What phone to get next?

[Paper Tiger]

So, I'm due a phone upgrade in about a month. I want a different one, 'cos I'm fed up of this POS not sending text messages when I have full signal and generally dying on me every so often.

Currently have the HTC Hero. Don't know what to get next. Not the iPhone, that's for sure!

I don't know what to get. I'm considering the Galaxy SII or the Motorola Atrix at the moment.

Any other suggestions or general comments? Reviews/experiences would also help. Cheers guys! =]

[Vicious Horizon]

iPhone.

/troll

[katakuna]

Just a thought, why not the iPhone?

[Paper Tiger]

iPhone.

/troll

Die.


Just a thought, why not the iPhone?

I don't like the iPhones. I think they're over-rated. Yes, they do have (possibly) the best touch screens on the market at the moment, and the biggest availability of apps, but I'd still prefer another phone.

Too many people have iPhones and they all look the same, which I don't like.

I guess I generally just don't like them... :S

[Vicious Horizon]

That's fair enough, I mean I have an iPhone and I love it (great for trolling mumble when Latitude uploads my coords and makes my mic go blitz), but I think if you're not gonna go for an iPhone (which is fair enough); the Galaxy S II, (or 1) is a good phone, Ki has one so you could ask him about it if you want more info.

[Hutch]

This
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4118TWTVDHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

[Paper Tiger]

Thing with the iPhones is, I don't want to be exactly like everyone else, lol! Everyone has iPhones now!

That's not the only reason I don't want an iPhone. I just think there are better phones out there. Also, what Apple does with accessories pisses me off to no end. Example with the iPhone 4 and the signal cutting out. Buy this case! it'll fix the problem (whilst adding to the cost of owning an iPhone!)

[ez64]

This
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/4118TWTVDHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Lost mine one was epic :(

[Calneon]

If I was to get a new phone, it definitely wouldn't be an iPhone, probably an Android or Windows mobile. I have absolutely no knowledge of what's good and what isn't though, I still have a basic phone that, you know, lets you call and text people. I know Android is a lot more open and you can install apps from anywhere on it, which it why I think I'd prefer it.

[ez64]

Piers dell streak is pure awesome, had to buy one after that lan 5" screen is cool :D

[VoX]

Get an SGS2. /thread :P.

If we meet up at some point soon you can try mine out, only criticism I have is its very light, but put a basic case on it and it feels a little more substantial and pretty much perfect imo.

[Target]

Samsung Galaxy S 2 tbh, best phone out atm...otherwise get the latest htc if you really dont want an iphone

[Paper Tiger]

Looks like it's the Samsung Galaxy SII or the Motorola Atrix. Just watching and reading some reviews on each. I like some of the features and extras the Atrix has... But need to do more research into it before making a final choice.

Cheers, VoX. May take you up on that one at some point. Apart from the weight, had any issues with it at all, or anything you particularly liked?

[Kiliv]

i must agree with vox, the galaxy s2 is awesome, i looked into the new htc before getting it, and according to all the review sites each have their own merits and its down to personal taste.

[VoX]

Never experienced it so can't give an outright comment (Piers may be able to help here) but from what I've read, Motoblur is pretty pants, so most people end up other launchers on any Moto phones (like LauncherPro, ADW etc) but I have to say I'm quite liking TouchWiz atm, yeah it's a little iPhone-esque, but in a pretty good way and matches the setup I used to have on ADW.Ex. Although if you plan on using other launchers anyway that whole point is moot.

Weight isn't much of an issue, just a personal little niggle. Went to London last weekend and forgot it was even in my pocket, good but worrying at times lol. With a case now that 'issue' is gone. The only other 'issue' I've had is it refused to connect to a mates Mac for file transfers last night, but there is apparently a Kies (the transfer software on the phone) update coming soon if that's an issue, but there's always Dropbox or Kies Air anyway. Windows is flawless for file transfer.

Other than that, no problems. Battery life in the beginning is a little poor I'll be honest, but after a few cycles, and once you start playing with it less and less, the life gets a lot better. Even so in the beginning was getting a day out of it easy, just keep a little eye on it with something like BattStatt if you're messing about with it a lot. Camera on it is very good too (http://www.flickr.com/photos/callumsullivan/5848811595/in/set-72157626991915316).

Both me and a mate at school have one and we're yet to find a way to slow them down, Quadrant scores are stupid high even on the stock ROM (am yet to go custom, haven't felt the need).

Oh, stock Samsung keyboard is poor tbh, but it comes with Swype installed which is awesome, but Swiftkey X Beta is worth a go from the market too.

[Paper Tiger]

Thanks for the mini-review, VoX. I've not had a touch screen Samsung phone, so I have nothing to compare it to, but Sense on the Hero is okay -can be a bit slow from time to time.

I'll probably be quite happy with the standard launcher, until I feel like playing with the phone a bit more and end up changing it around completely. I haven't changed much on the Hero, so will probably find TouchWiz all right.

For a phone like this, I probably will get a case. What type of case have you got? Little rubber case, like the iPhones/BlackBerries have, or a leather style flip out case?

Battery, when you get a new phone, is always a problem at first because you constantly play with it. Always turning it on and off, playing with new apps, changing everything around. Until you get a setup you're happy with, you'll burn through battery really quickly. I tend to keep mine on charge over night. But recently stopped doing so and found the battery will JUST last two days with average use, mainly texting.

I'm not too fussed about the camera, as I've got my DSLR, but a decent phone camera is always handy for those random shots.

As for keyboard, I'll probably find something I like (trying the ones you've suggested, mainly).

Watching some of the video reviews, it looks fantastic. While it looks iPhone-esque, that's because everyone compares phones to the iPhone now. In all honesty (genuine question), who cares if someone copied/used the design from other phones? As long as it works, who cares? No one says that about cars, or computer components, saying Intel copied AMD or vice versia.

[VoX]

I've got a rubber case for it atm, flips we're tempting but having had a phone sock for the last phone, I found it more hassle that you haven't got straight access to the phone when needed. Looking at screen protectors but there seems to be a lot of crap out there atm :/.

http://i.imgur.com/TlBSe.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/oFDtF.jpg


Case was £10 from Carphone Warehouse, and has a nice lip on the front side so you can lay the phone on its face and the screen won't touch anything. Tried one that had the same design as the actual Samsung one (minus the funky holes) and while it looked sleek, seemed to offer v little protection and actually made the phone uncomfortable to hold.

Charging overnight is perfect with this, it vibrates/makes a noise when not on silent when it hits 100%, but in a week it hasn't woke me up at all. The alarm does easily though.

If the design/features work then don't fix it, look at iOS5, the notification center is so obviously lifted from Android, but if it works, who cares?

[Paper Tiger]

I watched the iOS release from Apple and picked up on all the Android rips.

The alarm doesn't have to be overly loud, 'cos the constant vibration wakes me up. I probably will get a case for it (or whatever phone I get).

Cheers for the pics too!

[VoX]

Put iOS5 beta on a mates iP4 the other day and it ain't that bad, has taken a large step towards android though.

No probs, shout if you have any questions :)

[Paper Tiger]

So many features have been taken from Android in their latest update. It's funny how many iPhone whores rip Android, but they have no idea that a lot of the features they love will have come from Android :P

[kneticz]

Galaxy SII, =]

[Colonel Mitch]

Rami and Ki have the galaxy S 2. Something went wrong with ramis and i think hes had it fixed now, but hes happy with it :)

Personally I would install launcher pro instead of touch wiz, and for my taste it does "feel" very nice to hold - too light and kinda plasticy. BUT the screen colours look really really good, 8mp camera is nice and screen size is good too.

I dont know much about the moto atrix, but motoblur i didnt like on my Milestone 2, but a simple install of Launcher Pro removes that :)

I dont really know what else is coming out ETC at the moment, ill browse GSMarena when i have some time :)

[Paper Tiger]

I have never used Launcher Pro or TouchWiz, so I have no idea what the difference will be, so until I have a play with either of them properly, I'll find out how I get along with it.

[Kiliv]

Rami and Ki have the galaxy S 2. Something went wrong with ramis and i think hes had it fixed now, but hes happy with it :)

Personally I would install launcher pro instead of touch wiz, and for my taste it does "feel" very nice to hold - too light and kinda plasticy. BUT the screen colours look really really good, 8mp camera is nice and screen size is good too.

I dont know much about the moto atrix, but motoblur i didnt like on my Milestone 2, but a simple install of Launcher Pro removes that :)

I dont really know what else is coming out ETC at the moment, ill browse GSMarena when i have some time :)

yeah the first thing i did was install launcher pro, i think that the normal launcher on it looks horrible, although i might just be set in my ways as ive used launcher pro aslong as ive had android, also the battery life is amazing compared to the iphone :p the other day i had bluetooth, wifi, gps and was constantly using it for games, and the battery lasted till half way through the next day...

[Paper Tiger]

So, I rode to Portsmouth today with two mates of mine. Went into Carphone warehouse and ended up playing with an SII. It's so quick, it's unbelievable! Can't wait to actually play with a usable one instead of a limited display model!

[VoX]

Nice, you going to go for one?

[Paper Tiger]

More than likely, yes! I am also using LauncherPro on my Hero. It's far nicer! Do you guys that use it have the paid version, or just the free one?

[VoX]

This is going to sound weird, I tried LauncherPro (free version) on the SGS2 and actually found it too fast....

Have settled on Go Launcher EX (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex&feature=search_result) as it has all the features I want/use (widget resizing, good support for folders in app drawer, scrolling widgets) and quite a few cool custom widgets too. Oh, and its free :D