smartphone recommendations

[theogt]

The fact you haven't heard that Apple gives discounts to academic institutions and students doesn't preclude the fact that it does indeed happen. The tobacco industry had great success in bringing in adolescents to their product line, why is it such a stretch to think that Apple doesn't use the impressionable years of a person's lifespan to do the same? Oh, that's right. You've never seen it firsthand, therefore it doesn't exist?

I call it pretty damn smart business, even if I only like one or two of their products.

Pretty much every computer manufacturer or software company gives discounts to universities and students. Apple, the least of them.

It's not that I'm unaware. It's that your claims were baseless. This is the problem with people who have an irrational hatred toward some person, group, or entity. They start to believe their own bull****.

 

[Hoofbite]

I hear ya. I run my business off of mine now.

Cant wait for this to come to Verizon.

5.8"

Why not just keep your current phone and get a tablet?

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Pretty much every computer manufacturer or software company gives discounts to universities and students. Apple, the least of them.

It's not that I'm unaware. It's that your claims were baseless. This is the problem with people who have an irrational hatred toward some person, group, or entity. They start to believe their own bull****.

Wrong. I don't dislike Apple products, I just don't like their computers nor do I find the iPhone a wonder product. I'd happily use an iPad, but I don't have the need for one.

Claims were baseless? You pretty much just acquiesced to my original point, that Apple gives discounts to schools in order for young students to become indoctrinated with their products at an early age. You've went from the absurdity of "where do I sign up for free Apples" to making the point I did earlier. There was a time at Texas State where the only PC's on campus were in the administration.

Were they superior products or was Apple cutting a deal to keep their products in front of a captive audience when there was no such thing as an iPod? Smart business says you make whatever deal you can to put a product in front of a mass market.

Not that any professor ever seemed less than happy with using a product that was inferior to the PC system in their offices that the computer labs were building for them. But since I can't provide a link, that's probably going to be disregarded as baseless as well. Damn me for not keeping a pocket recorder around when it could have come in handy.

When one group starts to refer to themselves as a "cult"...Well, that says a lot of things, the least of which is that they've surely bought into their own bull****.

 

[Wimbo]

Were they superior products or was Apple cutting a deal to keep their products in front of a captive audience when there was no such thing as an iPod? Smart business says you make whatever deal you can to put a product in front of a mass market.

You are right about the education discount thing. When I got out of college in 1992 I went to work for a system integrator that supported the Apple Education Contract for 5 counties. School systems were able to purchase the Apple products for about 50% off, and Apple subsidized our company to deliver, install, and support the products. Most if not all computer companies now have SLED (State & Local Government and Education) contracts that provide dramatic discounting for those entities. I think Apple was the first to do it, but others have followed suit. When I was working for that company, I thought Apple was genius to brainwash students on the Apple products & I thought Apple would quickly take over the dominance of the business computer market. I was wrong. Ultimately, open systems with low-cost manageability won out over the pleadings of young workers who grew up using Apple computers at school.

 

[Wimbo]

Android doesn't make phones.

You know exactly what I meant. But, thanks for the insight, Captain Obvious.

 

[CowboyMike]

 

[The Ominous]

Last time I went phone shopping my girlfriend got an iPhone and I got a Thunderbolt. She switched over about 3 weeks later and LOVES her Android. Go with droid...

 

[MapleLeaf]

...you guys!

I read through this entire thread and only a few talked about comparative factors in detail.

I saw one poster talk about battery life. Great, but what about some of the other opinions? Can you explain in detail why Apple or Android?

That would seem to me to add some value to this thread, and provide a good service for those of us looking to glean some information that isn't being force fed to us by a salesperson looking to hook in his next commission.

BTW, I have a good friend who worked in retail electronics this past holiday season with "The Source" and he told me that of all the electronics salespeople want to sell smartphones ranks at the top due to the high commission rate and the fact you don't have to lug around a TV to the customer's vehicle.

When I asked him for some comparative advice he just started giving me the drivel.

I am interested in seeing what there is out there and wondering if the Blackberry is still a smart choice for me.

 

[Vtwin]

...you guys!

I read through this entire thread and only a few talked about comparative factors in detail.

I saw one poster talk about battery life. Great, but what about some of the other opinions? Can you explain in detail why Apple or Android?

That would seem to me to add some value to this thread, and provide a good service for those of us looking to glean some information that isn't being force fed to us by a salesperson looking to hook in his next commission.

BTW, I have a good friend who worked in retail electronics this past holiday season with "The Source" and he told me that of all the electronics salespeople want to sell smartphones ranks at the top due to the high commission rate and the fact you don't have to lug around a TV to the customer's vehicle.

When I asked him for some comparative advice he just started giving me the drivel.

I am interested in seeing what there is out there and wondering if the Blackberry is still a smart choice for me.

Well that's the thing. The reality is that there is really no significant difference between the latest and greatest Iphone and the latest and greatest Android phone. Sure the techno-geeks will point to processor specs and the Apple fanboys will point out the number of apps available. The Droid fanboys will point out the open source advantages and the number of free apps available.

At the end of the day, for most users, both will more than suit their needs and and there is really nothing significant that one can do that the other can't.

If you are a power user who wants to be able to tweak your phone with new roms and whatnot than you probably want a Droid. If you are among the majority who are going to use it as it comes out of the box than you can't go wrong with Apple or Droid.

 

[Wimbo]

https://lh3.***BROKEN***/-1seNe_ZZyG0/Tz17HO_T-kI/AAAAAAAAL8s/HAaITEJq1kc/s689/d36.jpg

 

[Phrozen Phil]

My wife got an iPhone and absolutely loves it. She uses it for email, texting, as a camera and she occasionally calls me on it.
My son works at a major electronics retailer and he tells me that the push for sales for smartphones is everything. If you've had your phone for six months, then (according to smartphone manufacturers, then you "must "change.

I've never seen such an array of products with such rapid built-in obsolescence. I've got friends with Blackberries, Android phones, and iPhones, and they all appear to be quite happy, at least for six months. What do I use? What ever my employer gives me. My self esteem does not hinge on my smart phone.

Sprinkled in this thread are some really good tips for picking one. Brain's advice was the best: go play with them all and then decide.The biggest decision that you might have to make is regarding your carrier. If you get the phone you want with the plan you want, it might just be win-win. There are a lot of features, so ask yourself if you truly need them or do you just want them?

Techno-lust can be a terrible addiction and it can be expensive. If you're going to succumb to it, at least make sure it's fun. I bought an iPad just after Christmas and I've had a blast, but did I truly need one? No.

 

[TheCount]

Well that's the thing. The reality is that there is really no significant difference between the latest and greatest Iphone and the latest and greatest Android phone. Sure the techno-geeks will point to processor specs and the Apple fanboys will point out the number of apps available. The Droid fanboys will point out the open source advantages and the number of free apps available.

At the end of the day, for most users, both will more than suit their needs and and there is really nothing significant that one can do that the other can't.

If you are a power user who wants to be able to tweak your phone with new roms and whatnot than you probably want a Droid. If you are among the majority who are going to use it as it comes out of the box than you can't go wrong with Apple or Droid.

It's not all about the hardware. The smartest thing Apple ever did was opt out of the arms race.

Some manufacturers are treating the mobile market like they treated the PC market, and that didn't work out particularly well for those that took the "more is better" approach.

 

[Meat-O-Rama]

...you guys!

I read through this entire thread and only a few talked about comparative factors in detail.

I saw one poster talk about battery life. Great, but what about some of the other opinions? Can you explain in detail why Apple or Android?

I am interested in seeing what there is out there and wondering if the Blackberry is still a smart choice for me.

It's been said a few times in this thread: go out and shop for the phones yourself. It should be pretty obvious that no on can tell you which is better. You have to go use them yourself to find which one YOU prefer.

 

[WoodysGirl]

...you guys!

I read through this entire thread and only a few talked about comparative factors in detail.

I saw one poster talk about battery life. Great, but what about some of the other opinions? Can you explain in detail why Apple or Android?

That would seem to me to add some value to this thread, and provide a good service for those of us looking to glean some information that isn't being force fed to us by a salesperson looking to hook in his next commission.

BTW, I have a good friend who worked in retail electronics this past holiday season with "The Source" and he told me that of all the electronics salespeople want to sell smartphones ranks at the top due to the high commission rate and the fact you don't have to lug around a TV to the customer's vehicle.

When I asked him for some comparative advice he just started giving me the drivel.

I am interested in seeing what there is out there and wondering if the Blackberry is still a smart choice for me.

Well that's the thing. The reality is that there is really no significant difference between the latest and greatest Iphone and the latest and greatest Android phone. Sure the techno-geeks will point to processor specs and the Apple fanboys will point out the number of apps available. The Droid fanboys will point out the open source advantages and the number of free apps available.

At the end of the day, for most users, both will more than suit their needs and and there is really nothing significant that one can do that the other can't.

If you are a power user who wants to be able to tweak your phone with new roms and whatnot than you probably want a Droid. If you are among the majority who are going to use it as it comes out of the box than you can't go wrong with Apple or Droid.

I agree with this, even though I'm a Blackberry hold out.

David,

I have a Torch, and I rarely use the touch screen. I'll probably keep my BB until it finally closes shop. I realize there are bigger and slicker phones out there, but I really don't see a need to change from what I use based on how I use my phone. I don't play games on it. I don't read books on it. I don't play many videos on it. And I don't really use that many apps. I've got the out of box stuff and I downloaded a few other apps I use somewhat regularly. However, the most important "smart" tool I use on my BB is the email and the calendar. After that, I'm not sure what people use that they have to have on their phone.

If you plan to use alot of internet data, then focus on phones that have really good processor speed. If you want a light phone, then you'll have to search pretty hard. None of best are all that light, nor are they particularly small. If you take alot of pics and vids, then focus on the internal memory of the phone and the expandable memory features, as well as the camera phone and vid features.

So as many have told you, it's about how you use your phone and what you prefer to use going forward.

 

[vta]

Best advice? Don't ask a multitude of different users for objective advice, because it doesn't exist. You'll just get a multi-paged argument over slightly different pieces of plastic.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

I agree with this, even though I'm a Blackberry hold out.

David,

I have a Torch, and I rarely use the touch screen. I'll probably keep my BB until it finally closes shop. I realize there are bigger and slicker phones out there, but I really don't see a need to change from what I use based on how I use my phone. I don't play games on it. I don't read books on it. I don't play many videos on it. And I don't really use that many apps. I've got the out of box stuff and I downloaded a few other apps I use somewhat regularly. However, the most important "smart" tool I use on my BB is the email and the calendar. After that, I'm not sure what people use that they have to have on their phone.

If you plan to use alot of internet data, then focus on phones that have really good processor speed. If you want a light phone, then you'll have to search pretty hard. None of best are all that light, nor are they particularly small. If you take alot of pics and vids, then focus on the internal memory of the phone and the expandable memory features, as well as the camera phone and vid features.

So as many have told you, it's about how you use your phone and what you prefer to use going forward.

The weight difference between the Galaxy Nexus/iPhone and your Torch is between a quarter and a half of an ounce. once you put a case on either of them, it's negligible.

My blackberry can fit inside my Nexus screen, with room to spare. I'm amazed at how much more accessible things are on it as well. Speed? Wow, you'll be shocked at how fast things move on 4gLTE.

Since you love your physical keyboard and Apple doesn't offer that, check out the Droid 4. It has a slide out QWERTY keyboard, for when the time comes.

I equate moving to the newest generation of smart phones like moving from a PC you've had for 8 years. You think there's not that big of a difference until you've had it for two weeks and can't imagine going back to what you had before.

FWIW, I love Kindle on my new phone. I used it once, one whole time, on my blackberry. I also have access to free check-outs via the UT school system, and the bigger screen is great for it. My Blackberry couldn't even access anything past the first screen interface.

 

[gmoney112]

I still rock a a 10 year old flip. Was thinking of getting a smartphone for Verizon but it's stupid expensive for a data plan now. Sprint has a nice unlimited plan but I don't want to be a social zombie looking at my phone screen for 16 hours a day and drooling on myself.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

I still rock a a 10 year old flip. Was thinking of getting a smartphone for Verizon but it's stupid expensive for a data plan now. Sprint has a nice unlimited plan but I don't want to be a social zombie looking at my phone screen for 16 hours a day and drooling on myself.

Come to the dark side, we have cookies.

 

[Alumni2k11]

I just switched from blackberry to iPhone last week. I like it a lot so far.

 

[WoodysGirl]

The weight difference between the Galaxy Nexus/iPhone and your Torch is between a quarter and a half of an ounce. once you put a case on either of them, it's negligible.

My blackberry can fit inside my Nexus screen, with room to spare. I'm amazed at how much more accessible things are on it as well. Speed? Wow, you'll be shocked at how fast things move on 4gLTE.

Since you love your physical keyboard and Apple doesn't offer that, check out the Droid 4. It has a slide out QWERTY keyboard, for when the time comes.

I equate moving to the newest generation of smart phones like moving from a PC you've had for 8 years. You think there's not that big of a difference until you've had it for two weeks and can't imagine going back to what you had before.

FWIW, I love Kindle on my new phone. I used it once, one whole time, on my blackberry. I also have access to free check-outs via the UT school system, and the bigger screen is great for it. My Blackberry couldn't even access anything past the first screen interface.

I appreciate the info, but I'm an if it ain't broke, don't fix it kinda gal.

I don't buy new phones until the one I have starts fudging and even then it depends on what's broken.

On my BB Bold, the media card slot stopped working pretty soon after I got it, but everything else worked, so I kept it and just removed pics and whatnot to keep the internal memory down.

I only got the Torch because it was time for an upgrade and it only cost $50.

I've got 10 year old desktop that's slower than dirt compared to both my laptops, but it still works. It's good if I have guests who want to use my computer. There's nothing wrong with it other than it's slow and only has a 40GB hard drive.

There's nothing wrong with the Torch, considering it's survived more than a few drops on concrete. So I'll keep it til maybe the next upgrade and then give it to my little brother.