Which smartphone should i buy? Iphone or not????

the whole year inn

bd250110 wrote: »

I actually completely disagree with you on this. My iCloud e-mail, calendars and contacts all worked well with Android. Double twist was a good substitute for most of iTunes functions, and offered WiFi sync before iTunes ever did. I just didn't like they way my info was presented on the phone.

As I say, iOS works best for what I want to do with my phone, in all honesty other than the Market Vs AppStore most people will never notice a difference. I love the way my iPhone looks, the way it feels in my hand, the way it works with the hardware and software I already have, no messing, no fooling around.

Thats weirid cos everytime i see and hold an iphone,I just think how plain and boring it is,each to there own.

KrisW

Maental2000 wrote: »

Ah right ok! You're suspicion is correct...I've never used iTunes on Windows, only on my Mac so that explains that I guess!

I actually have the N8 too, what drives me mad about it is the qwerty keyboard in landscape mode...not at all touch-friendly The camera is outstanding on the other hand though! I reckon I'll be throwing it up on ebay shortly.

I installed Swype, which works well in portrait. I never use the keyboard in landscape mode, so can't comment. You don't have to do the "scribbling" thing with swype - you can also use it as a normal keyboard which is handy when you know the word you're typing won't be in the dictionary.

Unless you're desperate for something new right now, hang on to the N8 until the Belle release appears. All the whispers say a mid-November rollout, which is only a few weeks away.

For me, the downsides of the iPhone appear to be:
1) the crap ringtones they have on it - they're a dead loss in fairness
2) the super-short lead attached the charger - if I'm going to have to charge it every night then I want the lead to be long enough to reach my bed at least!
3) the overall look of the phone is just downright boring to me - it looks EXACTLY like all previous iPhones, the iPhone was pure class when it first came out but 4yrs later it still looks the same...YAWN!!!

1. and 2. are easily solved, though. 3 is a big problem. Apple are about to have their "Burberry moment", I think - where people suddenly realise that it's not an exclusive product anymore, and that having one doesn't make you look well-off. Personally, while I liked the 3GS, I hate the 4. It's really not product design to me. It looks nice in photos, but it's awkward to hold in the hand, which to me is a fundamental failing in a hand-held device.

PS I'm also considering the N9 - any thoughts on that??

I think it's a fantastic product, and if it was available on contract, I'd be using one now.
As it is, though, it'll be expensive (you'll have to buy SIM-free off contract), and you won't have a large selection of apps. The camera isn't in the same class as the N8's, but nothing is. N9's camera is about as good as the iPhone 4S's camera, but with accurate colour reproduction and better contrast. Browser is very good, and you can also put Fennec (mobile Firefox) on it, which is very good indeed. Apps are the N9's achilles heel, but it's a very techie-friendly device, which means a lot of small devs are likely to own one just for the "cool factor". Put an easily-programmable device in the hands of a few thousand techies, and you will get apps.

So, if you don't want to show off the latest app for this or that, and you're happy with the SIM-free pricing, go for it. Personally, I'm tempted to get one SIM-free myself, but I'm going to see a. how Belle works on my N8, and b. what the real pricing is, before I decide for sure.

bd250110

KrisW wrote: »

Personally, I'm tempted to get one SIM-free myself, but I'm going to see a. how Belle works on my N8, and b. what the real pricing is, before I decide for sure.

I believe the N9 and the new Lumina 800 are all but identical from an aesthetics point of view. WP7 seems to get good reviews and the build and design of the N9 are very highly praised, this could be a good option for the OP. I am certainly looking forward to having a play with one in the near future.

Maental2000

Cheers for the detailed reply, you seem to know your stuff!

KrisW wrote: »

I installed Swype, which works well in portrait. I never use the keyboard in landscape mode, so can't comment. You don't have to do the "scribbling" thing with swype - you can also use it as a normal keyboard which is handy when you know the word you're typing won't be in the dictionary.

Is Swype an app on the ovi store or how did you install it?

Unless you're desperate for something new right now, hang on to the N8 until the Belle release appears. All the whispers say a mid-November rollout, which is only a few weeks away.

Good thinking, going to take your advice & wait. I'm pretty much a newbie to all this mobile OS updating thing...do I have to use the Nokia PC Suite to be able to update the N8 to Belle when it comes out? (I have my N8 unlocked)

1. and 2. are easily solved, though. 3 is a big problem. Apple are about to have their "Burberry moment", I think - where people suddenly realise that it's not an exclusive product anymore, and that having one doesn't make you look well-off. Personally, while I liked the 3GS, I hate the 4. It's really not product design to me. It looks nice in photos, but it's awkward to hold in the hand, which to me is a fundamental failing in a hand-held device.

Yeah, I'm very meh about it tbh.

I think it's a fantastic product, and if it was available on contract, I'd be using one now.
As it is, though, it'll be expensive (you'll have to buy SIM-free off contract), and you won't have a large selection of apps. The camera isn't in the same class as the N8's, but nothing is. N9's camera is about as good as the iPhone 4S's camera, but with accurate colour reproduction and better contrast. Browser is very good, and you can also put Fennec (mobile Firefox) on it, which is very good indeed. Apps are the N9's achilles heel, but it's a very techie-friendly device, which means a lot of small devs are likely to own one just for the "cool factor". Put an easily-programmable device in the hands of a few thousand techies, and you will get apps.

So, if you don't want to show off the latest app for this or that, and you're happy with the SIM-free pricing, go for it. Personally, I'm tempted to get one SIM-free myself, but I'm going to see a. how Belle works on my N8, and b. what the real pricing is, before I decide for sure.

I'm not a big app person really so it doesn't bother me and I like that for the N9 Nokia will be using a program called Nokia Link which is Mac compatible, rather than their PC Suite....I have it downloaded already!
But, I'm going to copy you here and wait and see what Belle will be like on the N8 first.

KrisW

@Maental2000 -- if you've never updated, you may still be on the very first software version for your N8 (Symbian^3 PR1.0).

Tap "Call" on the home page, and dial *#0000# - what's on screen under "Release" and "Version"? (the latest release is "Symbian Anna").


Yes, you can get Swype on the Ovi Store, but unless your phone is running Anna, it will only work in landscape mode.

Nokia Software Updater is what you need to update the N8 from your Mac... it's not a final release yet, but it does work (I used it to bring my N8 up to Anna). Download from Nokia Beta Labs. You'll have to log in to get the download, but you can use the same username and password that you use on Ovi Store.

Maental2000

KrisW wrote: »

@Maental2000 -- if you've never updated, you may still be on the very first software version for your N8 (Symbian^3 PR1.0).

Tap "Call" on the home page, and dial *#0000# - what's on screen under "Release" and "Version"? (the latest release is "Symbian Anna").

Yes, you can get Swype on the Ovi Store, but unless your phone is running Anna, it will only work in landscape mode.

Nokia Software Updater is what you need to update the N8 from your Mac... it's not a final release yet, but it does work (I used it to bring my N8 up to Anna). Download from Nokia Beta Labs. You'll have to log in to get the download, but you can use the same username and password that you use on Ovi Store.

Release was PR1.0 & Version was 011.012 but I'm after updating it there through that Nokia Software Updater, thanks for the tip!

Going to have a play around with it now and see what I make of it

rookie76

Update:

Hi everyone. Sorry to interrupt but just thought i'd let you know that i actually went for the Samsung Galaxy S2 and it's class. Spent an hour or so grilling a very knowledgeable guy in vodafone shop about the iphone versus the best of android. He went through both phones and having them side by side and comparing different features i'm happy that i made the right decision. Have since set it up, easy, click and drag some photos and music from my desktop, organised email etc. and all is so user friendly. I have used the built in radio also and it is very good. Loads of free apps and found similar ones that i had thought were only on iphone (just called something else).
Also it is very light, bigger screen (but doesn't feel bigger as its so slim) and doesn't have the annoying glass back of the iphone.

Anyway, my advice for anyone unsure is to see them together and play with them. If you are big into itunes maybe stick with iphone but otherwise android all the way for versatility.

Thanks for all your input.....................

PogMoThoin

rookie76 wrote: »

Update:

Hi everyone. Sorry to interrupt but just thought i'd let you know that i actually went for the Samsung Galaxy S2 and it's class. Spent an hour or so grilling a very knowledgeable guy in vodafone shop about the iphone versus the best of android. He went through both phones and having them side by side and comparing different features i'm happy that i made the right decision. Have since set it up, easy, click and drag some photos and music from my desktop, organised email etc. and all is so user friendly. I have used the built in radio also and it is very good. Loads of free apps and found similar ones that i had thought were only on iphone (just called something else).
Also it is very light, bigger screen (but doesn't feel bigger as its so slim) and doesn't have the annoying glass back of the iphone.

Anyway, my advice for anyone unsure is to see them together and play with them. If you are big into itunes maybe stick with iphone but otherwise android all the way for versatility.

Thanks for all your input.....................

Nice, enjoy.

Tip,
Get all your contacts into Gmail as Google contacts and they'll be backed up to your Google account, then you can disable (I deleted) sim and phone ones from showing, set saving to Google as default. Then you can factory reset or change phone at any time and you'll still have your contacts. You can also edit/merge them on the big screen on your PC and add images etc if you wish.
http://leetstreet.net/blog/2011/05/nokia/

god's toy

Good phone Camera shootout here for anyone wondering what phone has the best all rounder: (android VS IOS) ... yea I'll just say here it's not the ios device... Sgs2 Kicks that butt black and blue...


Anyhoo,

http://www.pcworld.com/article/241955/smartphone_camera_battle_iphone_4s_vs_the_android_elite.html