Ready to go iPhone to Android - Which (Device), Who (Carrier) and When?

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chileanbabe

New member
Hi All

I've been a 3GS user for almost a year (purchased when first released), I was a pretty die-hard Blackberry Guy before that (Curve & Bold). I'm ready to make the jump to Android... I plan on passing the iPhone 3GS to the wife. I'm also not real pleased with AT&T and the unlimited rate plan change... I have gone over 2GB in a month a couple times, but could be a little more frugal with my 3G/WiFi if it were absolutely required. I'm not in a huge rush (other than my wife wanting the iPhone), and I'd hate to jump on something and have something much much better pop up 2-3 months later and be locked into 2 years with something inferior. (I know new stuff is always coming out and stuff is out of date the second you pull it out of the box and all of that)

I haven't really played with the Android OS extensively, but did play with the original Moto DROID for a week or so on Eval @ work from Verizon. It was heavier than I would have liked and I have no need for a slider KB coming from the iPhone world. I also handled an EVO 4G the other day and it was just too BIG for my taste (and my pants pockets) and I'm no Sprint fan (was a Nextel/Sprint user before the Blackberriy's).

I would like to get a device that already has installed, or available upgrade to Froyo 2.2 (for the improved enterprise device management requirements via Google Apps Activesync for my work). I'd also like to get something in the next couple of months, but could wait 6 or so if the device is worth waiting for.

So I'm considering my options right now... I'm sure there are others as the device/carrier choices are numerous, but here are the leading ones I'm thinking right now.

Option A) Stay with AT&T, Get a Nexus One (Simpler Billing with keeping the iPhone, family rate plan, could upgrade the wife's Razer as she's had a couple years)

Option B) Jump Ship to Verizon, Get an HTC Incredible Now (or whenever they are in stock)

Option C) Wait to see what/when the HTC Scorpion might be, and who will carry it (Rumors of Sprint and/or Verizon?)

Option D) Give the wife the 3GS and by a new iPhone HD/4 in a couple weeks .

Option E)

Thanks in Advance for your replies and advice!
 
Nothing wrong with waiting on the next iPhone. I plan on doing that myself. BUT, I am also probably going to jump on the Samsung Captivate as soon as it comes out.

Samsung Captivate = AT&T's version of the Samsung Galaxy S
4.0" Super AMOLED Display
Android OS (2.1 now but possible 2.2 at launch)
1GHz Hummingbird Processor (slightly faster than the Snapdragon when it comes to graphics especially.)
 
First, decide which carrier has the best service when and where you need it - where you live, work, travel and play. Do not assume that because they are the biggest carrier, they will have the coverage where you need it. All carriers have holes. Do your homework.

Once you pick the carrier, then pick the device.
 
Interesting... I did a little looking at the Samsung Galaxy S... I've never owned anything Samsung, and I guess read some things about lack of, or slow in getting SW updates.
 
I had no issues with AT&T Coverage for the most part... I'm in Norcal (south of SF) and have had a few drops, but nothing major. Verizon is well covered in the areas I go as well. So other than the fact that I'm already AT&T (and get a decent corp discount), I'm not against Verizon in any way (think I get some kind of discount from them as well).

SW2
 
I'd be anxious about backing Samsung. The Galaxy S is a nice phone, but Samsung is developing a very hostile approach to Android updates. Behold II? No more than 1.6. Original Galaxy? No upgrades at all. They've basically stated that there's no money in upgrading you, so it won't invest significant effort.

I would definitely see what happens tomorrow at WWDC. It won't be a miracle, but if that crazy 960x640 display is real, it (and the A4 chip) could make the new model a great experience.
 
That's probably because the Behold II is the Galaxy with Touchwiz. The original Galaxy only has HTC Magic like specs---192mb of RAM. Though interestingly Samsung gifts their phones with a lot more internal memory storage than HTC. The Galaxy Spica probably has the same 192mb, and the 128mb quoted so often is likely a mistake. 192mb is also the spec for the HTC Dream.

These phones are going to have trouble running the latest and greatest because of their memory limitations. Note, the Samsung Moment did have its upgrade, but it had 256mb and done manually. Realistically, don't expect much in upgrades if you got an older phone. Do note that the app fragmentation between Android 1.6 and 2.1 is much less compared to Android 1.5 and 2.1. The big app gap is really between 1.5 and 1.6. This is where the refreshed and improved Android Market comes in. With 1.6, you are getting Google Buzz and the latest Google Maps, plus all the Android Twitter apps except for Twitter for Android which is not the best Twitter app for Android out there. To be honest, with Android 1.6, you can already avail of all the useful apps; those that have to run on Android 2.1 feel like tech demos at the moment.

Now to answer the first post.

1. Pick your carrier first. Then decide on the options.

My personal answer is to go Verizon and go with the Droid Incredible if you can't wait, and for Droid Extreme if you can wait.
 
Interesting topic for another day: how much is big do you want and how much big is enough. There seems to be a lot of upcoming and just released phones with 4 to 5" screens. I wonder if this is a craze or a permanent trend.

I use myself as an experiment. I have both a Nexus One and a Droid Eris. While the Droid Eris is not that much smaller than the Nexus One, I often end up reaching for it more and it feels more comfortable on my hands. True, the N1 has a bigger, brighter screen and its a lot faster, but the Droid Eris with all its humility, seems to fit my hands and usage more like a glove. Sometimes I miss my MyTouch 3G too, which is a handy size.

One should note that LG and Samsung sold tens and tens of million of touch screen feature phones with 2.8 to 3.2" screen sizes. I mean like nearly 80 million between the both combined from such babies like the Cookie to the Star. This is the motivational aspect why many Android phones have a 3.2" screen size instead of 3.5" like the iPhone. This is also the screen size for the enormously successful, in sheer numbers, of the Nokia 5800/53XX series. Should be noted that Samsung debuted its strategically important first Bada smartphone, the Wave, at a 3.3" screen size, coming at the same time when its first 4" screen smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy S, is an Android.

I still have my own personal debate if my next phone will be another 3.7" at least big screen sized phone, or I will back to the 3.2" factor like the HTC Legend, Aria or Liberty (HTC Android headed to AT&T). Note, another 3.2" Android, the Bee, is headed to Verizon as the Droid Eris real replacement.
 
Ok after posting this I went and borrowed the EVO 4G from a co-worker and have been using pretty much non stop for the last 24 or so hours...

The size doesn't bug be as much as I thought it would...bigger than my 3GS, yes, but it feels OK in my hand after more than a few minutes. Now the battery life, that is another story... in just a couple hours of use (no video/audio/BT or 4G) and the battery was below 1/2. That is pretty unacceptable in my book, from a guy whose 3GS is lucky to go 8 hours of average use.

With that being said, I hate Sprint, won't give them a dime of my hard earned money, ever, ever again, so that means I wait...

I've decided I want 720P video, I want 8+MP camera and I really want Froyo 2.2.... so that likely means waiting to see what other devices show up on Verizon/ATT over the next couple of months.
 
I'm torn between the iPhone and the Incredible. My friend has an iPhone and says he pays a one time fee to buy the app, and then no extra monthly fee for that app.

Example: He has My Cast, a weather program that he paid $4 to buy. On Verizon, that same app for the Incredible is $4 per month subscription.

Am I missing something here? Are there not subscriptions on iPhone apps. I called Verizon and most apps definitely have a monthly fee.

Thanks
 
Thanks. How can Verizon compete then? I talked at length with CS at Verizon and they said that nearly all apps for their devices had a monthly subscription. And, it plainly spells the monthly cost out on their website for each app. Incredible! Or, not.

Here's a link to the Verizon Apps page. Every decent, useable app has a monthly fee.

http://mediastore.verizonwireless.com/onlineContentStore/index.html?lid=//global//entertainment+and+apps//apps#displayDriver=522&catID=359764&catName=Apps&displayType=0
 
You're not looking at Android apps. Those are almost exclusively apps for "dumbphones," in some cases made by Verizon itself and usually meant to handle subscription services. If you want a (small) selection of what's on the Android Market, go here: http://www.android.com/market/ That's not to say there aren't subscription services on Android, but they're the exception.

Also, you have to learn the golden rule about cellphone stores and most electronics stores: never, ever, ever, ever listen to what the store staff has to say. They're either knowingly trying to sell you something you don't need or simply don't know the real answer. Any smartphone platform has apps you can download that aren't specific to the carrier and are either free or have a one-time cost, whether it's iPhone, Android, BlackBerry or webOS.
 
Maybe could stick with AT&T afterall...would sure make billing easier...

http://www.androidcentral.com/att-announces-samsung-galaxy-s-captivate-coming-soon
 
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