas the based features of the others just seem to have a lot more. Apple needs to update their core operating system. Sure, there are updates, but really it is the same UI since I got my iPhone 3GS years ago. The only significant UI change I can remember is folders. That is pretty sad when I think about it. If it weren't for the fact that I have so many apps/movies/music setup for my entire family, I would venture to a different phone. I just hope they do something soon. My son, who has his first phone now was so gung ho about getting it and now seems a lot more excited about the other options (he came with me when I had to update my wife's phone and added my FIL to our plan).

This is kinda where I stand right now. Just upgraded to iPhone 5 via handset insurance but I will agree wholeheartedly that the platform is getting a little (lot) stale. To add to the issue, what was once a 100% stable platform that never hung or crashed is now having increasing instances of hangups, app crashes, etc. That used to be one of the key reasons for my preference of iOS over a then buggier Android. However Android has gotten more stable and iOS has gotten buggier. Apple definitely is nearing a pivotal point where if they don't get in gear their already measurable loss in market share is going to accelerate. My contract is up this November and I'll be watching the next round of releases closely. I don't think I could go to a Windows phone on principle but I am definitely keeping a close eye on Android.

Im actually due for an upgrade now. I have been for 6 months or so. I am waiting to see what Apple is going to do with their next phone. I have the 4 since I have the unlimited plan and I dont want to give that up. If it is a 5s instead of a newly speced 6, I may jump ship.

 

[Abraham]

I'm not a big App user. Or at least I don't use many apps that aren't super popular so they are supported on most platforms (Twitter, WWF, Facebook, bank apps).

I realize this will cause some but I'm enough of a tech nerd that I am constantly chasing the new thing and trading in my phones. I have an iP5 right now and while I like it a lot, it isn't so different from the 4 I had that I'm not already looking for the next shiny thing. I went to Frye's yesterday to look at some stuff and spent some time with both the Galaxy S3 (didn't have a 4) and the Note II. Both seem to be quality phones but I didn't find the compelling "this is better than my iPhone!" feeling that some have.

The phone that did spark my interest? The Blackberry Z10. Keeping in mind that I haven't looked to see which apps it has and which it doesn't, with all else being equal I was REALLY impressed with the phone. The build quality is excellent - almost exactly like the iP5 in terms of ruggedness and materials. The screen was nice even though it seems a little darker like most RIM products tend to be. I thought the split between "Work" and "Play" would be dumb but I was actually able to see how it would be useful. The Hub thing (where you can see all your messages at once) could be useful for people that use a lot of different services. I didn't check the camera nor did I spend a ton of time with the Browser. But the one thing that seems like it would be a big enough deal to get a person to switch is the keyboard. It's PHENOMENAL. I realize for many of you it won't be what you choose, and I probably won't get one either. But the device is solid enough that I'll be eager to see what comes next. And check out the keyboard.

 

[GroveDiesel]

I got soured with Android when the phone I bought wasn't being supported with new updates within 6 months of it being released. Maybe it's better with Samsung's S line but it was just a bad experience for me. I have an Iphone 4 now and will be upgrading at some point this summer, either to a 5S/6 or potentially something else if Apple doesn't step it up, but we're pretty invested in apps and such at this point as well.

This is a legit complaint IMO. Don't expect quick OS updates with Android. Samsung is probably the best other than if you get a Google Nexus phone. Motorola is probably the worst.Although to be fair, Google has added some pretty major things on their updates while Apple's iOS updates are pretty minor. Google is also starting to roll out some fairly significant updates through updates to core apps that everyone gets since the handset makers have been so awful at supporting phones.

 

[GroveDiesel]

From the last thing I read, Windows phones do have a few fairly major apps they don't support. Last I read (may have changed), they didn't have Pandora. They had a sweet YouTube app but Google shut it down and the one they have now is garbage. Lots of popular games also aren't supported.

 

[[icon]]

Im actually due for an upgrade now. I have been for 6 months or so. I am waiting to see what Apple is going to do with their next phone. I have the 4 since I have the unlimited plan and I dont want to give that up. If it is a 5s instead of a newly speced 6, I may jump ship.

sadly most of the reviews i'm reading talk about involve very little in the way of change. Same screen size as 5.... increasing pixel density to 500ppi or so (not sure it's needed).. making it a little thinner and the bezel a little smaller ala ipad mini. Dunno... hopefully iOS update will offer a pretty significant overall beyond just a cosmetic shift. I'll be honest and say I'm not optimistic at this point though.

 

[hxperson]

I got soured with Android when the phone I bought wasn't being supported with new updates within 6 months of it being released. Maybe it's better with Samsung's S line but it was just a bad experience for me. I have an Iphone 4 now and will be upgrading at some point this summer, either to a 5S/6 or potentially something else if Apple doesn't step it up, but we're pretty invested in apps and such at this point as well.

This is a legit complaint IMO. Don't expect quick OS updates with Android. Samsung is probably the best other than if you get a Google Nexus phone. Motorola is probably the worst.Although to be fair, Google has added some pretty major things on their updates while Apple's iOS updates are pretty minor. Google is also starting to roll out some fairly significant updates through updates to core apps that everyone gets since the handset makers have been so awful at supporting phones.

S4 is coming out with a Google version that runs stock and thus will be Nexus-like, and the HTC One is rumoured to be contemplating the same thing. To be honest, I think back when we were on Android 2.x the OS was bad enough that getting the newest version made a huge difference. Not really a big deal anymore since Ice Cream Sandwich.

 

[Abraham]

Im actually due for an upgrade now. I have been for 6 months or so. I am waiting to see what Apple is going to do with their next phone. I have the 4 since I have the unlimited plan and I dont want to give that up. If it is a 5s instead of a newly speced 6, I may jump ship.

sadly most of the reviews i'm reading talk about involve very little in the way of change. Same screen size as 5.... increasing pixel density to 500ppi or so (not sure it's needed).. making it a little thinner and the bezel a little smaller ala ipad mini. Dunno... hopefully iOS update will offer a pretty significant overall beyond just a cosmetic shift. I'll be honest and say I'm not optimistic at this point though.

I am very interested to see what iOS6 looks like. SHould be a significant change.

 

[Fennis]

From the last thing I read, Windows phones do have a few fairly major apps they don't support. Last I read (may have changed), they didn't have Pandora. They had a sweet YouTube app but Google shut it down and the one they have now is garbage. Lots of popular games also aren't supported.

Windows Phone has Pandora and the YouTube app was removed after Google agreed to co-develop the new app with Microsoft and release it in a couple of weeks. Of course other YouTube apps are available.

 

[Major]

If you're an App guy don't buy a Windows phone. If you use them sparingly (like myself), I went with the Nokia Lumia b/c it easily has the best camera phone on the market. I also prefer the interface to that of ios or droid. Great phone and easily synchs to my MacBook

 

[Slapdash]

Im actually due for an upgrade now. I have been for 6 months or so. I am waiting to see what Apple is going to do with their next phone. I have the 4 since I have the unlimited plan and I dont want to give that up. If it is a 5s instead of a newly speced 6, I may jump ship.

sadly most of the reviews i'm reading talk about involve very little in the way of change. Same screen size as 5.... increasing pixel density to 500ppi or so (not sure it's needed).. making it a little thinner and the bezel a little smaller ala ipad mini. Dunno... hopefully iOS update will offer a pretty significant overall beyond just a cosmetic shift. I'll be honest and say I'm not optimistic at this point though.

I am very interested to see what iOS6 looks like. SHould be a significant change.

iOS6 was released last September and wasn't an improvement at all.

 

[sho nuff]

My suggestion is always just to go to a store where you can actually use all the phones and see which one you like best...do it multiple times.

My last upgrade I was all ready to go from the EVO (android) to the iPhone5....til I played with both the iPhone and the Galaxy SIII.

Just liked everything about the Galaxy better.

Part of it is that I do prefer how Android does some things over IOS.

My wife loves her iPhone and we have an iPad as well.

She also uses an older Windows phone for work that she likes a lot for its email interface with her work stuff. Now contemplating a Windows tablet for her to be able to do some work without always lugging out her laptop and wanting a bigger platform than the phone.

So many things are just all personal preference though.

Have friends that are just Apple people...have always used macs and iPhones and iPads.

Others that are a mix (sort of like we are here...windows laptop, android phones, iphones, ipads all in the house).

If you are gonna get a new Windows 8 tablet I'd suggest you wait a few months to get one with a Haswell processor (which should be released next month), as they supposedly will be 50% more power efficient and last 20x longer in stand-by than the current Ivy Bridge processors. It is also supposed to have better graphics performance.

Thanks...any new purchase will likely be in the beginning of July before she heads to India for work (that way the kids don't whine about not having the iPad)

 

[coyote5]

Who wins as far as battery life goes with the newer smart phones?

Not sure if anyone has beaten the Moto Droid Razr Maxx. I have the HD version and I can go about two days of normal use without a charge.

Have a couple friends with Note 2's who get that type of usage, and it's a much better phone.

 

[Abraham]

Im actually due for an upgrade now. I have been for 6 months or so. I am waiting to see what Apple is going to do with their next phone. I have the 4 since I have the unlimited plan and I dont want to give that up. If it is a 5s instead of a newly speced 6, I may jump ship.

sadly most of the reviews i'm reading talk about involve very little in the way of change. Same screen size as 5.... increasing pixel density to 500ppi or so (not sure it's needed).. making it a little thinner and the bezel a little smaller ala ipad mini. Dunno... hopefully iOS update will offer a pretty significant overall beyond just a cosmetic shift. I'll be honest and say I'm not optimistic at this point though.

I am very interested to see what iOS6 looks like. SHould be a significant change.

iOS6 was released last September and wasn't an improvement at all.

Meant iOS7.

 

[Cliff Clavin]

I'm not a big App user. Or at least I don't use many apps that aren't super popular so they are supported on most platforms (Twitter, WWF, Facebook, bank apps).

I realize this will cause some but I'm enough of a tech nerd that I am constantly chasing the new thing and trading in my phones. I have an iP5 right now and while I like it a lot, it isn't so different from the 4 I had that I'm not already looking for the next shiny thing. I went to Frye's yesterday to look at some stuff and spent some time with both the Galaxy S3 (didn't have a 4) and the Note II. Both seem to be quality phones but I didn't find the compelling "this is better than my iPhone!" feeling that some have.

The phone that did spark my interest? The Blackberry Z10. Keeping in mind that I haven't looked to see which apps it has and which it doesn't, with all else being equal I was REALLY impressed with the phone. The build quality is excellent - almost exactly like the iP5 in terms of ruggedness and materials. The screen was nice even though it seems a little darker like most RIM products tend to be. I thought the split between "Work" and "Play" would be dumb but I was actually able to see how it would be useful. The Hub thing (where you can see all your messages at once) could be useful for people that use a lot of different services. I didn't check the camera nor did I spend a ton of time with the Browser. But the one thing that seems like it would be a big enough deal to get a person to switch is the keyboard. It's PHENOMENAL. I realize for many of you it won't be what you choose, and I probably won't get one either. But the device is solid enough that I'll be eager to see what comes next. And check out the keyboard.

We got about 20 Z10's in our office. The reviews have been overwhelmingly negative. I had one for a week and hated it.

 

[Jaysus]

I know one guy who had a Z10 forced on him from work... he hates it... but he is pretty old, and old people hate stuff.

 

[Mario Kart]

If you're an App guy don't buy a Windows phone. If you use them sparingly (like myself), I went with the Nokia Lumia b/c it easily has the best camera phone on the market. I also prefer the interface to that of ios or droid. Great phone and easily synchs to my MacBook

See, I don't think I am much of an app guy but then I wonder if the old style cell phone would better suit me. What apps do I use now? Not many, very few games cause I use the iPad for that. I guess the biggest app I would use would be Google Maps, FaceBook, the weather map, and a texting app. I assume I can use those on the Windows phone. The internet comes in handy time to time and a bigger screen would help that. Maybe read a book or two with the bigger screen. So, I am on the edge of things.

 

[metoo]

I got soured with Android when the phone I bought wasn't being supported with new updates within 6 months of it being released. Maybe it's better with Samsung's S line but it was just a bad experience for me. I have an Iphone 4 now and will be upgrading at some point this summer, either to a 5S/6 or potentially something else if Apple doesn't step it up, but we're pretty invested in apps and such at this point as well.

This is a legit complaint IMO. Don't expect quick OS updates with Android. Samsung is probably the best other than if you get a Google Nexus phone. Motorola is probably the worst.Although to be fair, Google has added some pretty major things on their updates while Apple's iOS updates are pretty minor. Google is also starting to roll out some fairly significant updates through updates to core apps that everyone gets since the handset makers have been so awful at supporting phones.

S4 is coming out with a Google version that runs stock and thus will be Nexus-like, and the HTC One is rumoured to be contemplating the same thing. To be honest, I think back when we were on Android 2.x the OS was bad enough that getting the newest version made a huge difference. Not really a big deal anymore since Ice Cream Sandwich.

The Nexus Experience HTC One has been confirmed. It is still not known if the updates will come from Google or the manufacturers. Another rumor is HTC may allow current HTC One owners to remove Sense UI.

If I were looking for a new phone, I would have a hard time choosing between the HTC One and S4.

 

[Major]

If you're an App guy don't buy a Windows phone. If you use them sparingly (like myself), I went with the Nokia Lumia b/c it easily has the best camera phone on the market. I also prefer the interface to that of ios or droid. Great phone and easily synchs to my MacBook

See, I don't think I am much of an app guy but then I wonder if the old style cell phone would better suit me. What apps do I use now? Not many, very few games cause I use the iPad for that. I guess the biggest app I would use would be Google Maps, FaceBook, the weather map, and a texting app. I assume I can use those on the Windows phone. The internet comes in handy time to time and a bigger screen would help that. Maybe read a book or two with the bigger screen. So, I am on the edge of things.

You get most of the major apps with the Windows phone but don't expect the new and trendy ones to hit hit first. The best app you get for free with the phone is Nokia Drive. It's essentially a Garmin in your car. Awesome app.

Another thing I like about the phone is all the MS programs are loaded here so you can update spreadsheets and presentations on the fly.

And if I didn't emphasize it enough, the Carl Zeiss camera is top notch.

 

[culdeus]

I'm committed now. Going to give a S4 a run. It was a great run iphone wish you all the best. The jailbreak community was great, but it's time to move on.



I will say the MS phones I've seen have come a really long way towards making me think they will be ready when my next contract is up.

 

[Mario Kart]

I could not look at a live Nokia last night as I was at Best Buy and the cellular stores closed. The phone was not overly big. I looked at the Note and S4 again, maybe just not my thing. I did see a phone bigger than the Note and was shocked anyone would buy it but if that is there thing, okay.

I've been doing some research online and a new Nokia is coming to AT&T in July. Similar handset but not much else is known. I will probably hold off until then. I don't need a new phone right now, would be nice, but lets see where these new phones come out at. The Nokia EOS is the code name.

Plus, it might come with Win 8.1.

 

[boots11234]

Switched from apple 4s to the galaxy s4. Way better phone. Should have switched sooner. Bigger screen, and much more customizable. Plus I can use it as a remote control for all my tvs plus the keyboard app swift key is awsome. If you are a Gmail user it really makes sense to go with android

 

[Mister CIA]

Back in February I relocated and had to pick a new carrier and device. I spent way too much time reading reviews and trying to parse out all the pros and cons. This may sound trivial, but ultimately I made a choice based solely on aesthetics and chose the HTC Windows 8 phone. Apps are a sore spot with this device for people who are wild about apps, but luckily I'm not one of those. That said, what is currently available is decent, and for some the mobile version of MS Office is a nice throw in.

Annoyances (mostly minor)

• No message center like I had grown accustomed to with Android 2.3
• No weekly calendar view (daily or monthly, that's it)
• The theming is a bit to restrictive - Quick visual association is important with these devices. Ticks me off I cannot customize the colors of the individual tiles.
• Lack of audio/vibrate/silent modes (not really sure what to call this) - in fairness I have not looked into this since registering my initial disappointment. Would have expected MS to come out the gate with sophisticated sound settings synched to Outlook calendar (go silent or vibrate automatically, if for example you are in a meeting).
• Maps - how about a simple little scale on the screen somewhere!
• Make the search function a little more context aware - if I'm looking at my contacts and want to search for someone, I could hit the contact search icon, or I could hit the near identical device search icon, which brings me to Bing.
• The camera on the HTC device sucks - Best I can tell I like the HTC more than the Nokias in every other way. Indoor photography with the HTC sucks though, unless you like yellow haze. Outdoors is not so bad.
• Does not have tap and hold to type numbers. Have to hit shift to type a number.
• IE browser does not have a forward option (for those times where you hit back once too many times).

Positives

• The protective cover I bought for it is stellar. I dropped phone on hard tile floor the other day and before I could say Oh Sh... it hit the ground without making a noise.
• Devices "feels" well-built. Weight-balance is perfect for me.
• The dictionary (guess-ahead) is great. Reduces by half the number of taps needed to send out a text.
• Not a MS fanboy, but I like very much the look and feel of this phone OS.

For the sake of consumers and choice, I hope the Windows phone takes root in the marketplace.

 

[17seconds]

Who wins as far as battery life goes with the newer smart phones?

Not sure if anyone has beaten the Moto Droid Razr Maxx. I have the HD version and I can go about two days of normal use without a charge.

That sucker can do GPS navigation LA to Vegas and back on a single charge.

 

[Abraham]

The rumor is that the Moto x will have a 4000 unit battery, which would be the biggest along with two processors to help battery life.

If Motorola is wise, they will realize that the recurring painpoint with android is battery life. Launching more phones that can go more than a day between charges would be a good spot to he in.

 

[jhib]

I'm committed now. Going to give a S4 a run. It was a great run iphone wish you all the best. The jailbreak community was great, but it's time to move on.

I'm glad to hear this and hope you can give us your feelings after you've had it a while. I'm allowed an upgrade from my iphone 4 this month, but will probably keep it rather than upgrade to the 5 and lose my unlimited data plan. But I've been tempted by the S4 bigtime and have been thinking I might pass my phone down to my daughter and switch over.

Anyway, I've noticed we're usually on the same page when it comes to these things (whether it's regarding the iphone in general, jailbreaking, the HP Touchpad, etc), so I respect your opinion and look forward to hearing what you think.

btw, CM10 on the touchpad is one of the things making me think I should switch over. I'm really enjoying the android OS on that thing. Still using yours much?

 

[Dexter]

I've been rocking the S3 since launch. It's the best phone I've ever had.