iPhone 5S vs Samsung Galaxy S4

[kapolani]

I had the same problem. You need to hold the button down at the bottom of the screen then clear all the programs then clear memory periodically otherwise the phone will get slow and/or freeze. I think I still like the iPhone better but because it syncs more easily with my iMac and Macair

Yes.

I would do that. The UI is still too laggy for me at times.

Also, I have personal Macs at home and my wife still has an iPhone so I will integrate much better at home. I use a lot of Google apps and did when I was on IOS as well. Only thing I will miss is the excellent Google Voice integration that Android provides.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Honestly, at this point I'm leaning towards the iPhone 5S, but the Note 3 is still in contention.

I really like having a bigger screen. I wanted a bigger screen - thus my move from an iPhone 4 to the Galaxy Nexus - so that watching movies and surfing the web would be nicer. But, I ended up hardly ever watching movies on my phone. Rather watch movies on the iPad if we were on travel or on the go. So, in the end, the bigger screen just meant a bigger phone. I plan on getting a retina iPad mini when it comes out so will use that as a travel device.

The things that turn me off from the Note 3:

- Stylus. Don't care for one so all the extra functionality would be wasted on me.
- Samsung layer on top of Android. Android is already laggy as is (that's not debatable. It's been proven) so I don't want another layer on top of that. I rooted and rom'd my Nexus the day I got it so I know I can eventually do that. Don't want to mess with that stuff anymore.

Well... I won't try and convince you but here is what I know from owning and using note 2.

1. You will miss bigger screen.
2. Stylus, it's there but if you don't use it doesn't matter... Wasted?
3. My phone flies. No lagging. So it's not debatable ONLY because I don't experience "lagging"
4. The note 2 is a work of art. The note 3 is a masterpiece.
5. iPhone 6 will be biggest phone.

 

[kapolani]

1. You will miss bigger screen.

You're probably right. I hardly ever use my phone to view media, but when I do I'm sure I'll miss the bigger screen.

2. Stylus, it's there but if you don't use it doesn't matter... Wasted?

I don't like having extra crap I don't need.

3. My phone flies. No lagging. So it's not debatable ONLY because I don't experience "lagging"

User interface through touch screen is inherently slow. It's in the code and has been identified. That's what I mean. I noticed it immediately when I switched to Android.

4. The note 2 is a work of art. The note 3 is a masterpiece.

I don't like the fake 'leather' like backing on the new Note. I'd rather have the same material - textured - but not trying to make it look like something that it isn't.

5. iPhone 6 will be biggest phone.

[/quote]

I think they will finally put out a 5" inch device as well.

 

[Section446]

Well... I won't try and convince you but here is what I know from owning and using note 2.

1. You will miss bigger screen.
2. Stylus, it's there but if you don't use it doesn't matter... Wasted?
3. My phone flies. No lagging. So it's not debatable ONLY because I don't experience "lagging"
4. The note 2 is a work of art. The note 3 is a masterpiece.
5. iPhone 6 will be biggest phone.

You think that the iPhone 6 will be bigger than the Note series of phones?

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

You think that the iPhone 6 will be bigger than the Note series of phones?

I don't have that info but i would still confidently say ... no way.

I would say 5" is the next step.... Mayyyyyyybe just over at 5.2

They are going to tow the party line that "it's too big" ..... Yet this will get there... Just late... To THAT party.

 

[kapolani]

Got to play with the Note 3 a little more this weekend.

- I'm not digging the UI - at all. Icons are humungous almost fisher price like. I was able to find a setting that allowed me to make the font smaller, but nothing to resize icons. The bottom navigation bar looks comical with those large icons.

- Don't really like TouchWiz.

- In the hour that I played with it I got numerous force closing of apps. I got other warning messages that looked to be from Samsung underlying processes.

If they put out a Google Edition with a pure Android experience I probably would choose it. But, as it is, the nod goes to the iPhone 5S.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Got to play with the Note 3 a little more this weekend.

- I'm not digging the UI - at all. Icons are humungous almost fisher price like. I was able to find a setting that allowed me to make the font smaller, but nothing to resize icons. The bottom navigation bar looks comical with those large icons.

- Don't really like TouchWiz.

- In the hour that I played with it I got numerous force closing of apps. I got other warning messages that looked to be from Samsung underlying processes.

If they put out a Google Edition with a pure Android experience I probably would choose it. But, as it is, the nod goes to the iPhone 5S.

Hmmmmmmm.... Had it for about a week.

My experience has been opposite.

I always hear these android horror stories but rarely experience any of those issues....

Have iphone 5 also. Works great. Would never make it my primary phone though.

 

[Section446]

I don't have that info but i would still confidently say ... no way.

I would say 5" is the next step.... Mayyyyyyybe just over at 5.2

They are going to tow the party line that "it's too big" ..... Yet this will get there... Just late... To THAT party.

Having owned 2 generations of the Note, I'm all about "bigger is better". I wouldn't mind if they continued to push the boundaries.

 

[Rockport]

Hmmmmmmm.... Had it for about a week.

My experience has been opposite.

I always hear these android horror stories but rarely experience any of those issues....

Have iphone 5 also. Works great. Would never make it my primary phone though.

Just wait until the first major update to the OS.

 

[LittleBoyBlue]

Just wait until the first major update to the OS.

For which?

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Got to play with the Note 3 a little more this weekend.

- I'm not digging the UI - at all. Icons are humungous almost fisher price like. I was able to find a setting that allowed me to make the font smaller, but nothing to resize icons. The bottom navigation bar looks comical with those large icons.

- Don't really like TouchWiz.

- In the hour that I played with it I got numerous force closing of apps. I got other warning messages that looked to be from Samsung underlying processes.

If they put out a Google Edition with a pure Android experience I probably would choose it. But, as it is, the nod goes to the iPhone 5S.

Does the note not allow you to use the widgets like a normal samsung galaxy phone? If it does you can get something like Beautiful Widgets or a number of other similar widget programs that let you customize the icons.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I had the same problem. You need to hold the button down at the bottom of the screen then clear all the programs then clear memory periodically otherwise the phone will get slow and/or freeze. I think I still like the iPhone better but because it syncs more easily with my iMac and Macair

You can get a free app called Clean Master that will do that for you. You can clean the memory, close apps, uninstall apps and so on.
The nice thing about it is that it will show an icon up on the top of your phone to remind you to use the cleaner when things start to get used up for lack of a better phrase.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

For which?

Curious about that as well since the Iphone just had the IOS update and android just did an update recently. Not sure when either is due for another update.

 

[kapolani]

Does the note not allow you to use the widgets like a normal samsung galaxy phone? If it does you can get something like Beautiful Widgets or a number of other similar widget programs that let you customize the icons.

I was thinking about that.

I could get icon packs to change the look, I suppose.

I didn't like touchwiz. Too busy for me. I'm not going to be using 90% of the stuff they offer.

I also don't like the build quality. I never use a case on my phones. The plastic that's trying to look like metal makes it look cheap looking to me. The stitches in the back are horrible.

I really wanted to like this phone. It has beautiful screen!

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I was thinking about that.

I could get icon packs to change the look, I suppose.

I didn't like touchwiz. Too busy for me. I'm not going to be using 90% of the stuff they offer.

I also don't like the build quality. I never use a case on my phones. The plastic that's trying to look like metal makes it look cheap looking to me. The stitches in the back are horrible.

I really wanted to like this phone. It has beautiful screen!

If it is not for you it is not for you. Nothing wrong with that. People should be happy with what they get.

I was perfectly happy with my iphone...before I got my galaxy. Now I love my galaxy and if I mess with my old iphone4 (keep it as a spare MP3 player basically) or if I mess with my wife's iphone5...I don't like the small screen and I don't like the limitations of options in the software.

Here is what I would ideally like in a phone.

The size of my Galaxy SIII (no notes for me as they are too big for a phone IMO).

The options and freedom to change things in the Galaxy/Android OS

The reliability of the Iphone or IOS...people exaggerate how much the android system and some apps might glitch out but it still does from time to time. More than the IOS/Iphone and apps.

Itunes on computer and phone interaction. Much better than the Samsung Kies version of Itunes which until the latest update would always make me reinstall drivers just so my computer/kies software would recognize the phone.

SD Card options. It is so nice to have an SD card to take in or out of the phone so I can store all of my music or photos on it and not have to worry about buying the more expensive version of a phone that has the max space on it. This is a MAJOR thing that I don't like about Apple phones or tablets right now. On my iphone 4 I had to delete all of my apps/games in order to download and install the latest IOS...the reason is I have a lot of music on it (mentioned MP3 player before) and even then I still don't have all of the music I could put on it because I don't have the room for it. On my Samsung I got a large SD card and put all of my music on it. Now I don't have to worry about space on my phone for apps or new software updates.

Batteries. I like the pop open back of the Samsung design so I can just pop out a battery if I want and put in another one. So I can charge two if I would need them and switch between them. So far I have not had to do that. I think the apple has the longer battery life but for me I am ok with using two batteries if I go on a long trip. As far as charging...I am always charging my phone at work or at home so I don't mind it too much...Only when I went on vacation last year. Every time you stopped at the airport between flights you had to scramble to find somewhere to plug in and charge and it was a hassle as there were so many people doing the same. If I had an extra battery or two I would not have had to do that. Just swap batteries.

 

[kapolani]

SD Card options. It is so nice to have an SD card to take in or out of the phone so I can store all of my music or photos on it and not have to worry about buying the more expensive version of a phone that has the max space on it. This is a MAJOR thing that I don't like about Apple phones or tablets right now. On my iphone 4 I had to delete all of my apps/games in order to download and install the latest IOS...the reason is I have a lot of music on it (mentioned MP3 player before) and even then I still don't have all of the music I could put on it because I don't have the room for it. On my Samsung I got a large SD card and put all of my music on it. Now I don't have to worry about space on my phone for apps or new software updates.

This would be a welcome addition, but it isn't a game changer for me. I don't carry a lot of music. I don't carry a lot of pictures.

If I want to look at pictures I'd rather do it on a big screen or at least something bigger.

Likewise for music. I stream most of it.

I used to think I needed 32gb's, but when it came down to it I never used close to that amount of space. A lot of things can be stored in the cloud.

Batteries. I like the pop open back of the Samsung design so I can just pop out a battery if I want and put in another one. So I can charge two if I would need them and switch between them. So far I have not had to do that. I think the apple has the longer battery life but for me I am ok with using two batteries if I go on a long trip. As far as charging...I am always charging my phone at work or at home so I don't mind it too much...Only when I went on vacation last year. Every time you stopped at the airport between flights you had to scramble to find somewhere to plug in and charge and it was a hassle as there were so many people doing the same. If I had an extra battery or two I would not have had to do that. Just swap batteries.

I currently have a Galaxy Nexus. I currently carry an extra battery in my pocket and one in my truck.

I've only had to use an extra battery a few times - mainly when I was shooting a lot of video or pictures of my daughter.

When I had my iPhone 4 I ran into the same problem a couple of times as well which required 'plugging in.'

There are a lot of good options now for portable battery banks. I usually carry a couple to charge our various gadgets.

I think I'm going with the 5S this time around and may get one of those cases with an integrated battery.

 

[Rockport]

For which?

Good point. The android OS is fragmented with too many releases to support.