What do you do with your high-end smartphone that makes it worth having?

DoYouEvenLift

I had an S4 and lost it. When it came to replacing it I thought whether or not I really needed another expensive, and large, smartphone and pretty much decided I never used it for much aside from texts/WhatsApp and short uses of the internet and emails because I tend to use my tablet more when I have it and free time. In the end I decided to go with a smaller and cheaper phone (S3 mini) and my choice seems wise so far since, as I expected, it's only used for the very basics. The thing is, I can't help but feel like I wanna spend the money on a high end/large smartphone again just to have it, especially since I'm about to change networks and the new S6 and One M9 are on the way and will be tempting buys.


What do you, owners of high end phones like the S5, Note 4, One M8, 6/6+ etc., do with yours to justify the prices?

whiskeyman

Take it out and show everyone I have it.

I actually still us a Siemens C25 for calls and texts...

kneemos

I use it feel superior to the plebs.

G_R

I think I'm just a victim of marketing tbh. I just want the latest/greatest model

Menas

There are alternatives to bigbrand names expensive phones that have comparable hardware and run the latest version of android....but people keep buying the big brand names who keep charging a fortune....and around we go!

Pinch Flat

I find the compass a handy feature

jester77

i can ssh into my home servers when something comes up and i'm away from home. The funniest thing is ssh'ing into my HTPC and sending some commands to dictate something and scare the crap out of whoever is in my living room at that time

DoYouEvenLift

Trigger Happy wrote: »

There are alternatives to bigbrand names expensive phones that have comparable hardware and run the latest version of android....but people keep buying the big brand names who keep charging a fortune....and around we go!

Yeah the OnePlus is a great example, although it did gain a lot of attention because of the almost cult praise it received from it's owners, the invite system also seemed to help.

Dravokivich

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

What do you, owners of high end phones like the S5, Note 4, One M8, 6/6+ etc., do with yours to justify the prices?

Some probably insure'em.

DainBramage

swiping through tinder while sitting on the toilet

Slicemeister

Find it handy to ward off any potential conversations with strangers.

Was in a hospital ward last week, 7 out of the 8 were on a smartphone, last lad looking around at the walls.

Turtyturd

Tape it to my wrist so I can check the time.

Just a little Samba

Take pictures with my 20.7 mega pixel camera and record 4k video.

Besides that I may as well have any decently specced 4-5" device. Had a moto g for a while but upgraded purely because the camera was shoite.

5rtytry56

I can access flickr Linked in google + YouTube vimeo office apps on both my smart phones. Anf so on and so on. They even make phone calls.

Beefy78

I'd never lost a phone in my life until September when I lost my HTC One in Las Vegas. Replaced that with an Xperia Z3 I bought off of Adverts and then that got stolen on a stag in Hamburg at the start of January.

I reached the same conclusion that the OP did that there wasn't much use in getting another top-end phone when a cheaper one would do everything I need. But then I got a decent pay-out off of the insurance so justified to myself that it was worth getting another decent phone and so managed to pick up an HTC One M8 and clear €150 in profit. But yeah, had that not happened I'd have picked up a cheap mid-range phone and used the exact same applications that I'm using now.

kneemos

I suspect there is something of a marketing strategy in expensive phones i.e. being more desirable.

Banjo String

whiskeyman wrote: »

Take it out and show everyone I have it.

Op said phone. Not your willy.

You don't do anything more with it, having it will give you a profound sense of meaning and contentment :P.

Having 'things' and stuff will make you happy.

GLaDOS

Main reason I bought a smartphone, and the main reason I'd get another, is for playing music on the go.

RIchieNouveau

If my boss didn't cover the contract on my S5 leaving me to just pay the 150 down payment I would've paid cash for a 5 inch moto G. My missus has it and it does everything the S5 can do but the camera isn't as good and I'd guess it won't run games as efficiently, but I don't play phone games anyway.

Another good option is buying the cheapest phone that'll let you tether your Internet and a decent tablet like a nexus 7 or something. Or just dumb phone and 3g tablet if you prefer.

DoYouEvenLift

mariaalice wrote: »

You don't do anything more with it, having it will give you a profound sense of meaning and contentment :P.

Having 'things' and stuff will make you happy.

I used to be like that but I seem to have become way less materialistic compared to how I used to be, I prefer really justifying purchases I need rather than just want so I can put the money towards travelling/experiences now, which was kind of the goal of this thread lol. Wanted to see if any posters here make a good, productive use of the power the good phones have

The_Captain

I have a high end smart phone and a Nokia classic with no internet or apps.

I use the Nokia all the time and the Samsung is just sitting in the press.
After you get bored of Flappy Bird and what not, I find I prefer having a smaller phone with a better battery life

MarkR

I sit on the toilet and shoot zombies.

Tombi!

It was more of a bigger screen I wanted. Had money saved up and thought why not. It was that or something else I didn't really need

jimgoose

I got a Samsung Galaxy S4 about a year ago after a long time convinced I had no interest in such things. And it is a revelation. I don't go near a laptop anymore now for all the little Webby things I do day-to-day.

3hn2givr7mx1sc

Send Snapchats of my poops.

SpaceTime

I post random nonsense on boards with it!

stimpson

I have a crappy company phone so for the past couple of years I've bought an iPhone on launch day and sold it a week before the new phone came out. It costs me ~250 a year to have the latest and greatest. It's pennies a day.

I do use it for managing my home server, RDCing to my work machine and videoconferencing for work. And it's priceless while I'm traveling - trip advisor, Google maps, London Underground app, Facetiming the wife and kids, music and gaming. I'd be fecked without it.

Aongus Von Bismarck

jester77 wrote: »

i can ssh into my home servers when something comes up and i'm away from home. The funniest thing is ssh'ing into my HTPC and sending some commands to dictate something and scare the crap out of whoever is in my living room at that time

I don't have a clue what any of this means!

I use my smartphone to access corporate email and calendar facilities, to do online banking, access my share trading platform, and to listen to Irish radio on Tunein.

fryup

play solitaire whilst on public transport

Hoop66

I can use it to VPN to client machines if there's a problem that I can quickly fix remotely - got the BIL to write me an app for iOS (jailbroken) that works like a 5250 emulator - it's incredibly handy.
I use it for email
I use it for calendar
I use it for GPS
I use it as an iPod
I use it for FB
I play games occasionally.
I use it for in play betting on rugby games
I use it for taking photographs

pwurple

Mine isn't super-expensive, it's the one+1. About 1/3 the price of an iphone.

I use NFC tags, which I love. So, I touch the NFC tag on the car to pair the phone to car bluetooth, turn on satnav, log my location (for tracking where I am for work). Touch it again on the way out to turn all that stuff off and log location again.

Tag by the front door to turn up the volume on the phone ringer, and switch on the wifi. Off on the way out.

Tag by the bed to turn on my alarm (depending on day), adjust volume down and switch on my phone select list (take a call during night from set numbers, not from others).

Nice camera on it, used for both work and family. I've it set to autobackup to online storage, which is a nice feature, as I can access those at my computer then easily for putting reports together or whatever.

Music and audiobooks, play through the car.

Dictation. My phone has a good mic. I dictate a lot of my emails.

Otherwise, used like a good old-fashioned communication device. But with viber, skype etc going for keeping in contact with friends and family around the world.


What I'd LIKE to do with it, is hook it into a home automation system. And maybe use it for a car, like the Leaf, where you turn it on with the phone to de-ice or cool down in summer 5 minutes before you head out. Just need the house and the car.

eamonnq

I use it for email
I use it for calendar
I use it for GPS
I use it as an mp3 player
I use it for taking pictures (and video)
I use it for FB
I play games occasionally.
I use it for betting
I use it for watching premier league football when I am not at home
I use it for checking the news
I have XBMC on it for movies/music also
The odd phone call or text as well.

and it keeps the 4 year old entertained when out and about too.

It cost me less than 150, from China

QuizUp, crosswords, Reddit Now, calls, messaging, boards.ie

SMJSF

i've a HTC 510
I use it for:
Social media (FB, twitter, reddit, boards, pinterest) email, banking, calls/texts, games, online shopping, calendar, alarm, recipe books, bus timetables, a map.

_Kaiser_

Currently have a Note 4, but tend to change phones fairly often (have had every previous Note, several upper-end Windows Phones, and a few HTCs back in the day).. although this one might last me a year

- Calls
- Texts (SMS/Whatsapp/Viber)
- Email
- Camera/Photos
- Internet Banking
- Some Web (I'm never far from a laptop so don't use the phone for heavy browsing)
- News/Weather/Football results
- Not into social media
- Don't play games on it
- Don't need it for music as I drive everywhere

Probably the biggest benefit to me is the big screen and customisation options. Would never buy an iPhone though. Nothing to do with "hating" Apple.. I just don't like how the phones work and I'm reliant on MSFT/Google services

take everything

Besides obviously browsing, radio, gmail, GPS with a HUD, spotify, netflix etc:

Mobile banking, eBay, amazon (very handy).

Cooler stuff: Air traffic control/police scanners, tracking flights.

Audio books (great while driving), kindle ebooks (have switched almost completely to ebooks now).

Stuff like memrise, khanacademy for languages, learning stuff etc.

Pulse for feeds of favourite websites etc.

NFC tags are cool for stuff like GPS, radio (connecting to speakers etc).

Alf Veedersane

I use mine for gigs so I can hold it up in the air and block as many views as possible.

I'm saving for a tablet to replace it with.

Sciprio

I want a smartphone that's quick and not sluggish. My next phone will be cheaper but will have to be faster than my current and seeing as i got my phone in 2011 i shouldn't have a problem.

DoYouEvenLift

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

I use mine for gigs so I can hold it up in the air and block as many views as possible.

I'm saving for a tablet to replace it with.

Wait a while, I'm pretty sure I heard something about an even bigger iPad than the current ones being released, I think it'd be the most optimal view blocker to date.

Alf Veedersane

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Wait a while, I'm pretty sure I heard something about an even bigger iPad than the current ones being released, I think it'd be the most optimal view blocker to date.

I'll probably have upgraded to a smart tv by then.

ygolometsipe

I have used the hand grenade feature ....

blade1

Lidl app loads wicked fast on iphone 6!:D

I don't think mine is high end. I've had it a couple years. I'd love to replace the battery but apparently you can't just do that on an xperia like some older ones.
gps navigation on it is a lifesaver for me.
I wish theyd fix the google maps navigation thing so it stops crashing though. I use a different app for it now but it' not quite the same in some ways

5rtytry56

I have a HTC 500 and Huawei G630 smartphone, which both sport 8 megapixel cameras.
Taking and uploading photos straight to flickr
Recording videos.

mikemac1

Samsung S4 that I bought for 100 euro from a girl in work.

I hated it at first but then a lad changed the interface with some google interface or something and I like it now. Still find it bloated with stupid Samsung apps I'll never use

Once I booked a Ryanair flight and a few hours before I got a notification about departure time, how many km I was from the airport and buses to get there.

I was freaked out :eek:

I later learned google reads my email interary in my gmail and discovers all this and gives me notifications. I find that amazing!!

ancapailldorcha

I'll never understand the appeal of high-end models.

I've a fairly old Sony Experia on which I spend about £80-£100 a year in credit. It can do most, if not all things the high end models can; maps, Kindle, most games, Tinder, etc... Not one person has been able to explaining to me why iphones and their Samsung equivalents are worth the money.

Iranoutofideas

mikemac1 wrote: »

Once I booked a Ryanair flight and a few hours before I got a notification about departure time, how many km I was from the airport and buses to get there.

I was freaked out :eek:

I later learned google reads my email interary in my gmail and discovers all this and gives me notifications. I find that amazing!!

So do the NSA.

starlit

I still have my first smartphone I use it till its at the last legs but its acting up a bit lately so may need to consider a new one before the year is out...with a similar spec or slight upgrade. Still look into the Samsung's though prefer them to the iphones which are pure hype and marketing ploy. The only iPhone i'd be interested in similar to the Samsung I have be the lower market one the iPhone 5c. Samsung just seems to win out a bit more for me!? The Sonys have got very good specs now lately. The latest Samsung is to be announced today and released at a later date.

starlit

mikemac1 wrote: »

Samsung S4 that I bought for 100 euro from a girl in work.

I hated it at first but then a lad changed the interface with some google interface or something and I like it now. Still find it bloated with stupid Samsung apps I'll never use

Once I booked a Ryanair flight and a few hours before I got a notification about departure time, how many km I was from the airport and buses to get there.

I was freaked out :eek:

I later learned google reads my email interary in my gmail and discovers all this and gives me notifications. I find that amazing!!

I find that creepy? Google Analytics/Data analysis fair enough but all that? Its a bit weird, google knows where you are!? Bit weird some apps like that can do that with the likes of 'tinder' can check location of someone or how far away they are from you, spotted where they can see if you are at an airport at one occasion...too much info.

hfallada

I use my iphone 6 Plus to record me at the water protests. It makes it so much easier to upload them onto youtube, to the people of the world the great work we are doing by stopping water meter installations.