Here's the skinny:I'm sticking with T-Mobile. No question.I'm in the Continental US, and I'm positive all these phones are available hereI'm currently running a BlackBerry Curve 8900, so any of these are real upgrades for meNow that that's clear, here are the four phones I'm looking at:T-Mobile MyTouch 4GT-Mobile G2Samsung Vibrant 4G/Galaxy S II (pending availability)Google Nexus S
I'm strongly leaning towards the Nexus S because for me, software is key. I've been stuck on several platforms where software just wasn't available to me because my OS couldn't support those apps. This (and the GPS issues specific to the Galaxy S series) have made me leery of the "branded" models. The MyTouch 4G, G2 and the Vibrant don't have Gingerbread yet, and aside from the Vibrant and the Galaxy S II, I'm not aware that the G2 or MT4G have been officially confirmed as being slated for Gingerbread. Many Android phones are stuck at Android 1.6, and I don't want to be there.
However, we do have WiFi calling on our plan, which does have me leaning towards a phone that also supports this. The Vibrant also does 720p recording, which is a big plus for me (and a major upgrade from the 320x240 extremely-low-quality video my BlackBerry shoots). But, again, the software issue has me concerned, since Samsung majorly botched the 2.2 upgrade. Many people I know personally who have the Vibrant (3G) are warning me to avoid it. It also wouldn't be too bad to leapfrog 3G and go straight to 4G (apparently we have HSPA+ coverage in my area), but at this point, anything is better than the lackluster 2G that my BlackBerry is sucking down.
Also, what doesn't hurt the Nexus S is that it's cheaper than two of the other three units, is available at Best Buy, and I have $142 in Best Buy gift cards (though if I don't buy my phone there, I have other things I can spend that on there). I also rather enjoyed the unbranded experience I had back on my old Nokia N73, and the idea that I am beholden to no one but Google when it comes to my software is something I can get behind. I'm also tinkering with the idea of routing my calls through Google Voice to a SIP address that I could answer with Gingerbread's built-in SIP client (which I hear may be pulled from devices if carriers complain, according to PC Mag) over WiFi. It's a bit hackish, but I kind of like those kinds of projects.
If the Galaxy S II hits the scene before mid-April (when I'm due for my upgrade... a long shot, and extremely unlikely, but I like to plan for all contingencies) it might be a game changer for me, pending reviews.
Just looking for some opinions.
I'm strongly leaning towards the Nexus S because for me, software is key. I've been stuck on several platforms where software just wasn't available to me because my OS couldn't support those apps. This (and the GPS issues specific to the Galaxy S series) have made me leery of the "branded" models. The MyTouch 4G, G2 and the Vibrant don't have Gingerbread yet, and aside from the Vibrant and the Galaxy S II, I'm not aware that the G2 or MT4G have been officially confirmed as being slated for Gingerbread. Many Android phones are stuck at Android 1.6, and I don't want to be there.
However, we do have WiFi calling on our plan, which does have me leaning towards a phone that also supports this. The Vibrant also does 720p recording, which is a big plus for me (and a major upgrade from the 320x240 extremely-low-quality video my BlackBerry shoots). But, again, the software issue has me concerned, since Samsung majorly botched the 2.2 upgrade. Many people I know personally who have the Vibrant (3G) are warning me to avoid it. It also wouldn't be too bad to leapfrog 3G and go straight to 4G (apparently we have HSPA+ coverage in my area), but at this point, anything is better than the lackluster 2G that my BlackBerry is sucking down.
Also, what doesn't hurt the Nexus S is that it's cheaper than two of the other three units, is available at Best Buy, and I have $142 in Best Buy gift cards (though if I don't buy my phone there, I have other things I can spend that on there). I also rather enjoyed the unbranded experience I had back on my old Nokia N73, and the idea that I am beholden to no one but Google when it comes to my software is something I can get behind. I'm also tinkering with the idea of routing my calls through Google Voice to a SIP address that I could answer with Gingerbread's built-in SIP client (which I hear may be pulled from devices if carriers complain, according to PC Mag) over WiFi. It's a bit hackish, but I kind of like those kinds of projects.
If the Galaxy S II hits the scene before mid-April (when I'm due for my upgrade... a long shot, and extremely unlikely, but I like to plan for all contingencies) it might be a game changer for me, pending reviews.
Just looking for some opinions.