Galaxy S II vs Galaxy Nexus

[Adam8281]

$250/year minimum savings.. I'll take the slightly slower SOC.

With only 100 minutes in that $30/month plan you mentioned, how feasible is it to use VOIP for voice calling over T-Mo's data network. Is latency much of an issue?

 

[jiffylube1024]

Get either - both are wonderful phones. If you have tiny hands, the Nexus may be a bit unwieldly, but if you're a man of average stature, the larger screen and higher resolution on the Nexus are appreciated features.

Me personally, I've got a hard-on for the international GS II. I find the buttons much easier to find without looking at the phone, and I don't find going from 4.3" 800x480 to 4.5" 800x480 to be particularly beneficial.

So, I'd recommend GS II, however Android 4.0 looks to be the shiznitz, so getting an Android 4.0 ICS phone in 2011 rather than 2012 is definitely a benefit for the Nexus.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

@poofy: Any reason why CM7 based ROMs for the i9100 international cant work on the AT&T SGS2?? I actually really like CM-based ROMs simply because I feel like CM needs a *little* more tweaking.

 

[abaez]

With only 100 minutes in that $30/month plan you mentioned, how feasible is it to use VOIP for voice calling over T-Mo's data network. Is latency much of an issue?

Not really possible when I tried it a few years ago. It might have improved since then. But I don't use voice much at all, and if I did it would be at home where I could use wifi for VOIP and it would be fine.

 

[Adam8281]

Not really possible when I tried it a few years ago. It might have improved since then. But I don't use voice much at all, and if I did it would be at home where I could use wifi for VOIP and it would be fine.

T-Mo was pretty clever/crafty in how they tiered their plans, since as you move "up" the tiers the various components of the plans do not all move "up" as well:

$30/mo. gets you 5GB of high-speed data but only 100 minutes

Bump up to the $50/mo. plan and you get unlimited minutes, but only a paltry 100MB of high speed data

You've got to spring for the $60/mo. plan before you get usable amounts of high-speed data and voice (2GB of high-speed data and unlimited voice).

 

[poofyhairguy]

@poofy: Any reason why CM7 based ROMs for the i9100 international cant work on the AT&T SGS2??

We can't flash the Int. CM7 because it doesn't have some needed drivers built in (namely the NFC battery charger which means no power). The reason Samsung-based ROMs work is because Samsung is nice enough to bundle the AT&T version's drivers in the kernel of the Int. Version. That is also why I expect to get ICS before any American SGS2 can.

With that said, we do have a very nice CM7 already (because they only had to change a few things to get it to work) and already some CM7-based ROMs are being made or are being ported from the Int. version. Hellraiser doesn't work because you can't plug in the drivers in a script- every ROM is different in that regard.

Honestly I don't use Hellraiser myself even though I am glad its there. The best ROMs are the one that start with being Hellraised and then are further tweaked to maximize AT&T's network.

I am also avoiding CM based ROMs because that breaks the HDMI out on SGS2s (all of them). Once I get my Transformer Prime and I have another way to play mkvs on a TV I will go hog wild on CM7 ROMs and the ICS-based MIUI rom (which I tried and it is crazy fast).

 

[sjwaste]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the AT&T SGS2. For the price, I can't justify a Nexus or the international SGS2. The community support looks pretty good, hoping to see an ICS release for it at least.

 

[Adam8281]

Awesome - I'm really tempted to do the same. I've been wanting the Nexus, but the SGS2 is hard to pass up for the price. What is keeping me back is thinking that Amazon might very well have a cheap sale on the Nexus, as it seems Amazon all the time is offering much lower prices on phones than the carriers are advertising on their own sites.

 

[s44]

The problem with SGS3 is the lag time between announcement and US release. And for Verizon, of course, it's even worse. Esp. for those of us who've been sitting on upgrades since July...

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Galaxy Nexus. No offense to current GSII users, but your phones are last-gen low def devices now.

I'd take the (unproven) hit in performance with the speed-bumped PowerVR SGX540 over having a low-definition device ANY day of the week.

The screen on the GS2 is absolutely amazing, looks sharp enough to rival the 720p pentile display that the nexus possesses.

Comparing it to my captivate screen, it was not even close. My screen has higher pixel density (4 vs 4.3) but the sgs2 was so sharp, i would have guessed it was a higher res if i didnt already know.

That paired with the fact that higher res screens wont be the norm for another year. and how is that super high res screen going to be able to power later versions of android with a less powerful cpu.

I think im going SGS2 on this one.

I really only have one concern: If the sgs2 will get REAL support, and have good CM based roms.

I currently have the captivate (which is offically supported by CM) but because they dont have many drivers, the rom has some bugs/battery issues. Theyve reached a point where the bugs are pretty much all gone, but the battery is atrocious. (i get 10-12 hours on CM with moderate use vs 24+ on a captivate based rom.)

If this is the case with the gs2, then id lean towards the nexus. Im 100% sure it will run CM better than any other device.

----- ----- EDIT: -------- ---------
Im 99% sure i want to pick up a GS2 for free on black friday, wheres a place that im guaranteed to get one. I dont mind waiting in line, but as long as i can definitely get one somewhere for that price it doesn't matter.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Galaxy S 2 is supposed to be getting "real" support. Samsung has said so. Google has said so. I believe some carriers have said so. The issue is when. There's no official announcement, but the estimate is Jan-Feb 2012.

Meanwhile, the Cyanogen Mod team is working on their own ICS (CM9) for all sorts of phones. One way or another, the GS II should have ICS on it within a few months.

 

[Fire&Blood]

The problem with SGS3 is the lag time between announcement and US release. And for Verizon, of course, it's even worse. Esp. for those of us who've been sitting on upgrades since July...

Flip an iphone if your upgrade is getting old? SGS3 announcement is in February, launch April-ish and reasonable retail prices in May? Not only do I perceive the phone as worth importing, I would consider it even without T-Mobile's bands. I guess I'm a member of the SG3 hype club now. SGS2 and G Nexus having a baby, I want to see it.

Arguably the best Android phone for 6 months, the SGS2 still holds up well, even against phones that bring ICS, LTE and 720p to the table. Since the successor is to adopt those features as well and a even more powerful processor to top it off, we should look at a repeat. I am almost positive it will be a button less phone with Nexus's design cues.

 

[slayer202]

If I didn't want to stay on Verizon I would have definitely gone with the S II. Instead I'm patiently waiting for the Nexus, which may or may not disappoint and make me feel regret when the next new/better ICS phone comes out

 

[abaez]

Samsung wants you to get the Galaxy S II: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6h5JSojJN3Y

 

[beduion]

Well, I went ahead and ordered the AT&T SGS2. For the price, I can't justify a Nexus or the international SGS2. The community support looks pretty good, hoping to see an ICS release for it at least.

I'm interested in doing the same as well. Do you know if AT&T will unlock the phone for you. I want to be able to use this phone with TMo network.

 

[beduion]

I *would* buy the ATT SGSii, but it looks like tmo's galaxy s ii also has compatibility with ATT's 3G bands, which I like.

Also I can use tmo's 100minute/unlim data $30 plan, which saves you ALOT when buying ATT's version as you'll be forced on the rip data plans.

I want to buy the phone from AT&T and use with TMo network. Do you think that's possible?

 

[ponyo]

I'm interested in doing the same as well. Do you know if AT&T will unlock the phone for you. I want to be able to use this phone with TMo network.

You can try https://market.android.com/details?id=eu.chainfire.sgs2simunlockcode or https://market.android.com/details?id=com.helroz.galaxysunlock&feature=related_apps#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDEwOSwiY29tLmhlbHJvei5nYWxheHlzdW5sb2NrIl0. to unlock. You'll only be able use 2g edge on TMo.

 

[beduion]

You can try https://market.android.com/details?id=eu.chainfire.sgs2simunlockcode or https://market.android.com/details?...yLDEwOSwiY29tLmhlbHJvei5nYWxheHlzdW5sb2NrIl0. to unlock. You'll only be able use 2g edge on TMo.

hmmmmmm.. 2g huh. Thanks though.

 

[abaez]

I want to buy the phone from AT&T and use with TMo network. Do you think that's possible?

No, the international SGSii and ATT's own SGSii do not have Tmobile's 3G bands. Only the tmo-specific sgsii has the tmo and ATT 3G bands.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

Galaxy S 2 is supposed to be getting "real" support. Samsung has said so. Google has said so. I believe some carriers have said so. The issue is when. There's no official announcement, but the estimate is Jan-Feb 2012.

Meanwhile, the Cyanogen Mod team is working on their own ICS (CM9) for all sorts of phones. One way or another, the GS II should have ICS on it within a few months.

Sorry i should have been more specific. I meant real cyanogenmod support, as opposed to the support the captivate has.

Cm7 is pretty stable on the captivate, but the battery is awful. I have heard this is because of proprietary divers. If the same issue is there with the sgs2, then it might be a deal breaker.

I want the ability to use cm, and miui with no issues. I'm sure the nexus can do this.

So for me it comes down to blessed google phone vs skinned Samsung phone....

Sent from my SGH-I897 using Tapatalk

 

[zerogear]

@poofy: Any reason why CM7 based ROMs for the i9100 international cant work on the AT&T SGS2?? I actually really like CM-based ROMs simply because I feel like CM needs a *little* more tweaking.

The AT&T one is close to international, but it has NFC (built into the battery) iirc; so it needs it's own build. I think that was the only major difference.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

The problem with SGS3 is the lag time between announcement and US release. And for Verizon, of course, it's even worse. Esp. for those of us who've been sitting on upgrades since July...

well the SGS2 took til May to arrive right? It was end of may/early June. The point is if the next SGS phone takes that long, we still have at least 6 months. Closer to 7 months. I don't think many people bought them in the US til July when the price wasn't $900 at least. So the point is even if you go around the carriers, we won't get the SGS3 til possibly next summer. I'd say a solid 7-9 months. If you wait for the carriers, its closer to 9-11 months before we get our hands on it.

So either way, I don't think anyone can say the SGS2 is dated given that we have AT LEAST a half a year til the next revision.

I mean would you have called people who purchased iPhones in December outdated given that Apple has traditionally rolled out new iPhones in June?

 

[beduion]

On TMo network. Was lookign for a SG2 phone & found seller on e-bay is selling NEW SAMSUNG GALAXY S II 2 UNLOCKED 4G SGH T989 T-MOBILE GSM 3D 16GB for &554.99. Has 99.6 % Positive feed back. I've never shooped on e-bay. Any advice fro e-bay members. Thanks.

 

[smartpatrol]

^ You can buy an SGS2 directly from T-Mobile for $529.

 

[beduion]

unlocked?