Time to upgrade. Holy options batman, need help with Verizon

[happyguy155]

I"ve been quite out of the loop with mobile phones. I need a new phone, one for email/checking finance websites/buying stuff (is this safe with such little anti-malware protection?), and I'll probably want to tether.

I like the iphone for the simplicity, battery life, and the nice touchscreen. Have other manufacturers been able to make a screen as good as the iphone? Last I checked a year or 2 ago (Droid, ugh) there were no contenders.

There are lots of other options I see with faster cpus, more memory, but other than jailbreaking the iphone to tether would I be missing out on any big features for my purposes with other phones? By the way, I'll probably snag the older iphone 4 because the newer features don't seem worth the money to me since it's on 3g anyway.

Appreciate any help. Just don't want a phone to have to wrestle with, that's what my 1155 system is for I'm going to check out the phones today to see how the feel then narrow down by specs and capabilities.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

you could get an android device, root it, and tether.

i recommend the Galaxy Nexus because there is a ONE CLICK ROOT toolkit online.
it automatically roots your device. and then you can tether 4G!

 

[Bateluer]

you could get an android device, root it, and tether.

i recommend the Galaxy Nexus because there is a ONE CLICK ROOT toolkit online.
it automatically roots your device. and then you can tether 4G!

You can actually tether on he Nexus without root. Koush's app Clockwork Tether does not require root.

 

[happyguy155]

What are the big major differences from the top android phones vs the iphone? I remember the iphone had big weakness but made up for them with its screen/ease of use which android phones did not have. I"m assuming the playing field is more competitive now?

 

[Spoooon]

Are you entrenched in Apple's ecosystem from owning an iPad or anything? If not, just look at the phones and see what you like. I don't think there really is any one thing that would keep one from wanting one over the other (aside from a history of purchasing apps for a particular platform).

On Verizon, I'd be looking at the 4S, Galaxy Nexus, or Razr Maxx (whatever spelling they're going with).

 

[QueBert]

What are the big major differences from the top android phones vs the iphone? I remember the iphone had big weakness but made up for them with its screen/ease of use which android phones did not have. I"m assuming the playing field is more competitive now?

want a much bigger screen and the ability to install custom roms? Go with Android.
want much better apps? go with iOS.

If apps are important to you imho unless you can live with settling go with iOS, and don't listen to anyone on here who'll claim how the app playing field's becoming more even. It's not even in the same ballpark. Android's strong point is the fact you can buy a Galaxy S and install Cm7, Miui or 1 of the other many roms out there. It's a lot more open and some people prefer that. I have an Android phone and an iPod Touch because each has benefits over the other.

 

[happyguy155]

What kind of "flexibility" do these roms provide? Google has a plethora of random vague articles written for dummies.

 

[QueBert]

What kind of "flexibility" do these roms provide? Google has a plethora of random vague articles written for dummies.

Depends on the rom, I ran Miui on my EVO 4G for a good while. It has a UI that really emulate how iOS looks. Prior to that I ran Warm TwoPointTwo, which had some nice custom apps to replace stock things like the dialer and contact ones. You pretty much have to root and install a rom if you want to get a good theme on your phone. Imho stock Android's butt ugly, ICS is much better looking, but I still think it looks too plain stock. A few of the roms I've ran made my EVO quite a bit more unstable than stock though.

You don't need a rom, stock Android will run 99.8% of apps in the Market. I have seen a few weirdo ones that require CM7, but rom's are un-needed and just there for the people who don't like a stock phone.

 

[notposting]

Just get the iPhone 4s, should be fine. Spend the extra few bucks...you will be stuck with it for 2 years (and $2000+) so you should get the best phone you can. Better camera, dual core and better gpu.

 

[Anubis]

want a much bigger screen and the ability to install custom roms? Go with Android.
want much better apps? go with iOS.

If apps are important to you imho unless you can live with settling go with iOS, and don't listen to anyone on here who'll claim how the app playing field's becoming more even. It's not even in the same ballpark. Android's strong point is the fact you can buy a Galaxy S and install Cm7, Miui or 1 of the other many roms out there. It's a lot more open and some people prefer that. I have an Android phone and an iPod Touch because each has benefits over the other.

ive been making this point for years and ill continue to make it because im correct

99% of the aps that people use on either side are EXACTLY THE SAME

if you use that 1% of aps then yes IOS is better, for everyone else it is a wash

 

[Chocu1a]

Galaxy Nexus or iPhone 4S.

 

[obidamnkenobi]

I"ve been quite out of the loop with mobile phones. I need a new phone, one for email/checking finance websites/buying stuff (is this safe with such little anti-malware protection?), and I'll probably want to tether.

Not sure I'd do this with any mobile device, considering how easy it is to get the data of it, and the amount of logging they do. I never do anything that can access my credit card, or online banking. My bank wanted me to get their stupid app, which just seems crazy insecure and I don't see how they can be promoting that.

 

[Red Storm]

If you want to get the iPhone, your best bet is to try and wait for the iPhone 5. I'm suggesting this only because Verizon's 3G sucks and is not as fast as AT&T's 3G so having to rely on that for the next two years won't be fun.

You could try to get a used iPhone 4 to use until the 5 launches.

 

[dguy6789]

want much better apps? go with iOS.

Can't believe you're still spouting this nonsense. Android Market has been at quality and feature parity with the iOS app store for well over a year. Recent studies suggest it has exceeded it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/02/06/ios_apps_crash_more/

 

[MrX8503]

If you're most familiar with iOS, then you may be happiest with an iPhone4/4S. However Android phones are much much better since the days of the Moto Droid 1.

People have said that Android apps have reached parity with iOS, but I haven't seen that to be true. Granted I haven't tried the newest and greatest, but with every new Android OS release, I haven't seen that quality come through as of yet.

Getting Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja doesn't really qualify Android to be cutting edge with apps either.

Considering Google just released a design guidelines for app developers for 4.0 when iOS has had something like that for years, I remain skeptical about its app quality. IMO, I think even WP7 has a leg up on Android on quality even though its quantity is lacking.

http://www.techspot.com/news/47042-google-reveals-design-guidelines-for-android-40-apps.html

 

[AznAnarchy99]

ive been making this point for years and ill continue to make it because im correct

99% of the aps that people use on either side are EXACTLY THE SAME

if you use that 1% of aps then yes IOS is better, for everyone else it is a wash

Yea I never understood this argument either. The most used and needed apps are on both platforms. There's a random oddity here and there like instagram but its not like id ever use it.

 

[sygyzy]

I suggest you get the iPhone 4S.

 

[ThatsABigOne]

Just get the iPhone 4s, should be fine. Spend the extra few bucks...you will be stuck with it for 2 years (and $2000+) so you should get the best phone you can. Better camera, dual core and better gpu.

riiiight.

 

[MrX8503]

riiiight.

Best phone is questionable, but it does have one of the best cameras, not the fastest dual core, but competitive, and it does have the best GPU.

 

[Piano Man]

If you have unlimited data right now, its a no brainer. Galaxy Nexus

If you own a bunch of apple hardware already and want continuity, its a no brainer. iPhone 4S.

If want a bigger screen with higher resolution. Galaxy Nexus

If you want a small screen with not quite as high resolution. iPhone 4S.

If you want to plug in your guitar and make cool sounds. iPhone 4S.

If you want free (and sweet) Nav. Galaxy Nexus.


So basically, Nexus or iPhone 4s.

 

[QueBert]

ive been making this point for years and ill continue to make it because im correct

99% of the aps that people use on either side are EXACTLY THE SAME

if you use that 1% of aps then yes IOS is better, for everyone else it is a wash

While Android is making a lot of progress (nowhere near 99% though lol) iOS will 99/100 times have the app 1st, sometimes 6 months to a year before Android gets it. Also iOS version's a lot of times have more features, and even if it's simply equal to Android, the iOS one will get updated far more often. There are oddball apps where this isn't the case. But I have both platforms and have hundreds of apps so don't tell me they're 99% exactly the same that's a damn joke. lulz. And if op games, iOS is light years better and has a ton of great exclusive titles that have no planned Android version.

 

[happyguy155]

Hey guys thanks for the help. I think I've decided with the iphone 4. It's only 100 bucks and it can do pretty much everything I want it to do (internet,email) just a little slower with a smaller screen. I'm ok with this because if I shelled out 300 bucks for the newest phone, I'd at the very least want an hdmi out and all the bells and whistles. It looks like the Nexus is the best android option so far, but not exactly a clear winner for me. So I think the old iphone 4 will get the job done and I'll get a nice tablet with hdmi out for all the fun stuff at home.

Unless there are other competitors at the 100 dollar price range I didn't come across? Thanks for the help

 

[Red Storm]

Hey guys thanks for the help. I think I've decided with the iphone 4. It's only 100 bucks and it can do pretty much everything I want it to do (internet,email) just a little slower with a smaller screen. I'm ok with this because if I shelled out 300 bucks for the newest phone, I'd at the very least want an hdmi out and all the bells and whistles. It looks like the Nexus is the best android option so far, but not exactly a clear winner for me. So I think the old iphone 4 will get the job done and I'll get a nice tablet with hdmi out for all the fun stuff at home.

Unless there are other competitors at the 100 dollar price range I didn't come across? Thanks for the help

I would have gotten a 3GS or something else for ~$200 on CL and saved the upgrade for an iPhone 5 (either to keep or sell).

 

[happyguy155]

isn't the iphone 3gs at&t only?

 

[Bateluer]

isn't the iphone 3gs at&t only?

Correct, AT&T only. Though, I believe you can use it on TMO's Edge network.

MrX8503 is full of it when he talks about app quality. While there's junk in both markets, the quality Android apps are just as good as the top iOS apps, both in functionality and visual appeal. And they have been for years.