Whart smartphone should I get?

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winglessangel31
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by winglessangel31 »

Mel Lindauer wrote:
FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.

Sscritic, another advantage of the Nexus is that updates are rolled out fairly quickly. Yes, the Android update thing is generally a drag, but apparently part of the deal with Nexus phones is that they're upgraded more quickly, and I think for longer, than all the other phones. This is because updates don't need to be adapted to each manufacturer's programming and tailored to each specific phone, again because the Nexus is "pure Android." Also, I think Google sees the Nexus phones as their flagship Android products and wants to make sure they're taken care of.
A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me. I don't think I'd conider a phone where you can't get to the battery to do a hard reset, or to carry a spare charged battery when needed, or replace a dead battery.
Not to be mean, but carrying a spare battery is quite behind the times. These days, the thing is to carry around micro USB cables... :) The way phones are built, lots of things will give way (including your love for it!) before your battery gives.
winglessangel31
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by winglessangel31 »

Personal opinion: Hands down a Windows Phone 8 phone. If you're into that sort of thing, it is the new cool. If you're not, it's still very user-friendly and people-centric. Some are put off by the smaller number of available apps, but you can usually find the ones you need/want. :beer
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

winglessangel31 wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:
FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.

Sscritic, another advantage of the Nexus is that updates are rolled out fairly quickly. Yes, the Android update thing is generally a drag, but apparently part of the deal with Nexus phones is that they're upgraded more quickly, and I think for longer, than all the other phones. This is because updates don't need to be adapted to each manufacturer's programming and tailored to each specific phone, again because the Nexus is "pure Android." Also, I think Google sees the Nexus phones as their flagship Android products and wants to make sure they're taken care of.
A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me. I don't think I'd conider a phone where you can't get to the battery to do a hard reset, or to carry a spare charged battery when needed, or replace a dead battery.
Not to be mean, but carrying a spare battery is quite behind the times. These days, the thing is to carry around micro USB cables... :) The way phones are built, lots of things will give way (including your love for it!) before your battery gives.
USB cables don't do one any good when you're camping out in the woods, or on long international trips and/or experiencing heavy phone and bluetooth usage. Backup batteries are not always necessary, of course, but it's nice to know that you have that option. And I've found that there are times when a phone freezes up and the only way to get a reset is to remove and then reinstall the battery. And finally, batteries do die, so how do you propose to replace that dead battery? Perhaps the same way Apple users have to do -- pay $200 to replace the battery on an iPad at an Apple repair facility? Not for me, thank you.
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
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beyou
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by beyou »

Petrocelli wrote:
Epsilon Delta wrote: Will you own it after your employer buys it? I ask this because if your employer owns it all of the information on the phone is his.
I will own it. The reason my employer is so generous is that about 10 years ago, my firm got us all Blackberries for email access. I am the last person in my firm still using a blackberry, and the company wants to end that contract. If I get a smartphone, I will get my work emails on the smartphone instead of the Blackberry.

I will also get $50 a month to cover the phone charges.
Lucky you. I am one of the Blackberry holdouts at my firm.
They offered to pay $30/month for a data plan but you buy your own phone.
Still have my Blackberry, $30 is not going to cover the cost and I am not that
anxious to switch, certainly not enough to do so mostly at my own cost.
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6miths
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by 6miths »

I'm still using my Blackberry Bold 9900 as are my wife and elder daughter and we are deciding whether to upgrade to the BB Q10 or jump ship. I was very impressed with the Z10 - the keyboardless BB10 product. By far the best and most accurate touchscreen keyboard I have ever used. My three other kids have jumped from BB to Android. Two had Samsung Galaxy products but now all three have Razr HDs. These have to be the best built phones I have ever seen. I always thought the BlackBerries were almost bullet proof but the Razrs probably are - Kevlar back and Gorilla glass. Battery life is incredible with these phones and they seem to do it all. I agree that if you are in the Mac World then an Iphone makes sense due to the seamless connections and ease of use but otherwise if your BlackBerry days are done, then I would say that the Motorola Razr HD is a great option. Cheers.
'It ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so!' Mark Twain
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Epsilon Delta
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Epsilon Delta »

Mel Lindauer wrote: USB cables don't do one any good when you're camping out in the woods, or on long international trips and/or experiencing heavy phone and bluetooth usage. Backup batteries are not always necessary, of course, but it's nice to know that you have that option. And I've found that there are times when a phone freezes up and the only way to get a reset is to remove and then reinstall the battery. And finally, batteries do die, so how do you propose to replace that dead battery?
You can use an external battery with the micro USB connector. I have two. One holds four AA cells and the other has a hand crank. Solar cells are also available. These can be used to make calls and recharge the internal battery.

Remove battery as a reset is used because of the design of the phone. If the battery cannot be removed the phone designer has to provide some other reset method. I have worked on equipment that does not reset when the battery is removed, the capacitors on the board retained configuration for several months, so if you messed up configuration pulling the battery would not help. That's why we added a reset button.
lwfitzge
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by lwfitzge »

I like iPhone for performance and features but the only reason I don't consider an Android phone is I like the connectivity/compatibility of iPhone w my other Apple products via iCloud etc.
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JMacDonald
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by JMacDonald »

Mel Lindauer wrote:
FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.

Sscritic, another advantage of the Nexus is that updates are rolled out fairly quickly. Yes, the Android update thing is generally a drag, but apparently part of the deal with Nexus phones is that they're upgraded more quickly, and I think for longer, than all the other phones. This is because updates don't need to be adapted to each manufacturer's programming and tailored to each specific phone, again because the Nexus is "pure Android." Also, I think Google sees the Nexus phones as their flagship Android products and wants to make sure they're taken care of.
A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me. I don't think I'd conider a phone where you can't get to the battery to do a hard reset, or to carry a spare charged battery when needed, or replace a dead battery.
Mel,
One of the problems I ran into with my cell phone is that I had a difficult time finding a replacement battery. ( I accidentally went swimming with my phone :oops: ) Before I buy another phone, I am going to see if what is available in replacement batteries.
Best Wishes, | Joe
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

JMacDonald wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:
FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.

Sscritic, another advantage of the Nexus is that updates are rolled out fairly quickly. Yes, the Android update thing is generally a drag, but apparently part of the deal with Nexus phones is that they're upgraded more quickly, and I think for longer, than all the other phones. This is because updates don't need to be adapted to each manufacturer's programming and tailored to each specific phone, again because the Nexus is "pure Android." Also, I think Google sees the Nexus phones as their flagship Android products and wants to make sure they're taken care of.
A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me. I don't think I'd conider a phone where you can't get to the battery to do a hard reset, or to carry a spare charged battery when needed, or replace a dead battery.
Mel,
One of the problems I ran into with my cell phone is that I had a difficult time finding a replacement battery. ( I accidentally went swimming with my phone :oops: ) Before I buy another phone, I am going to see if what is available in replacement batteries.
Did you try Radio Shack online?
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
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JMacDonald
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by JMacDonald »

Mel Lindauer wrote:
JMacDonald wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:
FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.

Sscritic, another advantage of the Nexus is that updates are rolled out fairly quickly. Yes, the Android update thing is generally a drag, but apparently part of the deal with Nexus phones is that they're upgraded more quickly, and I think for longer, than all the other phones. This is because updates don't need to be adapted to each manufacturer's programming and tailored to each specific phone, again because the Nexus is "pure Android." Also, I think Google sees the Nexus phones as their flagship Android products and wants to make sure they're taken care of.
A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me. I don't think I'd conider a phone where you can't get to the battery to do a hard reset, or to carry a spare charged battery when needed, or replace a dead battery.
Mel,
One of the problems I ran into with my cell phone is that I had a difficult time finding a replacement battery. ( I accidentally went swimming with my phone :oops: ) Before I buy another phone, I am going to see if what is available in replacement batteries.
Did you try Radio Shack online?
I went to Radio Shack, Best Buy, and AT&T where I bought the phone. No luck. I finally found a battery on Amazon, but it took some digging to find it. I was playing with my brother's dog when I fell into the pool. The phone survived, but the battery died.
Best Wishes, | Joe
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

JMacDonald wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:
JMacDonald wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:
FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.

Sscritic, another advantage of the Nexus is that updates are rolled out fairly quickly. Yes, the Android update thing is generally a drag, but apparently part of the deal with Nexus phones is that they're upgraded more quickly, and I think for longer, than all the other phones. This is because updates don't need to be adapted to each manufacturer's programming and tailored to each specific phone, again because the Nexus is "pure Android." Also, I think Google sees the Nexus phones as their flagship Android products and wants to make sure they're taken care of.
A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me. I don't think I'd conider a phone where you can't get to the battery to do a hard reset, or to carry a spare charged battery when needed, or replace a dead battery.
Mel,
One of the problems I ran into with my cell phone is that I had a difficult time finding a replacement battery. ( I accidentally went swimming with my phone :oops: ) Before I buy another phone, I am going to see if what is available in replacement batteries.
Did you try Radio Shack online?
I went to Radio Shack, Best Buy, and AT&T where I bought the phone. No luck. I finally found a battery on Amazon, but it took some digging to find it. I was playing with my brother's dog when I fell into the pool. The phone survived, but the battery died.
I used Radio Shack's web site to find a battery previously.
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
FedGuy
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by FedGuy »

Mel Lindauer wrote:A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me.
Really? I can remove mine. I'm holding it in my (other) hand as I type this.

Could it have been an older model?
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

FedGuy wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:A friend got a Nexus and loves it, but when I looked at the specs, I see that you can't remove the battery, and that really bothers me.
Really? I can remove mine. I'm holding it in my (other) hand as I type this.

Could it have been an older model?
I I was looking at the specs for the Nexus 4. When I mentioned it to my friend who has one, he didn't contradict or correct me.

UPDATE: I just checked with him and he said that you can't open the phone to replace the battery. It's sealed just like the iPhone and iPad.
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Jack
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Jack »

Mel Lindauer wrote:USB cables don't do one any good when you're camping out in the woods, or on long international trips and/or experiencing heavy phone and bluetooth usage.
Another option is a universal external USB battery pack like this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

It will charge just about any device with a USB interface -- cell phone, MP3 player, camera, etc. You charge up the battery pack on a USB port before you leave and then it can transfer a charge to any other USB device while on the road. I have used it on month long wilderness trips to keep my MP3 player and camera working.

You only need one big universal battery instead of a backup battery for each device you carry.
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

Jack wrote:
Mel Lindauer wrote:USB cables don't do one any good when you're camping out in the woods, or on long international trips and/or experiencing heavy phone and bluetooth usage.
Another option is a universal external USB battery pack like this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/produ ... 1&format=2

It will charge just about any device with a USB interface -- cell phone, MP3 player, camera, etc. You charge up the battery pack on a USB port before you leave and then it can transfer a charge to any other USB device while on the road. I have used it on month long wilderness trips to keep my MP3 player and camera working.

You only need one big universal battery instead of a backup battery for each device you carry.
I use something similar made by enercell, but it's not nearly as powerful as the one you linked to (mine's only 1700mAh)
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
FedGuy
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by FedGuy »

Thanks, Mel. I didn't know that about the Nexus 4. That's really disappointing.
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markenx
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by markenx »

I'm very happy with my Nokia Lumia 920 (Windows Phone). It has a different feeling that I like on the OS and I think it's very easy to use for first-timers on the new touchy Smartphone world.

If you didn't like Windows Phone, I think the iPhone is friendlier and easier to use than Androids. But if you don't like Apple, the Android to choose is Galaxy SIV (or SIII depending on release/Budget).

Hopefully you enjoy it! :-)
LifeIsGood
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by LifeIsGood »

I'm not sure if this matters, but won't you be out of pocket each month with only a $50 allowance? A Verizon or AT&T contract usually ends up being in the high $70's for voice & data.
hdcd
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by hdcd »

My first smartphone was a Blackberry and loved it. Had one for years. Then had a Google phone - Nexus S 4g with Sprint. Loved that
phone too. Wonderful display. I'm a software engineer and the google Android phones are the best if you want to load the latest o/s's.. But
after a while that got old and the battery life on the Androids really suck. Up until the day I bought my iPhone 5 I was a die hard Android
boy and told everything my next phone was NOT going to be an iPhone.

That is until I actually held the iPhone 5 and fell in love. I've held all the other smartphones and they just don't stack up to the quality Apple
products. It's like using a <insert vendor name> laptop and then picking up an Apple laptop. No comparison in quality.

If you buy an Apple product and have problems, make an appointment at an Apple store and bring in your device and they will tell you what the
problem is, fix it, or tell you where to take it to a 3rd party vendor if it's out of warranty. Do that with your HP/Dell/Sony, etc.

And battery life? I'm a heavy user and the iPhone blows away any Blackberry or Android I've ever used.

Do you really have the time/motivation to sit around and change your wallpapers and attempt to load your music on your Android? Or you just
want a phone that works out of the box? Quad core/mega GB phones any faster than an iPhone? Not that I've experienced. And I doubt
you will max one out either.

One thing I've discovered over the years on all the forums and online articles is that people will bash Apple no matter what. It's as American as
you will ever get, quality product and it just plain works. Check out a few phones on your own and make your own decision.

People complain that Apple doesn't roll out updates fast enough. Guess what? The non-Google Androids (HTC, LG), don't either? Also depends on what wireless vendor you work with. You need faster and more updates for what? To give you something to do? I love technology as much as anyone and it is my life. But it's just a phone and learned I just want the damn thing to work with minimal fuss.
aquifer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by aquifer »

I've had both and I prefer the iPhone. I like the single account access I have to all services. I used to constantly get duplicate contacts or calendar entries when syncing with Google on my Android phones especially when trying to include my computer in the circle of synced devices. The interface would sometimes lock up, necessitating a reset by removing the battery. I'm sure Android has improved, but I've never had these issues with my iPhone. I understand the walled garden argument, but for me it's a non issue. You can find cheaper products but the iPhone works reliably for me and I prefer the tight integration. It makes everything work well together.

An Android phone will do everything an iPhone will, you just have to tie together third party solutions sometimes. That means less integration and less reliability, and setting up accounts with third party vendors. Some people prefer that, correctly believing this means they have more choices than what Apple offers. But I prefer the automatic integration offered by Apple. Once an Apple ID is set up, that's all you need to keep everything in sync. Very slick.
Puakinekine
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Puakinekine »

I have a different recommendation for you. What about a dumb phone and something like a Nexus 7 with 3g? I am less then enchanted with my smartphone, not because of what it can or cannot do, but because of my impatience with everything being so tiny on the screen. It also is larger and more cumbersome to have in my pocket or to talk on then my dumb phones were. I can see what is on the screen, but am not comfortable at all doing anything real besides texting and looking quickly at the most basic information. My Nexus 7, on the other hand, is extremely portable, but the 7 inch format is much easier to use. I am tied into a contract with my smart phone for now, and have only the Nexus 7 wifi, but when the contract runs out/phone fails, I think I will go back to a dumb phone and use a small 3g tablet.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Petrocelli »

LifeIsGood wrote:I'm not sure if this matters, but won't you be out of pocket each month with only a $50 allowance? A Verizon or AT&T contract usually ends up being in the high $70's for voice & data.
Yes. But I am already paying for a cellphone, so i figure I will net about $30 a month.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Petrocelli »

hdcd wrote: . . . and the battery life on the Androids really suck. Up until the day I bought my iPhone 5 I was a die hard Android
boy and told everything my next phone was NOT going to be an iPhone.

That is until I actually held the iPhone 5 and fell in love. I've held all the other smartphones and they just don't stack up to the quality Apple
products. It's like using a <insert vendor name> laptop and then picking up an Apple laptop. No comparison in quality.

If you buy an Apple product and have problems, make an appointment at an Apple store and bring in your device and they will tell you what the
problem is, fix it, or tell you where to take it to a 3rd party vendor if it's out of warranty. Do that with your HP/Dell/Sony, etc.
With respect to battery life, that is a consideration. Yet, the Motorola has a 32 hour battery, versus 8 for the comparable iphone.

With respect to the quality, I was in a phone store yesterday for a long time. The Motorola has a better picture, bigger screen, and buffered less when watching video.

I agree the iPhone is more intuitive and easier to use. The salesperson actually recommended the iphone to me because it is my first cellphone. (And, perhaps, because I am in my 50s and probably appear more technologically challenged than I actually am.) However, after going between the Samsung, Motorola and iPhone, they are were pretty easy to use for basic stuff.

I think having to sync an Android to my itunes will be a bit of a pain. But I can live with the. (And I will probably subscribe to Spotify in any event, and listen to that more.)

Thanks for the input. :beer
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

Petrocelli wrote:
hdcd wrote: . . . and the battery life on the Androids really suck. Up until the day I bought my iPhone 5 I was a die hard Android
boy and told everything my next phone was NOT going to be an iPhone.

That is until I actually held the iPhone 5 and fell in love. I've held all the other smartphones and they just don't stack up to the quality Apple
products. It's like using a <insert vendor name> laptop and then picking up an Apple laptop. No comparison in quality.

If you buy an Apple product and have problems, make an appointment at an Apple store and bring in your device and they will tell you what the
problem is, fix it, or tell you where to take it to a 3rd party vendor if it's out of warranty. Do that with your HP/Dell/Sony, etc.
With respect to battery life, that is a consideration. Yet, the Motorola has a 32 hour battery, versus 8 for the comparable iphone.

With respect to the quality, I was in a phone store yesterday for a long time. The Motorola has a better picture, bigger screen, and buffered less when watching video.

I agree the iPhone is more intuitive and easier to use. The salesperson actually recommended the iphone to me because it is my first cellphone. (And, perhaps, because I am in my 50s and probably appear more technologically challenged than I actually am.) However, after going between the Samsung, Motorola and iPhone, they are were pretty easy to use for basic stuff.

I think having to sync an Android to my itunes will be a bit of a pain. But I can live with the. (And I will probably subscribe to Spotify in any event, and listen to that more.)

Thanks for the input. :beer
Have you looked at Pandora, Petro? Their free service is great and allows you to create your own "stations", based on your likes and dislikes.
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
Browser
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Browser »

So, which phones can you buy that allow you to go with StaightTalk? $50 / month unlimited sounds a lot better than what Verizon and the others are charging.
We don't know where we are, or where we're going -- but we're making good time.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Petrocelli »

Mel Lindauer wrote: Have you looked at Pandora, Petro? Their free service is great and allows you to create your own "stations", based on your likes and dislikes.
I have used both Pandora and Spotify, and prefer Spotify because Spotify allows you to play entire albums, unlike Pandora.

However, I have to decide whether it is worth $10 a month to have access to entire albums, given that I presently have close to 5,000 songs on my ipod.

Thanks for the response.
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Fieldsy1024
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Fieldsy1024 »

markenx wrote:I'm very happy with my Nokia Lumia 920 (Windows Phone). It has a different feeling that I like on the OS and I think it's very easy to use for first-timers on the new touchy Smartphone world.

If you didn't like Windows Phone, I think the iPhone is friendlier and easier to use than Androids. But if you don't like Apple, the Android to choose is Galaxy SIV (or SIII depending on release/Budget).

Hopefully you enjoy it! :-)
Nokia 920 is AMAZING!
I love this phone. I compared it to an iPhone when shopping (also a galaxy s3) and the iPhone didn't even come close.

920 baby!
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Browser »

Fieldsy1024 wrote:
markenx wrote:I'm very happy with my Nokia Lumia 920 (Windows Phone). It has a different feeling that I like on the OS and I think it's very easy to use for first-timers on the new touchy Smartphone world.

If you didn't like Windows Phone, I think the iPhone is friendlier and easier to use than Androids. But if you don't like Apple, the Android to choose is Galaxy SIV (or SIII depending on release/Budget).

Hopefully you enjoy it! :-)
Nokia 920 is AMAZING!
I love this phone. I compared it to an iPhone when shopping (also a galaxy s3) and the iPhone didn't even come close.

920 baby!
What's so amazing? Is it as amazing as chocolate milk? Yeh, chocolate milk!
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Fieldsy1024 »

You can put the phone in your chocolate milk and drink it!
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Tamahome »

As an update on this post, my wife's new job told her, "Here, have a new iphone." Now, she has a droid and an iphone. She says the iphone is prettier, but the droid has more useful functions / better functionality. I like my flip phone. It makes and receives phone calls. Hope it helps!
I'm not a financial professional. Post is info only & not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship exists with reader. Scrutinize my ideas as if you spoke with a guy at a bar. I may be wrong.
slowandsteadyone
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by slowandsteadyone »

I am currently using my third iPhone (iPhone 3g, then iPhone 4, now iPhone 4s). I got on the iPhone bandwagon because there was literally no comparison between the iPhone and any other phone at the time.

Now (probably thanks to Apple) there are so many good choices now. I'm out of contract on my 4s (for a few months now) and am waiting for the Nokia Lumia 928 which is rumored to be released next month on Verizon. It will be the new flagship Windows 8 phone. I also considered the Galaxy S IV which is coming out next month as well. Still an option of the Lumia 928 turns out to be a dud. But the one thing I'm sure of - my 4s is my last iPhone.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by KyleAAA »

Samsung's Galaxy SIII is great (I assume the S4 will be great as well), but Samsung android phones in general use a different user interface, called Touchwiz, that is in some ways inferior to the stock android user interface. You can try both a Samsung phone and a non-Samsung phone (The Nexux 4 is a great one) to see which interface you like best, but most people don't really have a preference one way or another. Just note there's a very vocal minority who really, really hate Samsung's modifications.

The iPhone 5 is pretty good, as well, but the screen is VERY SMALL compared to some of the bigger android phones. I just can't go back. It's too small and not very user-friendly to me in comparison to the larger androids.

As a third option, the new Windows phones are surprisingly great. In many ways, they're better than both iphone and android. You should at least try one.
linguini
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by linguini »

FedGuy wrote:JMacDonald, I've never had an iPhone and am not personally aware of whatever limitations they might have (my colleague did recently complain about being shackled to iTunes, though). My colleague has had two or three phones in the 14 or 15 months in which I've known him, so I get the sense that he gets bored easily and is frustrated with waiting for Apple to roll out a single new model once every year or two. He also mentioned that he's played around with some of the new Samsungs and, having done so, now feels that the iPhone screen is too small. He seems interested in the fact that you can buy bigger Android phones now and that newer ones with interesting features are coming out constantly.
I can tell you the thing my iPad can't (or at least doesn't) do that frustrates me: download files in the background on third party apps. I find it incredibly frustrating to start an Amazon video or overdrive audio book download and then find that I have a choice of either not using the ipad for an hour or putting off downloading the files I directed the ipad to download until I'm done doing anything useful on it (assuming I remember to re-open the app after i'm done, because if I don't nothing gets downloaded) because leaving the app to use safari, email, or kindle interrupts the download. I understand why they do it (drains battery in a way that isn't transparent to the user) but this shouldn't be an issue while charging and on WiFi.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Petrocelli »

Given that I have 3 weeks until I can upgrade, the amount of research I have conducted is staggering. In manpower hours (including the hours of those who respond to my posts), the effort put into this phone choice will probably exceed the Manhattan Project.

Today's opinion: I may have dismissed the iphone 5 too quickly.

I was looking at my Blackberry today. The screen on that is about 1" by 1.5". I have used that for about a decade to send and receive emails.

A big screen is nice. But it means a bigger phone. I held the iphone and the Samsung Galaxy 3 yesterday, and the size of the iphone is really nice. The interface is very simple. And you really can't watch a lot of video on a phone with a 4gb limit between 4 people.

So today, I am leaning toward the iphone 5.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the thread. :sharebeer
Petrocelli (not the real Rico, but just a fan)
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ThirteenEleven
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by ThirteenEleven »

Petrocelli wrote:

So today, I am leaning toward the iphone 5.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the thread. :sharebeer
Not to many cellphone salespeople will point new smartphone customers away from an iPhone for several reasons:
1. 92% customer satisfaction rate with the iPhone 5. Hard to beat if you want your customer to be happy.
2. Apple's latest research suggests that the average iPhone customer buys an average of 6 accessories for their iPhone during the time they have the phone. (Your salesperson is hoping you buy most of them from him/her).
3. Apple takes care of their own customers, tech support, repairs, warranty exchanges (i.e. less work for sales rep.)

I would recommend checking out the new Blackberry 10z in person before your buy an iPhone. They are quite impressive.
Dishonest money dwindles away, | but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.
sambb
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by sambb »

I had several iphones - like them. easiest to use and integrated

Now I have a galaxy note 2 because i like the larger screen for browsing.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Browser »

No-one has mentioned 3G vs. 4G LTE Smartphone capability. How much better do things run on 4G and 4G LTE? The Nexus 4 is only a 3G device, as well as some others that have been mentioned. Does it make that much difference in the world of Smartphones? Should I be shopping for 4G LTE Smartphones, or are 3G phones OK? I'm particularly interested in turn-by-turn auto navigation apps, as well as Pandora, photo sharing. Which apps suffer in 3G? I don't care much about video streaming on a Smartphone, which I'm sure would be crummy on 3G anyway. A related issue is the 4G LTE coverage from various carriers. Verizon seems to be the best here and Sprint is the worst, with AT&T in between. That might limit the choice of Smartphones if you want one with 4G LTE capability to those offered by Verizon or maybe AT&T. Thoughts?
We don't know where we are, or where we're going -- but we're making good time.
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bUU
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by bUU »

Browser wrote:No-one has mentioned 3G vs. 4G LTE Smartphone capability. How much better do things run on 4G and 4G LTE?
My spouse has 4G; I have 3G. It is a big difference. My worst experiences with 3G are web browsing, news apps (like CNN), and accessing cloud storage.
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deanbrew
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by deanbrew »

Browser, I have a 4G phone (HTC Inspire), but regularly use it in areas that do not have 4G signals. For the uses you indicate, I don't think 3G will be noticeably worse than 4G. My phone works fine for Pandora, file sharing and navigation, whether in 3G or 4G. Certainly, speeds are faster in 4G, particularly for file uploading and downloading and internet surfing, but Pandora seems to work fine either way. Navigation needs a cell signal for the base mapping (such as Google Maps), but uses a GPS signal for precise location. The GPS signal doesn't depend on the cell signal. So, 4G is definitely faster, but I wouldn't call it crucial for light to moderate use. And if you are connected to a wifi signal, it will be much faster than either 3G or 4G.
"The course of history shows that as the government grows, liberty decreases." Thomas Jefferson
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matjen
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by matjen »

Browser consider this a reply to this and the other thread you have going. Assumes T-Mobile and/or AT&T are viable options for you as carriers.

Step 1) Buy a Nexus 4 right from Google for $300 or $350
https://play.google.com/store/devices/d ... &gclsrc=ds

Although it isn't LTE it HSPA+. It is quite fast and it and frankly basic 3G are fine for your needs.

"One common talking point is the Nexus 4's lack of LTE. My perspective on that remains the same: As far as I'm concerned, the issue's been blown way out of proportion. I use the Nexus 4 with one of T-Mobile's Monthly 4G plans, which provides HSPA+ data speeds up to 21 or 42 Mbps, depending on your location.

On my Nexus 4, I regularly hit speeds around the 18 Mbps mark. That's equal to or faster than what you're gonna get with LTE in a lot of places. And even if you do manage to clock in at a higher speed with an LTE device, you probably aren't going to notice much difference between that level and the HSPA+-level speed when it comes to real-world smartphone usage. Plain and simple, HSPA+ is not 3G."

Step 2) Assuming you live near a metropolitan area then take a look at T-Mobile. The $30/mo plan is a bit tricky now. So I must apologize to a prior poster because this was a simple process a few weeks back but they changed it according to who I spoke with this morning. I think you have to go through Wal Mart and anything over 100 minutes gets charged at 10 cents a minute. So your talk time is the variable. The data is 5GB which is a ton. I don't think I have ever gone over 2 or 2.5. The interwebs say it can be done with the Nexus 4 but they try and make it look like you have to buy a lesser phone from Wal Mart. YMMV. The no-brainer, easy solution (but more costly) is to just get the $60/mo plan at T-Mobile. That can be done with no research and in a matter of minutes. You can look at the other providers as well. I think Straight talk at $45 would be fine honestly but I am not 100% certain because I use T-Mobile and I know for sure what I am suggesting in that case.

Step 3) Dump your Hotspot

RESULT:
a) You now are paying somewhere between $30 and $60 a month with no commitment and you have a phone that will have Google's latest and greatest software and will last you 3+ years.
b) You will now have a very, very good phone that has a ton of potential. Scratch that, you will have a computer, a camera, a MP3 player, a movable map that can be searched, a newsreader, a book,a newspaper, a bank, etc.
c) You will also have a HOTSPOT as well. The Nexus 4 on T-Mobile has built in hotspot and tethering capability. So if you get the $30 plan working for you via Wal-Mart you are spending $0 more a month and getting more data and great phone. Only cost is the initial $300.

http://blogs.computerworld.com/android/ ... -revisited

http://blogs.computerworld.com/smartpho ... er-options

Wal Mart T Mobile Card. Look through comments: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wi ... d/15443357
A man is rich in proportion to the number of things he can afford to let alone.
protagonist
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by protagonist »

ieee488 wrote:
bungalow10 wrote:
DualIncomeNoDebt wrote:I'll give you one very good reason to go with Apple and iPhone 5: updates and support. When a new IOS update is released, your iPhone is going to get updated, which is very, very nice.

The rest of the field? Bad to nonexistent update support for Android products. Samsung, HTC, and the rest of them release these smartphones, and then abandon them as they race to launch the next suite of products. After the product has been out a year or two (at most), you will get no support and no Android updates. I've had this happen twice, with a Galaxy phone and a Samsung Vibrant phone on T-Mobile. Heck, I'm still stuck on Android 2.0 with the Vibrant. Go ahead and search the T-Mobile forums, you will see hundreds, if not thousands, of people cursing Samsung for essentially abandoning T-Mobile customers. So all the great new Android developments from Google -- we get none of them with what increasingly is becoming a bricked phone.

Apple all the way. Not to mention, I'm getting sick and tired of these South Korean companies stealing intellectual property and copycatting Apple. Did you hear Samsung now is coming out with a smart watch -- only after Apple mentions they are working on one, of course.
My Android phone gets updates.

I've heard from coworkers that the iPhone updates slow down their older phones, making them feel like they have to drop several hundred dollars on a new device in order to have something that works.
I have Apple 3G. I bought it used. No iOS updates for it. Apple has abandoned it, so if I want updates, I have to stick with the jailbreak software.
Apple will eventually abandon iPhone models. Do not kid yourself.
Ditto. In addition, just about any new apps do not work on it (or anything older than an iPhone 4, which is only about a year or two old). It is non-expandable. The battery is going and, rather than spending $50 on a new battery, if I want an iPhone I have to spend $700 plus on a new one. Or $300 on a used iPhone 4 which probably will not be supported in another year or less. And if I buy an iPhone 5, I have to sink another $40 into a connector, since they changed the connector so that the old ones are not compatible. $40 may not be much, but the idea behind it is. (This really hurt a friend who owns a motel with hundreds of rooms and sank thousands of dollars into docking stations in all his rooms for guests with iPhones...now any guest with a new iPhone can't use it!)

I have never used Android, but if the Nexus 5 has a 32 GB model or expandable memory I will jump ship faster than Sherman went through Georgia. (Ultimately I assume that the world of apps for Windows 8 and later OS will equal or exceed that for iTunes or Android, and at that time it may make a lot of sense to get a Windows phone that will share the OS and integrate flawlessly with your computer -which may also double as a tablet with or without keyboard).
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by boblake »

I agree with people suggesting you to wait for the Galaxy S4. It's already available to pre-order http://www.bell.ca/mobility/Products/Samsung-Galaxy-S4 The screen is HD, it's got very cool specs and accesories and all the companies that offer pre-order will start delivering it starting april 27th. If not, it will be in stores on may 3rd.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Petrocelli »

FYI, I got the Galaxy S3 and love it. The price dropped to $99 a few weeks before the S$ came out. I love it.

Also, I got a great case from Urban Armor Gear.
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xram
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by xram »

As a true boglehead, I suggest you shun all phones and request an old tin can and some used string.

Check out my blog on the subject.

http://www.stringsandcansforphones.com

good luck
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manyness
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buy a flagship android or a current or previous iphone

Post by manyness »

iOS or Android

Can you contribute to the purchase for a less-not-awesome phone?

Will employer be using carrier subsidies or is the limit constrained actually to $300?
employer..buy
then the workplace rules are in effect: YOU HAVE ZERO PERSONAL SPACE on this device. Don't send salacious text messages by sms or xmpp. The feds record all sms messages for all time -- not so for xmpp. You'll need to clarify employer position on personal call [minutes].

ALL devices smart or otherwise now produced are location capable. Are you comfortable with your employer knowing where the phone is 24/7?

If you want some privacy ditch legacy-sms for texting and instead use XMPP with OTR. There are XMPP clients on every smart platform many of which are OTR capable

http://otr.cypherpunks.ca

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ios+xmpp+client
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=ios+jabber+client
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=android+xmpp+client
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=android+jabber+client

for not interesting reasons xmpp is also still called Jabber.

If you're a Luddite or otherwise irrationally tied to legacy-sms know that you can receive legacy-sms via voip client (SIP) with:

http://anveo.com
http://voip.ms
[ nosce te ipsum. (know thyself) ] ||| [ Be overcome by justice. Pursue honor. Be prudent. Find fault with no one. Deal kindly with everyone. Never tire of learning. ] ||| [ Long for wisdom ]
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curiouskitty
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by curiouskitty »

iPhones are more reliably made than the Android phones that I've dealt with. That said, if you do go Android, consider the HTC One instead of the Samsung Galaxy series. I like a lot of the Samsung components, but they wrap them all up in a cheap plastic case and put that awful TouchWiz interface on top of it all.
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by inbox788 »

Dulocracy wrote:I would be reluctant to get an iphone based on an American Bar Association article suggesting that attorneys should avoid it based on the many security issues that may arise. It is actually a very sleek, enjoyable security risk.

Whatever phone you get, be sure to install antivirus software. Many people do not realize that there are a slew of viruses on smart phones these days, and they are easy to get. No one warns the first time user of a smart phone that they need to protect their phone. AVG has a free version for the phone, I believe.
That's what the FBI wants you to think.

Feds Can't Crack Apple's iMessage Encryption for Investigation Purposes
http://www.dailytech.com/Feds+Cant+Crac ... ticle30280.

As far as viruses, android is more open and more at risk. Staying with the google play store is safer. With iPhone, jail breaking exposes you to more malware. Personally, I'm not very worried about viruses yet, with either, but I have limited exposure, since I don't do much financial transactions or confidential work on the phone. Also, I don't download from unknown sources. If security is a concern I'd go with the closed system.
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/11/15/32 ... -than.html

The choice is actually simple.

If android, the s4 is hard to beat. You might have specific reason for going with alternate
If iOS (you own and want to leverage iPads, iPods, etc.) then iPhone 5.
If undecided, pick your screen size.
Small - iPhone 5, Nexus 4
Large - s4
Huge - note 2 (plus has stylus)

Most of the other decisions are fairly minor.
linguini
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by linguini »

xram wrote:As a true boglehead, I suggest you shun all phones and request an old tin can and some used string.

Check out my blog on the subject.

http://www.stringsandcansforphones.com

good luck
The link won't open on my smartphone. Maybe I would have better luck on a string and can phone?

Seriously though great post :D
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fatlittlepig
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by fatlittlepig »

there is only one smartphone worth talking about it, manufactured by a fruit company.
fatlittlepig
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Whart smartphone should I get?

Post by Mel Lindauer »

Petrocelli wrote:FYI, I got the Galaxy S3 and love it. The price dropped to $99 a few weeks before the S$ came out. I love it.

Also, I got a great case from Urban Armor Gear.
Like you, Petro, I've been a BB user for many years, but I'm now looking at the Samsung Galaxy line. Would appreciate it if you'd drop by and share your thoughts about the transition after a few months of using the Galaxy.
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
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