Best Android Phone

[3 MORE YEARS]

I am looking for some recommendation. I currently have an iPhone 4. I am at end of my contract. Although I like the iPhone, it fails at the most important thing which is being a phone. I am looking at Android. What is the best Android phone at the moment? Any positives or negatives about the Android?

 

[InBetweener]

I am looking for some recommendation. I currently have an iPhone 4. I am at end of my contract. Although I like the iPhone, it fails at the most important thing which is being a phone. I am looking at Android. What is the best Android phone at the moment? Any positives or negatives about the Android?

Please explain how the iPhone fails at being a phone?

I had an HTC phone on Android and it was by far less superior than the iPhone in every way possible.

Got rid of it and got an iPhone 4. So much easier to use, better OS, better apps, better quality of build, better support in terms of customer services. Need I go on?

 

[Faevilangel]

I have the HTC desire and it's excellent but it's a couple of years old now, the Sammy Galaxy S2 is a brilliant phone as well. Sammy / Google have also just released the Nexus 2 which is the first phone to use Android 4.0 (Ice cream sandwich) which might interest you.

Only negative I can find for my Android is updating to a newer version of Android is down to each phone manufacturer to release an update for your specific phone or you need to root the phone with a custom ROM. Lots of forums around to help you root the phones if you feeling adventorous (modaco is a good one).

 

[3 MORE YEARS]

I have had two iPhones swapped by Vodafone. I get half price on my contract. I have not been able to make calls properly for the last half an hour. Even restarted it. I really don't want to get in to a discussion about how great the iPhone is. I just want some feedback on some Androids.

 

[Concept Vehicle Leasing]

The new Nexus does look quote impressive and it's praise has been sung by one of my colleagues, whose boyfriend has just purchased one.

 

[That Guy]

Amazing phone:
http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/galaxys2/html/

Screen may be a little to big though

 

[DotNetWebs]

There is a good article on Tech Crunch today that highly rates the Nexus

A Lengthy Weighing Of The Galaxy Nexus And iPhone 4S

Regards

Dotty

 

[InBetweener]

There is a good article on Tech Crunch today that highly rates the Nexus

A Lengthy Weighing Of The Galaxy Nexus And iPhone 4S

Regards

Dotty

Hmmm well are you reading it correctly?!? According to the review its still not on par with the iPhone, as per the 2nd to last paragraph...

"The Long and Short of It

From a looks and polish department, Android will probably always be trailing iOS to some degree. Apple is just too good at what it does - and the fact that developers can optimize for just a handful of screen resolutions means they can put together pixel-perfect designs, whereas Android apps have to be far more flexible with their layouts, which lends itself to blah-ness.

But with Ice Cream Sandwich, Android has reached a sort of tipping point.

Android has always been a mixed bag. Powerful, yes. But not as easy to use as the iPhone, a little bit ugly, and with a perpetual feeling that some screws had been left too loose in the rush to get the software out the door. At times, it's felt like someone dropped an overpowered V8 engine into a janky sedan chassis.

With ICS, those screws feel like they've been tightened. It doesn't yet have the same polish as iOS, but I no longer feel like I'm having to sacrifice a pleasant experience for the sake of using solid Google apps and Android's flexibility. In fact, overall, Ice Cream Sandwich has been a joy to use. Though it has yet to make me salivate."

They certainly do not rate it highly in comparison to the iPhone and let's be honest, look at the size of the thing! Looks like a tablet not a phone. Terrible

 

[DotNetWebs]

Oh dear this thread has been invaded by a Apple fanatic who won't heed OPs request not to big up the iPhone - I guess it had to happen!

The thing with that report that Apple fantics fail to appreciate is that it is BALANCED - the author is able to see the good and bad in BOTH phones but [for his personal needs] has [marginally] come down in favour of the Android.

Regards

Dotty

 

[OldWelshGuy]

Every INDEPENDENT report I have read says the GalaxyS2 is the best phone ints class, better than the iphone in all ways other than the camera.

No doubt the fruit fans will shout me down on this with their NON independent opinion

 

[InBetweener]

Oh dear this thread has been invaded by a Apple fanatic who won't heed OPs request not to big up the iPhone - I guess it had to happen!

The thing with that report that Apple fantics fail to appreciate is that it is BALANCED - the author is able to see the good and bad in BOTH phones but [for his personal needs] has [marginally] come down in favour of the Android.

Regards

Dotty

Just stating fact my dear. If you don't like it, well you know the rest.

 

[DotNetWebs]

Just stating fact my dear. If you don't like it, well you know the rest.

It wasn't a fact it was an opinion - and a [incorrect] interpretation of the conclusion of the article.

The author didn't say "Android will probably always be trailing iOS to some degree".

He said:

"From a looks and polish department, Android will probably always be trailing iOS to some degree. "

In other words it's not as pretty.

I doubt many people would argue with that.

The author's conclusion is actually in the 3rd paragraph:

"iOS is better at some things than Android. And it is prettier. But it is no longer superior."

Regards

Dotty

 

[JDX_John]

I have had two iPhones swapped by Vodafone. I get half price on my contract. I have not been able to make calls properly for the last half an hour. Even restarted it. I really don't want to get in to a discussion about how great the iPhone is. I just want some feedback on some Androids.

The 4S reportedly (according to independent tests) totally fix the call issues on the 4. Note - I don't have an iPhone so I'm unbiased.

Have you considered trying one of the new Windows phones in a shop, if you're happy to compare all options?

 

Hmmm well are you reading it correctly?!? According to the review its still not on par with the iPhone, as per the 2nd to last paragraph...

"The Long and Short of It

From a looks and polish department, Android will probably always be trailing iOS to some degree. Apple is just too good at what it does — and the fact that developers can optimize for just a handful of screen resolutions means they can put together pixel-perfect designs, whereas Android apps have to be far more flexible with their layouts, which lends itself to blah-ness.

But with Ice Cream Sandwich, Android has reached a sort of tipping point.

Android has always been a mixed bag. Powerful, yes. But not as easy to use as the iPhone, a little bit ugly, and with a perpetual feeling that some screws had been left too loose in the rush to get the software out the door. At times, it’s felt like someone dropped an overpowered V8 engine into a janky sedan chassis.

With ICS, those screws feel like they’ve been tightened. It doesn’t yet have the same polish as iOS, but I no longer feel like I’m having to sacrifice a pleasant experience for the sake of using solid Google apps and Android’s flexibility. In fact, overall, Ice Cream Sandwich has been a joy to use. Though it has yet to make me salivate."

They certainly do not rate it highly in comparison to the iPhone and let's be honest, look at the size of the thing! Looks like a tablet not a phone. Terrible

Interesting though that the author having said all that, wants a Nexus

Paragraph 2

I like the one on the right better. I’ll have to send it back to Google soon, but I’m already certain that through a combination of mysticism and Craigslist I’ll be swapping the iPhone 4S for a Verizon Galaxy Nexus shortly after it launches.

 

[MH1]

Had the iphones and galaxy s2, the s2 is the better for myself.

End of the day it's what suits yourself that matters the most, forget other peoples opinions, though I do understand most iphone fanatics tend to go with the crowd.

 

[RickieSee]

I have a friend who likes her HTC Desire S!

 

[astutiumRob]

HTC Sensation XL/XE or Nexus2 would be my 'droid of choice at the mo.

 

[Ian@PinkChalk]

I have owned 2 iPhones (a 3G and a 4) and was getting a bit bored of ownership and was also tiring a little regarding how locked down and inflexible they sometimes were (for my own personal needs - although perhaps not for everyone).

Also - I found it quite annoying as an iPhone 3G owner when every software update just seemed to make it slower and slower...


This year I fancied a change and moved to a Samsung Galaxy S2 (SGS2)and I get on really well with it:

Now, if I want to copy music on to it - I just drag and drop from my PC with windows explorer, if I want to watch a video - again it's just drag, drop and off I go. I can set any of my music as my ring tone (something neither of my iPhones did previously). I have a choice of getting apps via Android Market, Samsung and Vodafone straight out of the box. If I want to use my phone as a wireless router it takes just a few clicks and off I go (on my iPhone they wanted to charge me a monthly tethering charge too?).

The screen also looks great - it is big, bright and colourful - and when it displays black it is very very black, so anything on a dark background looks really impressive. Internet access is super quick. There are tons of free apps out there - I haven't found anything I need yet that I have had to pay for! All in all, for me personally, it has proven to be a great phone.


Are there any down sides? Well, the older versions of Android had a few bugs with this phone - most of which have been sorted in the latest Android release that Vodafone have put round. I think the only thing that can be a little annoying sometimes is that the volume can be quite low compared to other phones - although even this seems to have improved with the latest Android release that Vodafone offer.

The SGS2 is slimmer and lighter in feel than the iPhone 4 (although some people say it feels cheaper too) and it has a much bigger screen area (although at a lower resolution than an iPhone). I find text is much easier to read on the SGS2 screen (although perhaps my eyesight is not the greatest - the iPhone 4 text was much clearer when it was really small!)


I am not an Apple hater - I own iPods, MacBooks and an iPad and I did like my iPhone 4 - but I do think that my own user experince with Android running on the SGS2 has been better - for my use it has proven to be a more flexible phone - and it is currently also a £100 or so cheaper than the Apple equivalent...

I am not trying to start an Android vs Apple debate - it is just that for me to provide feedback, it is easier to compare my SGS2 with an iPhone 4 as that was the last phone I owned before I switched

 

[diego.getapp]

I use a Xpery X10 Mini Pro and i am very happy with it. The things I like most is the phisical keyboard and the small size.
I also read that the Galaxy S2 is the best phone in market today, better than iPhone, like said in first page.

 

[Richard Smith]

Interesting one this, some camps are pro one or the other and thats fine.

My experience is this, never really bought into the Iphone thing. Both of my kids have them and they have proved to be mechanically a little weak, damaged screens and buttons but very easy to use out of the box.

The Itunes link is a problem, but it's also a problem for my IPOD/IPAD as you have to use the Itunes interface to do anything which is a pain.

Never really bought into the Iphone thing and firmly beleive that the cash cow for Apple is Itunes and not the hardware which is why everything is tied to it.

I also own a Macbook Air and an IPAD so with my Ipod firmly beleive that in some aspects the Apple products are superior. But not with phones.

Always had Nokia and Samsung and then purchased a HTC with Android and fell in love, it just worked and allowed me to drag and drop files to any machine. Moving stuff onto a clients computer is easy, not so with an Iphone, apps a little weak but growing all of the time.

I now have a Galaxy S2 and love it all of it. Battery life is not brilliant, but then none of them are.

So my view would be a 'droid everytime, and this is from a man that has already bought into the Apple thing. Love the Macbook, love the Ipod and Ipad but really don't rate the phones.


Richard

 

[Gooroo]

Has anyone compared the Galaxy S2 and the Iphone 4s? I'm not sure which one to get

 

[TonyHarbon]

I've had a Galaxy S2 for about 3 months and it is a great bit of kit. My only niggle is the battery life, but I understand that they are all more or less on a par if you want the gizmos that are available on Smartphones today.

Tony Harbon

 

[smith593]

The best android phone in market is "Samsung Epic Touch 4G", please try it once buddy.

 

[cgdhosting]

I recently purchased a Motorola Defy as I required a phone that could withstand more abuse than my previous phone.

It is not the best Android phone available due to it having outdated software, however it is water proof, dust proof, shatter proof and you can get them for very cheap on Contract or PAYG.

 

[donnacredit]

HTC desire is an award winning phone. its quite old now... their new launch HTC sensation is a very good launch .. awesome graphix..