Choosing my android smartphone :)

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iNeedHelp

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Wannabe Geek

Topic # 115374 23-Mar-2013 22:37

Hey,
So my birthday is coming up (21st april) and I'm getting a new smartphone. I decided I want android over apple. Now this is the problem, I need help from YOU guys to choose what phone. I want the S3 but the plastic looks cheap, I want the HTC one but I'm not sure when its coming out, I want the nexus 4 but I don't like the ui and the way you scroll through the apps (lol). If you guys can recommend a smart phone with reasoning, that would be great! Thanks. BTW i'm new.

insane

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Reply # 786094 23-Mar-2013 22:45

Nexus 4 runs Android, just use a different launcher if you don't like the default one.

heavenlywild

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Reply # 786097 23-Mar-2013 22:46

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Welcome to Geekzone.

HTC One is due for release from mid-April due to the lack of parts, and its RRP is $999 in NZ. You are right, the Samsung phones are very 'plasticy' whereas the HTC handsets are made of premium materials and it feels awesome in the hand.

The Samsung S4 is coming out in May, however, the plasticy feel remains, and it's only - in my own opinion - a slight upgrade from the S3. The S4's RRP is a ridiculous $1149 here in NZ.

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iNeedHelp

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Wannabe Geek

Reply # 786101 23-Mar-2013 22:54

heavenlywild: Welcome to Geekzone.

HTC One is due for release from mid-April due to the lack of parts, and its RRP is $999 in NZ. You are right, the Samsung phones are very 'plasticy' whereas the HTC handsets are made of premium materials and it feels awesome in the hand.

The Samsung S4 is coming out in May, however, the plasticy feel remains, and it's only - in my own opinion - a slight upgrade from the S3. The S4's RRP is a ridiculous $1149 here in NZ.

Is the HTCO proven to be released mid-April? Thanks for the answer.

nakedmolerat

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Reply # 786102 23-Mar-2013 22:55

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Easy! Let us go through the checklist:

1. No budget limit - Yes
2. Excellent build quality - Yes
3. Waterproof - Yes
4. Shatterproof glass - Yes
5. Reasonable battery - Yes
6. 10+ megapixel camera - Yes
7. Great case cover - Yes
8. LTE / 4G ready - Yes

Go for Sony Xperia Z (I am a new a Sony fanboy)

jeffnz

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Reply # 786106 23-Mar-2013 23:03

the HTC one may be made of aluminium but doesn't make it a better phone, HTC has, as yet, to make a phone to rival Samsung's Galaxy S range. It has no external SD nor a removable battery and the on/off button is on the top not the side so hard to use, the Nexus 4 is similar but gets quicker updates than any other Android phone.

Sony Z apparently has a bad display which is only good when viewed straight on and there are reports of a Sudden Death issue with some.

The S4 may have a plastic back so if its looks you are after don't buy it there's plenty of choice to suit all tastes

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DarkShadow

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Reply # 786475 25-Mar-2013 00:49

iNeedHelp: but I don't like the ui and the way you scroll through the apps (lol).

That's the worst reason to dislike a phone. It's an Android. Everything is replaceable. There are at least 237 other options for you. There surely must be one suitable for your taste. :)

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 786480 25-Mar-2013 01:15

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DarkShadow:
iNeedHelp: but I don't like the ui and the way you scroll through the apps (lol).

That's the worst reason to dislike a phone. It's an Android. Everything is replaceable. There are at least 237 other options for you. There surely must be one suitable for your taste. :)

I'm using Action Launcher Pro on my Nexus 4 - In my opinion the N4 is an awesome phone, just beautiful to use, latest version of Android and has a premium feel to it and the price is good.

If I was to buy a phone today it would be the Xperia Z, got a premium feel to it and to be quite honest the screen is very good (I've used one) - the reports of the screen on the internet in my case weren't true.

I've used the SIII before for about 8mo, it's a great phone, feels good in the hand, is plastic but this honestly doesn't matter these days, the thing I loved most about it was the user-replaceable battery, for a new-comer to Android the UI might be a bit of a bonus too, it's actually quite nice now.

The thing is there are many forms of good Android phones out there now, Samsung is implanted in peoples head much like the iPhone but it really comes down to what you want out of it, if you're wanting a good camera go for the Xperia, if you're wanting a phone future-proofed with updates whilst being a good all-around daily driver go for the Nexus 4, if you're not worried about Android updates and features are your thing go for the Samsung, it's really not up to us to decide, it's all about feeling the phone and deciding what you like most.

Remember, Android is fully customisable, if you don't like the launcher, music app, camera app, keyboard, SMS app, phone dialer app, contacts app just replace them with one that better suits your needs! Hell, you could always go the full route and flash a different ROM (I'd recommend the Nexus 4 if you're planning on doing this)

Hope this helps.

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Krishant007

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Reply # 786532 25-Mar-2013 10:01

I currently am using a Samsung Galaxy NEXUS. It is a great phone. So I can tell you that the Nexus 4 would be a good phone - nothing is better than getting updates from Google direct.

At the same time, I am looking to get a new phone as well and am considering strongly between the HTC One and the Samsung S4. I would like to improve all those things that I am complaining about in my phone as well as trying to keep the best parts of it.

Here are some of my complaints:
Battery life is crap. Cant surf the net for more than half an hour a day if i wish to see the phone through an 8 till 5 day.
The speaker is too quiet. I have missed a few calls and cant share music and videos with friends.
The phone does get a bit slow these days in terms of launching apps and stuff.
I would like more than 16gb of storage.
The camera is...awefull...need a better camera.

The good parts:
PURE android.
Quick updates - as in within a week I am running the latest android straight from Google - the tradeoff is that I am usually the first with the new Bugs!!
Loved the big screen when it came out - 720p and one of the firsts with it.

Here are my thoughts:

Nexus 4 is awesome for pure android - really good performance, no software touchups by anyone so expect goodness. But the battery life from what i hear is only average - the Galaxy Nexus had sub par battery so one of the top things in my wish list is GOOD battery.

HTC One has got one of the best designs in terms of build and material. The software being used is android + sense ui 5. From what i read, its one of the better skins that hasnt altered android too much so it should be a good experience. The screen is awesome. The battery from what i read is average to above average. So this is a bit of a grey area for me. Hence me not being totally decided on it.

Samsung S4. Awesome phone. Awesome screen, processing power, features etc. So there is nothing wrong with it. BUT! the software is heavily tempered with and Samsung has put in so many features in it that when the new android 5 is released, it could take a few months for the S4 to be updated which is kinda off putting. And the price is a SHOCKER! The battery life is in question and I am waiting for reviews to show me the light.

The Sony Xperia Z - I loved this phone at first sight. looked awesome. Had good power, good software, really awesome design. Was hoping for great things. But then i read a few reviews and stuff. Wasnt all that great for the phone. The design seems good but the speakers for the phone was very weak - kinda put me off. I would prefer a louder speaker for those times when u want to share a video or something. Also heard that the screen isnt that great when compared to the HTC one or S4. Also the processor is outdated - last years processor at this stage. Hence, no for me.

I am leaning towards the S4 myself for all the good hardware specs. Another question that is creeping up is the LTE version vs non LTE and there is a debate going on in the S4 threads about this.

I was considering the Note 2 a couple of months ago and nearly bought it. but controlled myself to wait for the new phones. Otherwise the Note2 is one awesome phone! one of my mates has it and he is loving it. BIG SCREEN is good..

The S4 is slated for a late april release, so might be a good idea to check it out.

Hope this helps :)

otari

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Reply # 787161 26-Mar-2013 12:35

Telecom rep just confirmed to me that they will have the HTC One in stock next Wednesday (April 3).

I've been using Android for 3 years now, and I actually prefer a non-removable battery and storage. I had problems with the battery connection on a previous phone, and having a sealed battery makes that a non-issue. Regardless, I think I carried an extra battery exactly once. 32GB of internal storage has been more than enough for me over the past year. To me, 16GB is not enough storage, even with an SD; you'll start running into space issues for apps. App sizes are exploding right now, and many of the best apps can't be run off the SD card.

The HTC One is getting great reviews across the board from people who have used and tested every major smartphone. If you're serious about your phone's look and feel (and I don't know how anyone could not be) and you don't mind your photos being a bit smaller, buy a One. If you spend all day holding a phone and looking at its screen, build and screen quality should be the two most important factors. And there, the HTC wins hands down.

b0rg

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Reply # 788474 28-Mar-2013 11:30

After getting one of the latest Samsung Galaxy high end devices, I'd say go with that range- S4 if you can afford it, Note 2 or S3 if not. The Note 2 is massive, but after a week, it didn't bother me, and now the S3 looks small to me. The S3 is more popular and will probably have more support, more custom apps and ROMs available.

Everyone's talking about custom ROMs all the time too, but having looked at a few, I'm sticking with the original. It just works, and it looks good. Cyanogen was UUUUGLY. It looks like it was made for teenagers, all black and neon. Plus, so many people have Samsung Galaxy phones now, your compatibility with others (eg: NFC/Tap to share) is a bonus worth having.

Then there's the whole sharing tips and tricks bonus to consider. So many people have an S3, and it's so similar to the Note 2, that half the tricks I know on my phone, I learned from others. I've taught people things who've had an S3 since release, yet I've had the Note 2 only a couple of months.

If you have a smart Samsung TV, you can share/cast your content straight to it. And if you have an S4, you can use it as a television remote (although I do this by installing a VLC remote and using that to play media from my PC).

kanerossnz

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Wannabe Geek

Reply # 788534 28-Mar-2013 12:42

My opinion is wait for the S4

toyonut

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Reply # 788614 28-Mar-2013 13:38

It sounds like what you really want is a nokia 920 or htc 8X. Beautiful hardware, standout UI, good cameras and great quality screens.
Really though, you just need to go out to phone stores/electronics retailers and pick one you like. If you want android, but don't like some things, you can customize it any which way you like so don't worry about it.
Just get hardware that feels right to you. The S4 is going to be just as plasticy as the S3, the HTC One may well be a standout going on looks and hardware reviews. The Nexus 4 is a bit fragile by most accounts, but looks great and will have the best software support of any android phone as it get the latest android versions as they are released. Just get a bumper case for it.

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