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Need a new phone and wondering which is best -- other than Apple

Arizona Willie

Active Member
I've been using an old flip phone on an inexpensive / free service from Kroger and someone has hacked it or something and made calls on my number.

I'm not happy with I-wireless anyway.

So I thought I might switch to Verizon and buy a new phone.

Looking for opinions on which is the best one now --- but will not even consider an I-anything. Nothing from Apple lands in my house.

All opinions / suggestions / jokes appreciated :)
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have a google nexus (4) and love it. Closest thing to an apple experience from an android device as the hardware is controlled my google and the price sim only is fantastic for the spec. I saved so such money buying my nexus direct from google play and going sim only.

I guess others will perhaps recommend windows phones, but I have no experience with them.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
OneNote Beta for Android now supports inking, so maybe look at one of the Galaxy Notes if you like inking....
 

BillJ

Active Member
I am very happy with my Nokia Icon with Windows Phone 8.1. The basic functionality of the phone is slick and beautiful. I don't need a bunch of apps and games, and I can access all of my OneDrive data right on my phone.
I would submit that the secret to getting the right device is to understand first what you need the device to do; from there, you can choose among options that possess that functionality. As you read in these forums, people get very unhappy when a gadget does not live up to their expectations.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
I use the Nokia Lumia 1520 that I love.... especially with Windows Phone 8.1 and the Cyan Update...
 

kundas1

Well-Known Member
I second the win 8 phones, I have the Lumina 625 and luv the simplicity and speed of the win 8 OS...
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
How are the apps on the windows platform? Genuine question, Windows phones do interest me but as I've been with Android for 4 years now I've got quite a collection of apps. There are only a few I really regularly use though but I don't think all of them are available on windows, also I may have to re-purchase paid apps which would be slightly annoying. Also I've read that some apps are a bit cut down on the windows platform compared to iOS and android is that true?

I mostly use things like tapatalk (for this forum and others), pinterest, facebook, twitter, bbc news, a banking app, plus a fair few games.

Mind you I guess I'll find out when I get my Surface in a month or so's time as I'll want do download the apps Iuse most on to the Metro UI I guess for when I'm using it as a tablet.
 

jnjroach

Administrator
Staff member
There isn't anything I needed or wanted that I couldn't do on my Windows Phone. But honestly there are still some App Gaps, Banking Apps being potentially one of the biggest.
 

Moonsurface

Super Moderator
Staff member
Well they used to say the same about the Android app store being "bad" compared to iOS but it's pretty much even now I'd say, there are still a few things where developers do not write an android version, but most they do. Lightroom mobile being one I'd like which isn't yet on the Android platform but that's not really something you'd want/need on a phone anyway.
 

daniielrp

Active Member
Well I'm currently using a Lumia 930 - is very good, WP8.1 is very smooth and the integration with the Surface is quite nice.
Also, my job (support for mobile phones, reviewing mobile phones, sometimes pre-release) does give me a lot of insight into this sector. I have used each of the 3 main OSs on my personal phones over the past 3-4 years (Android on a Galaxy S for 14months, WP7 on a L800 for 14 months, iOS on a 5/5s for 18 months, WP8.1 on a L930 for...4 days so far) so I know a lot from a usability perspective. And as we support every major (and most minor) mobile OS in my job I get exposed and have to use a variety of different devices each day and we get sent new ones and test ones for training/reviewing on the website, so although the following is personal opinion, it is all based on actual use of the devices.

Windows Phone is great, as said I'm using the latest and greatest in the 930, and having used a L800 way back when Nokia first jumped on the WP train, I have to say it has come on leaps and bounds. Aside from a 'lack' of apps compared to the other OSs, there is nothing I can think of that I'd want to change with it. And when I say lack of apps - most 'big' names have made apps for the OS, but it's all the smaller more indie developers still holding out until it becomes a more viable system.
The OS itself is stable, well built, clean and very Windows-y, and is still an 'exciting' OS, in that it still kinda feels like a work in progress so you get a lot of new features released and Nokia tend to update there apps very regularly.
The 930 is fantastic, you should go out and buy one right now.

That being said, I cannot knock Apple. My 5s is by far the best phone I'd ever had - perfect size for my hand (I find the 930 hard to use one handed), every app available, the camera is very good, and available accessories are great. From a usability standpoint, it is perfect. Apple do get a lot of hate just for being Apple, but having used the device, it really does do everything you could want.

Downsides are that it is still a bit restricted, but that looks to be changing quite a bit with iOS 8. My honest advise would be to not let an irrational hate for Apple blind you from what is actually a really good phone.

Android I'm still on the fence with. The Nexus devices are great for the money, and the OS itself is pretty much on par with anything now. However be careful what device you get, beyond a Nexus (and possibly a moto) manufacturers fill them with so much crap and bloatware you lose a lot of the great features and speed that comes with Vanilla Android. They are getting better, and can be very cheap, but again be aware as low end Android devices to be terrible.

They can also be a bit complicated if you're a non-techie, my dad's Xperia just decided last week it no longer wants to sync with the PC, no reason I can find, but took ages to reinstall everything and it still needs plugging/unplugging 4-5 times for the connection to hit. However, if you don't mind playing around and installing custom ROMS, skinning, theming - you can have so much fun just from personalisation!

In summation:
iPhone - Kill me for the cliche, but they do just work. Most of the time.
Android - Great for everyone really, but techie/tinkerer people really enjoy.
Windows Phone - Again great for everyone, smooth, fast and Nokia's hardware is really good.
BlackBerry? No. Just, no.
 
OP
Arizona Willie

Arizona Willie

Active Member
Thanks for the evaluations and summations. Very good and nice and clear and understandable and no fanboi garbage on either side.

I had thought a Windows phone would probably be best because it should integrate with my home network and PC " perfectly " since they all have the same OS.

You say you find the 930 hard to use one handed --- is that because the phone is so much bigger or do you have small hands? Just wondering because I have rather large hands.

But a very good summation --- thank you very much.




Well I'm currently using a Lumia 930 - is very good, WP8.1 is very smooth and the integration with the Surface is quite nice.
Also, my job (support for mobile phones, reviewing mobile phones, sometimes pre-release) does give me a lot of insight into this sector. I have used each of the 3 main OSs on my personal phones over the past 3-4 years (Android on a Galaxy S for 14months, WP7 on a L800 for 14 months, iOS on a 5/5s for 18 months, WP8.1 on a L930 for...4 days so far) so I know a lot from a usability perspective. And as we support every major (and most minor) mobile OS in my job I get exposed and have to use a variety of different devices each day and we get sent new ones and test ones for training/reviewing on the website, so although the following is personal opinion, it is all based on actual use of the devices.

Windows Phone is great, as said I'm using the latest and greatest in the 930, and having used a L800 way back when Nokia first jumped on the WP train, I have to say it has come on leaps and bounds. Aside from a 'lack' of apps compared to the other OSs, there is nothing I can think of that I'd want to change with it. And when I say lack of apps - most 'big' names have made apps for the OS, but it's all the smaller more indie developers still holding out until it becomes a more viable system.
The OS itself is stable, well built, clean and very Windows-y, and is still an 'exciting' OS, in that it still kinda feels like a work in progress so you get a lot of new features released and Nokia tend to update there apps very regularly.
The 930 is fantastic, you should go out and buy one right now.

That being said, I cannot knock Apple. My 5s is by far the best phone I'd ever had - perfect size for my hand (I find the 930 hard to use one handed), every app available, the camera is very good, and available accessories are great. From a usability standpoint, it is perfect. Apple do get a lot of hate just for being Apple, but having used the device, it really does do everything you could want.

Downsides are that it is still a bit restricted, but that looks to be changing quite a bit with iOS 8. My honest advise would be to not let an irrational hate for Apple blind you from what is actually a really good phone.

Android I'm still on the fence with. The Nexus devices are great for the money, and the OS itself is pretty much on par with anything now. However be careful what device you get, beyond a Nexus (and possibly a moto) manufacturers fill them with so much crap and bloatware you lose a lot of the great features and speed that comes with Vanilla Android. They are getting better, and can be very cheap, but again be aware as low end Android devices to be terrible.

They can also be a bit complicated if you're a non-techie, my dad's Xperia just decided last week it no longer wants to sync with the PC, no reason I can find, but took ages to reinstall everything and it still needs plugging/unplugging 4-5 times for the connection to hit. However, if you don't mind playing around and installing custom ROMS, skinning, theming - you can have so much fun just from personalisation!

In summation:
iPhone - Kill me for the cliche, but they do just work. Most of the time.
Android - Great for everyone really, but techie/tinkerer people really enjoy.
Windows Phone - Again great for everyone, smooth, fast and Nokia's hardware is really good.
BlackBerry? No. Just, no.
 
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