iPhone 5 or S3?

[Lor]

Or.

The habit of putting one's phone in either one's left pocket along with one's keys, or in one's right pocket along with one's loose change.

The upshot being, after 12-15 months of ownership, one's phone is scratched to fuckery, and needs replacing.

Or.

Witnessing the habit of someone trying to multi-task while cycling in the pouring rain and dropping the phone down only to see it smash and soaking in a puddle.

I didn't laugh, that much, as I drove past.
.

[Unheard Of]

I think part of the problem is that as a new phone is generally 'free' on contract don't end up thinking about it being valuable/not worth replacing automatically when able to. SIM-only contracts would be cheaper but that's kind of hidden.

It only appears free to people who aren't terribly bright, I'm sure no one here will suffer that illusion.

[Hazir]

There is no such thing as a free phone. 'free' phones are a great way though to make people buy overpriced plans

[Hazir]

I think most of that perceived obsolescence comes from customers desiring the new shiny gadget, rather than any substantial improvements in functionality.

If I look at the iphone 3s I am happy I own a simple 4 though. Besides that I use a cheapo Samsung smartphone that does a very good job making me doubt If my purchase of an otherwise good phone was as good as I could have had it for the money.

[GGT]

There's a sucker born every minute might need an updated version.

[RandBlade]

There is no such thing as a free phone. 'free' phones are a great way though to make people buy overpriced plans

Not necessarily. Often it's a great way to get a guaranteed 24+ months business from somebody and not just one.

The phone companies this year have cut their price plans/increased their offerings with the new iPhone so I've settled it in my mind and gone for that. Got a free iPhone 5 with Unlimited calls, Unlimited texts and 3GB data for £46. Was previously paying £46 for 1200 minutes, unlimited texts and 1GB data but I'd have to be very careful not to go over the 1200 limit and would often come close (it works out at less than an hour a day) so ended up with either some £100+ bills or restricting my usage. Also again frequently had to restrict my usage as reached the data cap.

I looked at SIM-only plans and can't find any meeting my needs. In fact the most expensive SIM-only one-month plan with Orange is for £36 which is basically the same as the one I've just left but for a 24 month contract on £36 you'd get a higher allowance and a free iPhone 4 (Or 4S for 29.99)

[agamemnus]

I say get the Galaxy S III. What Apple says about their iPhone having the perfect screen width, is rubbish. For small hands (children and women presumably), you might prefer using two hands while navigating the Samsung, but otherwise you're more than fine. And the advantages are apparent. Web browsing just gets that much better with a larger screen. Same with maps. Seeing how the Galaxy S III will likely retail for less with the announcement of its new rival, I hardly see any reason at all to pay out for Apple's diamond standard. Buying the Galaxy Nexus is not wise btw, it lacks way behind hardware-wise.

Indeed. Silly small people. My hands are enormous. I can barely hold a fork. I have a small hill of crushed utensils in the back yard...

[Flixy]

There is no such thing as a free phone. 'free' phones are a great way though to make people buy overpriced plans

You can of course negotiate your plan, and they buy phones in Bulk, thus cheaper. Last time I spent less money on the full term of my plan, than the phone would cost if I ought it separately, so sim only would not have been cheaper if I wanted the same phone (which I really did want).

[RandBlade]

You can of course negotiate your plan, and they buy phones in Bulk, thus cheaper. Last time I spent less money on the full term of my plan, than the phone would cost if I ought it separately, so sim only would not have been cheaper if I wanted the same phone (which I really did want).

The iPhone 5 has a quoted SIM only cost of £529 - that's about half my contract cost without providing any service at all.

The only advantage I see of SIM only is if you already have a phone you want to keep/can source one cheaply.

[Aimless]

With phones like HTC's One series on the market and the Padfone 2 around the corner I'm beginning to experience some serious internal emotional conflict due to my stinginess re. tech

[Aimless]

Meanwhile I'm trying to get my hands on a used Nokia N9 but at the price I've decided on they get sold within minutes/hours, except one that's hideously pink

[Hazir]

On the upside; which thief would steal a hideously pink Nokia N9 ?

[RandBlade]

I used to work somewhere which got held up in an armed robbery. The thieves got away with the cash but also the colleagues watches/mobiles/wallets etc ... one girl had this hideous pink Nokia that was taken. Although an unpleasant experience on the lighter side we joked that if that ever turned up again in town we'd know that it was that one as there'd never be two of that.

[wiggin]

I'm finally getting a smartphone - trying to decide between an HTC One X and a Samsung Galaxy S III. Any thoughts? The display on the HTC seems a bit brighter and I thought it was a bit more comfortable to hold, but the GS3 seems to be a bit better reviewed. Anyone have experience/knowledge on the difference? (BTW for non-Americans, the HTC One in the US only has a dual core, not a quad core.)

[Aimless]

I'm finally getting a smartphone - trying to decide between an HTC One X and a Samsung Galaxy S III. Any thoughts? The display on the HTC seems a bit brighter and I thought it was a bit more comfortable to hold, but the GS3 seems to be a bit better reviewed. Anyone have experience/knowledge on the difference? (BTW for non-Americans, the HTC One in the US only has a dual core, not a quad core.)

Both are great phones and it's kinda hard to go wrong with either. In terms of basic specs and the like the GSIII wins, while the One X definitely wins (IMO) wrt design/build quality and I reckon it has a better screen too but if your eyes and brain prefer AMOLED then that's what you'll want to go with. I think the GS3 may be better by a very tiny margin when it comes to taking regular photos (although the One X may be better wrt camera software as well as wrt video). The GS3 has better battery performance. One esp. nice feature of the GS3 is the ability to slot in a microSD-card. Both have irritating custom skins

Judging from the great internet the GS3 is a safe bet and if you find it both comfortable and attractive you may safely pick it over the HTC One X. If you hate TouchWhiz you can always consider flashing a custom ROM. If you do get the One X make sure that they've launched the non-deathgrip version first.

[wiggin]

Hmm, battery performance is definitely high on my list; photos is not (both have more than adequate cameras, and for any good pictures I'll always bring along my trusty DSC-HX9V, which blows any phone out of the water). I'm not sure the microSD slot is really relevant for me; I really am unlikely to need expansion memory. Is removable battery likely to be an issue?

What do you mean by a 'non-deathgrip version'?

I guess the real question is whether the marginal improvement in specs and battery (and a possibly inferior display) is worth $100. I find it really challenging to tell whether I really found the One X more comfortable to hold than the GS3 for the simple reason that all of the stores have those stupid antitheft devices that make it impossible to hold/use in a normal way... but I did seem to find that the GS3 seemed a bit less comfortable. That, along with the price tag, is my big concern.

[Aimless]

Hmm, battery performance is definitely high on my list; photos is not (both have more than adequate cameras, and for any good pictures I'll always bring along my trusty DSC-HX9V, which blows any phone out of the water). I'm not sure the microSD slot is really relevant for me; I really am unlikely to need expansion memory. Is removable battery likely to be an issue?

What do you mean by a 'non-deathgrip version'?

I guess the real question is whether the marginal improvement in specs and battery (and a possibly inferior display) is worth $100. I find it really challenging to tell whether I really found the One X more comfortable to hold than the GS3 for the simple reason that all of the stores have those stupid antitheft devices that make it impossible to hold/use in a normal way... but I did seem to find that the GS3 seemed a bit less comfortable. That, along with the price tag, is my big concern.

Some users have had issues with wifi, 3G, GPS on the One X and HTC has confirmed that it's a hardware issue that they're going to fix (or have already fixed?) it's more like a reverse deathgrip because the connectivity problems are solved by squeezing the phone. Many users have also had weird battery-drain issues that may or may not be related to software glitches (most can be fixed of course).

I find the One X more comfortable to hold and a lot more attractive, it makes me drool although the thought of having to pay for it makes me cry. If you want to save the money and aren't too concerned about getting a lemon then the One X is also a safe buy.

If you're really keen on having great battery performance, and if you haven't already tried and rejected it, you might want to check out Motorola's latest Razr phones, esp. the Razr HD and the Razr Maxx HD. They naturally have their disadvantages but if you can stomach motorola's skin they may be much more up your alley similar wrt the display, with a nice if understated design and fantastic battery life.

[wiggin]

Some users have had issues with wifi, 3G, GPS on the One X and HTC has confirmed that it's a hardware issue that they're going to fix (or have already fixed?) it's more like a reverse deathgrip because the connectivity problems are solved by squeezing the phone. Many users have also had weird battery-drain issues that may or may not be related to software glitches (most can be fixed of course).

Huh, I hadn't seen that in the reviews I was looking at. I'll look into it, thanks for the heads up.

If you're really keen on having great battery performance, and if you haven't already tried and rejected it, you might want to check out Motorola's latest Razr phones, esp. the Razr HD and the Razr Maxx HD. They naturally have their disadvantages but if you can stomach motorola's skin they may be much more up your alley similar wrt the display, with a nice if understated design and fantastic battery life.

I looked at the Razr Maxx HD, wasn't too excited (battery life isn't the end all and be all). I wasn't psyched about the interface, it was quite pricey ($300) compared to the One X or even GS3, it was heavy, etc. If I went with Verizon I would have gotten one since that's their only non-iPhone smartphone that is global ready... but I decided against Verizon for precisely that reason.

[Dreadnaught]

I'd personally stay away from HTC these days. They were flying high for like 18 months, but recently they've seemed to really lose their groove while Samsung has gotten quite good with Androids (still loving my Galaxy Nexus).

What plan are we talking about here? Because if it's TMobile or AT&T and you're a fanatic about battery life, those two are GSM carriers so the phones can be switched to EDGE/2G for the next few years. I can get at least a day and a half of battery life with moderate phone usage when I stick to EDGE.

[wiggin]

I'm not a fanatic, but I'm well aware you can switch to lower power consumption. I just prefer longer life over shorter. *shrugs* Obviously I don't care that much since I'm not buying the Razr Maxx HD.

I'm also not convinced that you should avoid a company just because their sales haven't been as good as another company's. The HTC One X has been very well reviewed, and part of their lower sales numbers are because they have had nowhere near as aggressive of marketing, nor are their phones sold by every major carrier (like Samsung and Apple). They still have fundamentally decent technology IMO.

[Aimless]

In terms of design, features and overall value, HTC's One series is fantastic. They may have had some minor quality-control issues but they seem to be responding quickly and honoring their obligations to buyers.

I'm guessing the large display is a priority? Else the One S may also be worth a look. Disclaimer: I have no idea what phones cost in the US

[Aimless]

If you can find the super-cool black microarc-ified one that is.

[wiggin]

The One S isn't available at the carriers I'm looking at. I'm not really into the huge screen, I just want a good phone, and the best reviewed Android phones available are the GS3 and the One X. I actually am leery of the GS3 because it seemed a bit uncomfortable to hold.

I'd say, though, that if the GS3's screen was brighter I would buy it in a heartbeat over the One X. It's just so dim in comparison that given the other considerations I'm a bit torn.

[Khendraja'aro]

Lumia 920!

[GGT]

I'm holding out for a wireless phone that will come without a two year contract, independent of my cable/internet access, with unlimited local/regional/national/international calls, free text messaging and file sharing, a nice camera and video capability, a battery that lasts a decade without charging, without GPS monitoring.....that's also connected to my personal transportation jet pack assembly.

[Aimless]

The One S isn't available at the carriers I'm looking at. I'm not really into the huge screen, I just want a good phone, and the best reviewed Android phones available are the GS3 and the One X. I actually am leery of the GS3 because it seemed a bit uncomfortable to hold.

I'd say, though, that if the GS3's screen was brighter I would buy it in a heartbeat over the One X. It's just so dim in comparison that given the other considerations I'm a bit torn.

Hmm, shame about the One S being unavailable... it really does feel great in the hand! Those damn' carriers

If you're okay with rooting and installing aftermarket upgrades I think there are a couple of flashable files out there to fix the GS3's overly stingy auto-brightness feature. I think the display on the GS3 has a few other issues too though, that all contribute to the less impressive viewing experience (eg. the PenTile arrangement and the suboptimal calibration). But you're not likely to easily find a better display than the on the One X Although I reckon the LG Optimus G's comes close and, in a few months, the Padfone 2 may have them both on the ropes.

The GS3 may be a little unwieldy but you can easily hack together a phone handlebar accessory as a nice little weekend project

[Aimless]

I'm holding out for a wireless phone that will come without a two year contract, independent of my cable/internet access, with unlimited local/regional/national/international calls, free text messaging and file sharing, a nice camera and video capability, a battery that lasts a decade without charging, without GPS monitoring.....that's also connected to my personal transportation jet pack assembly.

You mean you're holding out for a jet pack with a built-in smartphone dock

[wiggin]

Hmm, shame about the One S being unavailable... it really does feel great in the hand! Those damn' carriers

If you're okay with rooting and installing aftermarket upgrades I think there are a couple of flashable files out there to fix the GS3's overly stingy auto-brightness feature. I think the display on the GS3 has a few other issues too though, that all contribute to the less impressive viewing experience (eg. the PenTile arrangement and the suboptimal calibration). But you're not likely to easily find a better display than the on the One X Although I reckon the LG Optimus G's comes close and, in a few months, the Padfone 2 may have them both on the ropes.

The GS3 may be a little unwieldy but you can easily hack together a phone handlebar accessory as a nice little weekend project

Yeah, I've seen reviews from people who changed the auto-brightness settings, and they still felt it was dim compared to the One X. Then again, the One X is too aggressive on power economy during multitasking, so I'm not sure either is really perfect.

[GGT]

You mean you're holding out for a jet pack with a built-in smartphone dock

By jet pack I meant a personal transportation device, Jetson style.

[Flixy]

I'd personally stay away from HTC these days. They were flying high for like 18 months, but recently they've seemed to really lose their groove while Samsung has gotten quite good with Androids (still loving my Galaxy Nexus).

What plan are we talking about here? Because if it's TMobile or AT&T and you're a fanatic about battery life, those two are GSM carriers so the phones can be switched to EDGE/2G for the next few years. I can get at least a day and a half of battery life with moderate phone usage when I stick to EDGE.

Anecdote alert, but I never had luck with HTC, nor have my friends.