Iphone vs Android - User interface comparison needed.

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dickytim

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#84124 25-May-2011 07:47

I have been using a Nokia 5800 for over a year now, it does most of what I want but in reality it doesn't do it well.

Recently I splashed out and brought an ipod classic from trade me, I hadn't done any real research and found out when I got it that they can be unreliable and the hard drive can crap out (which it had) so I brought an ipod touch as it uses flash drive and from what I could work out was more reliable.

I love the ipod touch, the interface, itunes everything is easy to use and being that the is about 1 billion of them out there it is easy to learn about.

Cutting to the chase, I love the ipod touch and I am over the slow and limited Nokia 5800 that I have so I want to upgrade to a Iphone 3GS 32GB, this would be fine except when reading about them inevitably there draws a comparison and eventually argument about how crap iphones are and how good this $300 android phone is.

I like the ipod touch for ease of use, it feels nice to use and is fast at what it does.

Is this the same for the iphone?

Does as android for the same money as a second hand iphone offer the same user experience or is there a compromise to be had?

I am so freaking confused about the whole thing as any thread I read seems to end in a flaming war with the iphone user being labelled an apple-fan-boy and android user being labelled a geek!

All I want to know is how does the UI of the android for around $5-600 compare to an iphone 3GS?

BTW I don't need/ can't afford an iphone 4(or 5 when it comes out) and am happy to actually pay for my music and apps.

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#473784 25-May-2011 08:40

dickytim:
I like the ipod touch for ease of use, it feels nice to use and is fast at what it does.

Is this the same for the iphone?

Exactly the same, Get the 3gs its easy to use grunty enought to run the latest firmwares. I had an android found the interface looking unfinished and not as clean as iphone (IMO)

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Ham

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#473786 25-May-2011 08:41

When I first got my iPhone (almost 2 years ago) I had never used one before, but as soon as I picked it up I could use it with ease...

I had a play with an Android for the first time the other day and I had no idea what things did or how to do anything on it without getting a lesson on it...

The iPhone, without doubt, feels far more natural/easy to use, however most of the new Anrdoid phones coming out now are higher spec'd than the iPhone. In the end the choice is a personal one. and is getting more and more difficult to make as new models become available.

dklong

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#473789 25-May-2011 08:49

First off... I am a PC user from 'way' back not a Mac user so anything positive I say about an Apple device is certainly not from an 'apple-fan-boy'.

However, I bought my wife an iPhone 3GS last Christmas to replace her old Nokia. She loves it and, as you say, the interface is the main reason.

Functionally, it is an iPod touch with a phone built in so if you like the iPod Touch then you'll like the 3GS. I looked at Android equivalents at the time and played with a few and found that 'some' of the cheaper ones had 'resisitive' touch screens which I found quite clunky in comparison and also didn't support mulitpoint so couldn't do the expand/shrink stuff on web sites. For similar usability the android phones were certainly no cheaper and some of them were actually more expensive. I already used iTunes for downloading music to my PCs so the iPhone just slotted in with that easily. I've since bought an iPod Touch for my oldest son and everything just works the same... easy.

So far ... it has been a very succesful purchase.

I have no doubt that the new Android phones can do everything that the iPhone can... but my suggestion is to play it before you buy. There can be a huge difference in the usability of a good one vs a not so good one.

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nakedmolerat

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#473797 25-May-2011 09:15

1. iphone is a smartphone and all android-based phones are smartphones too

2. both have access to vast apps (lots of iphone apps have been ported onto android platform)

3. which one is easy to learn? my close friend wanted a smartphone but she refused to pay the cost for iphone4. all her life, the most expensive phone she had was nokia 3120c. she bought her defy on Thursday evening, i saw her on Friday and she had all the twitter, facebook updates and email set-up on her phone.

4. ipod touch and iphone runs on the same iOS

5. my 0.02, i think you are better off with newer android phone if you are planning to get iphone 3GS only. it has been 2 years since 3GS was launched. it is a bit too late to jump on 3GS now when iphone 5 is around the corner. my advise, wait for iphone 5 and get iphone 4 or alternatively, pop in to one of the vodafone/telecom stores, have a play with their android based phones.

Lizard1977

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#473798 25-May-2011 09:23

I have had an ipod touch for 3 years, and bought an iPhone 4 last year. Both are virtually identifical in use and feel, so if you like the touch, you'll like the iphone.

My sister-in-law bought an Android phone a few months back, and I had a play with it. I can get to grips with new gadgets and tech pretty quickly, but after half and hour of poking around, I found the Android phone to be clunky, unintuitive, and frustrating. I've played with a few others in store, and it's much the same experience.

I think the killer feature for iPhones is the same thing which people tout as the advantage of the Android. You can pick up almost anyone's iPhone, and it will be the same. For Android, this is painted as boring and conformist. For most average consumers, though, I think this means a consistent and transferable experience. Choice is great, but sometimes a consistent approach, layout, format is better, and means that you don't need to be a geek to use the device.

But, as others have said, it's personal preference. I think the best approach is to go into Telecom and Vodafone stores and play around with different phones, and see which feels natural to you.

dickytim

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#473800 25-May-2011 09:28

thanks guys I think I'll go into Vodafone and have a play with an android before I decide.

Will not be going for an iphone 4 or 5 as I cant justify the $1000 + price so I am looking at a second hand phone.

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dickytim

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#473801 25-May-2011 09:30

Lizard1977: I have had an ipod touch for 3 years, and bought an iPhone 4 last year. Both are virtually identifical in use and feel, so if you like the touch, you'll like the iphone.

My sister-in-law bought an Android phone a few months back, and I had a play with it. I can get to grips with new gadgets and tech pretty quickly, but after half and hour of poking around, I found the Android phone to be clunky, unintuitive, and frustrating. I've played with a few others in store, and it's much the same experience.

the Nokia feels much like the android you have described which is why I want to change it.

tdgeek

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#473802 25-May-2011 09:32

I am also a Windows guy, have an iPod Classic which is great and reliable and the ausio qualty is excellent.

My iPhone4 is superb, ticks all my boxes, speed, interface, build quality and ease of use. Its also secure, as while many will say Apple is a locked down product, it isnt. There are 250,000 apps, many are free, many are cheap as chips, and you dont see malware issues as the apps are vetted for quality, bugs and malware. You can update the iOS when its out , with Android you need to wait until the manufacturer and/or telco provides it, if they will.

But play with a like price Android, see how you like checking the interface, texting, how the touchscreen is (iPhone is 100% there). A Voda/Telecom store will be happy for you to potter on one for a while.

nakedmolerat

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#473807 25-May-2011 09:40

dickytim: I am looking at a second hand phone.

my advise, never buy 2nd hand phones. you never knew what the previous user did with it. they may have dropped it few times etc.

in general, after 2 years, you start to encounter all sort of problems. remember, iphone batteries are not user replaceable. you have to consider this before purchase.

ekud

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#473809 25-May-2011 09:44

nakedmolerat:
dickytim: I am looking at a second hand phone.

my advise, never buy 2nd hand phones. you never knew what the previous user did with it. they may have dropped it few times etc.

in general, after 2 years, you start to encounter all sort of problems. remember, iphone batteries are not user replaceable. you have to consider this before purchase.

You can still buy brand new 3gs, and by all accounts it looks like they will be updated to iOS 5

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heavenlywild

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#473810 25-May-2011 09:45

OK I have experience using both Apple and Android.

Ease of use? Apple, hands down. Menus are intuitive and standard.

Flexibility to do what you want - share photos, music, documents etc - Android, hands down. No restrictions there.

If you want ease of use, go with Apple. If you would like the freedom to do whatever you want on your phone - with some maybe not so intuitive menus etc - go with Android.

What gets me about the iPhone is the fact that when iTunes forces you to download and install the latest version/firmware when you are on the run, or that the syncing takes forever.

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nakedmolerat

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#473812 25-May-2011 09:48

ekud: You can still buy brand new 3gs, and by all accounts it looks like they will be updated to iOS 5

i dont think he is planning to fork out more than $600.

iphone 3GS with 8GB is $919 new

iphone 4 with 16GB is $1123 new

go figure

most rumours i came across, 3GS will NOT be upgraded to iOS5

dickytim

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#473813 25-May-2011 10:00

that's correct, I can only spend about $600. I have brought second hand phones, ipods etc and I understand it is a risk.

davidcole

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#473815 25-May-2011 10:04

I notice no one is suggesting Windows phone 7?

Also for a non geek, I'd suggest an iPhone as well, having gone Nokia (s60) to iPhone 4 myself over this past year.

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dickytim

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#473817 25-May-2011 10:06

I had a window media phone before the Nokia, admittedly it wasn't a very good one and not windows 7 but I quickly out grew it.

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