myTouch3G vs Motorola Cliq

[Raduque]

So I'm in the market for a new phone and I've pretty much decided I want to go with an Android phone. Only thing I can't decide on is which one. I've narrowed it down to two choices, both on T-Mo. The choices are either the T-Mobile myTouch3G or the Motorola Cliq.

Of the reviews I've read, both devices have some quirks, some goods and some bads that make them about equal to me.

MT3G Pros: trackball selecting device, runs android 1.6
MT3G Cons: touchscreen only, 192mb ram

Cliq Pros: hardware keyboard, 3.5mm headphone jack, 256mb ram
Cliq Cons: thicker/heavier, d-pad selector, runs android 1.5

Even though I pretty much require a hardware keyboard, a 3.5mm headphone jack built-in is awesome (Why don't you do this, HTC WHY!?) and the Cliq has more ram, I'm leaning towards the MT3G. I've read the Cliq will have a while to wait to get 1.6 or higher versions of Android due to the MOTOBLUR interface. The MT3G has a screen on-par with the iPhone (minus multi-touch), it's lighter, thinner and the battery lasts longer.

What would you choose, AT?

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'd choose option "C", wait till an Android handset with a faster processor is available on TMobile's network.

 

[Raduque]

Unfortunately, I have till Halloween or I lose the new customer pricing and have to cancel.

 

[boomhower]

Originally posted by: Raduque
Unfortunately, I have till Halloween or I lose the new customer pricing and have to cancel.

Are you serious?!? If you don't upgrade they will take it away. That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a while, stupid stupid policy. That said I would go with the Cliq, a real keyboard is a requirement for me.

 

[shortylickens]

I wouldnt choose. I would wait. Why get something you wont be happy with? Cuz its on sale? Thats chick thinking. I dont do that. I get what I want. I get what makes me happy, regardless of cost. Saving a couple bucks now for something you wont be happy with for two years is silly.
Just wait. Use that extra couple of months to work some overtime and save up your money. Besides which, the cost of using the phone for two years is FAR greater than its purchase cost. iPhone users got screwed like that.
The 3G came out at a cheaper initial price (with 2 year contract) but its monthly cost was higher than before and folks would end up spending $500 MORE over the two year period. They thought they were getting a deal, they did not.

Dont ever get a high-end phone with expensive plan because you have to. Get it because you want to. The newer, more powerful Android phones are just a couple months away, and if you buy something else you will be pissed off when they come out.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: boomhower

Originally posted by: Raduque
Unfortunately, I have till Halloween or I lose the new customer pricing and have to cancel.

Are you serious?!? If you don't upgrade they will take it away. That is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a while, stupid stupid policy. That said I would go with the Cliq, a real keyboard is a requirement for me.

Its not that theyre taking away an upgrade, but that I have 14 days to get the pricing because I started a new contract. I was only going to get prepaid svc for my PDA for interwebs, but I got no deposit and the sales guy gave me the 14 days to buy the phone at the discounted price.

Shorty: Im fairly confident Ill be happy with an Android phone I just cant decide which featureset I want. The MT3Gs screen is supposed to be as good as the iPhones and I was happy with it, just not ATTs network.

I had Tmobile service before and I liked it. Its cheaper that VZW and has equal coverage. Im not buying it because its "on sale", Im buying it because Im tired of my old dumbphone and my WinMo smartphone and Android looks to be what I want in a phone.


You guys arent helping me decide.

 

[shortylickens]

Well, we were trying to help, but you didnt wanna listen.

OK, go ahead and get the My Touch, you wont be unhappy with it. The rollerball is much better than the trackpad.
But in a couple months when I'm showing off something bigger and better and more awesomer, you're gonna cry.

 

[Raduque]

I understand you're telling me to wait a couple months, wait for something "bigger and better and more awesomer", but the problem is I'd have to cancel my service and then I wouldn't have a phone. I only have till 10/31 to get the new customer pricing on a phone or cancel without the ETF, and I refuse to pay $500 for a communications device. At most, I'll pay about $250 for such a device, but there's no way in hell a more advanced device than the myTouch3G is going to be sold at an unsubsidized price of $250.

The other problem with waiting is that something even betterer and awesomer than what I'd be waiting for is just a couple months past THAT, and it'll make what I'm already waiting for look like a Casio calculator watch. Never ending cycle. Gotta put the foot down sometime, why not do so when I can get discounts?

 

[shortylickens]

Well the logic here is that hardware commonly found on Android phones hasnt changed much since they were introduced. In a little while there will be a couple of 800mhz CPU's to choose from. Thats what most of us have been wanting, more processing power so the sucker doesnt hiccup so much.
Of course, sooner or later some sick bastard will figure out a way to shove an Intel Atom into a phone and then its gonna be a whole new game.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Well the logic here is that hardware commonly found on Android phones hasnt changed much since they were introduced. In a little while there will be a couple of 800mhz CPU's to choose from. Thats what most of us have been wanting, more processing power so the sucker doesnt hiccup so much.
Of course, sooner or later some sick bastard will figure out a way to shove an Intel Atom into a phone and then its gonna be a whole new game.

That'll be something else. WinMo will be come a viable platform again.

 

[destrekor]

Originally posted by: Raduque

Originally posted by: shortylickens
Well the logic here is that hardware commonly found on Android phones hasnt changed much since they were introduced. In a little while there will be a couple of 800mhz CPU's to choose from. Thats what most of us have been wanting, more processing power so the sucker doesnt hiccup so much.
Of course, sooner or later some sick bastard will figure out a way to shove an Intel Atom into a phone and then its gonna be a whole new game.

That'll be something else. WinMo will be come a viable platform again.

the cpu speed argument is just as ineffective as comparing a Core2Duo to a Pentium 4.

A lot of people are forgetting clock speed is far from the whole story.

Take the hands on reports for the Motorola Droid, soon to be on Verizon's network.
First Android 2.0 handset (for awhile, too), has a 550mhz CPU, a GPU, and is being proclaimed as the fastest Android handset available.

Also of note, it's the same chipset as the iPhone 3GS. Well, different companies providing the chipset (Samsung versus T.I. I think), but same ARM Cortex chip, and has a PowerVR GPU, though I believe the Droid has half the fill rate, but otherwise all the same specs as the iPhone. It's like a GeForce GTX280 versus GTX260. The 260/280 are the same generation, and the 260 is capable of less. Both the 260 is better than most of the chips from previous generations.

In short, the Droid has the second most capable hardware out there, and it's completely open platform and on Verizon's network.
I'm stoked.

That 550mhz CPU destroys one of Samsung's 800mhz Android phones. Superior CPU that is far more capable, plus the dedicated GPU takes a lot off of the CPU, most phones don't have that.

The only CPUs most likely to be more capable are the 1ghz Snapdragon and the future Tegra chipsets. The Snapdragon is supposed to be an insane chip.

I'm in quite a dilemma though. I want a Snapdragon- or Tegra-based Windows Mobile 7 phone, especially since Microsoft has finally released very good news, that they are making a very smart move and confirming a lot of rumors... there will be Zune integration in Windows Mobile 7.

I'm imagining something like the HTC HD2 with WinMo7+Zune. wow

But the Droid, with what features it has, and the open nature of the platform, means it will have excellent app support in the near future (as more, and better, Android devices are released, the community expands greatly, especially since it'll eventually be on every carrier).

 

[Deeko]

Honestly, I'd go with a G1 over either of those.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Honestly, I'd go with a G1 over either of those.

I don't like the G1 - it just looks and feels cheap.

 

[abaez]

I would go with the mytouch, mainly because of all of the developed custom roms on xda. The Cliq should be able to be rooted and custom roms will be made, but it will probably be awhile before that happens.

 

[soulcougher73]

Originally posted by: Raduque
I understand you're telling me to wait a couple months, wait for something "bigger and better and more awesomer", but the problem is I'd have to cancel my service and then I wouldn't have a phone. I only have till 10/31 to get the new customer pricing on a phone or cancel without the ETF, and I refuse to pay $500 for a communications device. At most, I'll pay about $250 for such a device, but there's no way in hell a more advanced device than the myTouch3G is going to be sold at an unsubsidized price of $250.

The other problem with waiting is that something even betterer and awesomer than what I'd be waiting for is just a couple months past THAT, and it'll make what I'm already waiting for look like a Casio calculator watch. Never ending cycle. Gotta put the foot down sometime, why not do so when I can get discounts?

The problem with the bolded above is you are always waiting and never buying and enjoying. There will always be something better just a few months away.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I'd go with function over form every time.

However, the G1 may not get Android 2.0 because of memory limitations.

For me, I think the processor speed is the biggest issue with Andriod phones at the moment, and the upcoming CPU's/GPU's will make a massive difference in the phones, considering a 2 year lifespan for the phone(s) i'd wait....

 

[Bateluer]

The MyTouch has ultra high radiation levels, if you care about that sort of thing.

 

[Raduque]

Originally posted by: soulcougher73

Originally posted by: Raduque
I understand you're telling me to wait a couple months, wait for something "bigger and better and more awesomer", but the problem is I'd have to cancel my service and then I wouldn't have a phone. I only have till 10/31 to get the new customer pricing on a phone or cancel without the ETF, and I refuse to pay $500 for a communications device. At most, I'll pay about $250 for such a device, but there's no way in hell a more advanced device than the myTouch3G is going to be sold at an unsubsidized price of $250.

The other problem with waiting is that something even betterer and awesomer than what I'd be waiting for is just a couple months past THAT, and it'll make what I'm already waiting for look like a Casio calculator watch. Never ending cycle. Gotta put the foot down sometime, why not do so when I can get discounts?

The problem with the bolded above is you are always waiting and never buying and enjoying. There will always be something better just a few months away.

That's exactly what I said in my second paragraph.

I've decided I'm gonna get the myTouch3G. If it's anywhere near as good as the iphone's screen, I'll be happy, as I can type appreciably on apples device.

Originally posted by: Bateluer
The MyTouch has ultra high radiation levels, if you care about that sort of thing.

Not so much, really.