I hadn't checked in on how things in the smartphone world are progressing in a year or so, but by my judgement the iPhone isn't even close to worth having now.
AT&T's 'fastest data network' has also pissed me off for the last time, and I don't have any desire to stay with them... now that Verizon actually has a FAST network, and I'll be living in LA to reap all the benefits of 4G LTE, I've been thinking about getting the Android phone I've always wanted.
Right now I have my eye on the HTC Thunderbolt (http://www.gsmarena.com/htc_thunderbolt_4g-3703.php), which will give me a 4.3" over nigger-size iphone screen (so I can finally do things I've always wanted to do on an iphone but couldn't, like watch movies and VNC to my desktop), 256mb more RAM, and 8gb more storage (40gb total). It can create mobile hotspots (awesome, glad more phones have this now), has an 8MP camera + 720p video that actually looks nice, and a KICKSTAND.
I haven't even tried to jailbreak/root my iPhone since iOS, but from what I gather it's not very hard (or discouraged even) with Android phones.
Best of all, it's $250 with contract and my iPhone is worth, ridiculously, $450-650 on eBay.
Anyone have a fancy Android phone and love it?
Most of my friends here have higher end Android phones. Of the ones I've used, the Samsung Vibrant (or Galaxy S, whatever) is my favorite, I think.
I have a not super fancy android phone (LG Optimus series) and I wouldn't be able to live with out it. My phone doesn't support flash due to not as much RAM, but it is still amazing. I use it to find places to eat, map trips, etc.
The app market is pretty awesome too with a lot of great free apps . Amazon is also running an app store you can get a free paid app a day from a day.
Quote from: applesauce on June 22, 2011, 04:55:20 PM
Most of my friends here have higher end Android phones. Of the ones I've used, the Samsung Vibrant (or Galaxy S, whatever) is my favorite, I think.
Yeah Clare just got the Galaxy S 4G, which got me thinking about this because I hadn't actually used a nice phone besides mine in several months. It's damn nice (and fast, seems all carriers' data networks are faster than ATT's), I like heavy phones though
Yeah, I don't like the low quality plastic bodies that a lot of them have. They just feel cheap even if they are perfectly capable.
ATT has been getting worse and worse here. During White Sox games I literally get ZERO data service from my apartment (we are maybe 4 blocks from the stadium)
Quote from: Quis sum? on June 22, 2011, 07:31:45 PM
at&t works fine here because um there's not a lot of demand on the local network
but can you get 15+ mbps on their 3G?
I just recently got the Nexus S last week. I guess it's not particularly amazing in any specific spec, but it's pretty nice overall. T-Mobile 3G, 16GB storage, 512MB RAM, perfectly clean Android with no vendor junk, wifi hotspot, 4" screen
I have a locked G1 that was unlocked but then I fucked with it and now i can't use it. Wooooo
Quote from: MF Doom on June 23, 2011, 12:33:01 PM
I have a locked G1 that was unlocked but then I fucked with it and now i can't use it. Wooooo
nice.
Quote from: vziard on June 23, 2011, 01:04:56 PM
nice.
I'm such a fucking dumbass. We switched to AT&T, and my dad had his old T-Mobile G1 unlocked. He gave it to me, and I decided to do a factory restore, since it was bloated as fuck, and I completely forgot that the factory settings would lock it again.
And none of my friends have T-Mobile with a data plan, which I need for unlocking it again. Fuuuck.
The thunderbolt's really nice, but I think the nicest phone out right now is the samsung galaxy s II, which you would probably have to jailbreak and stuff
Quote from: Hiro on June 30, 2011, 07:09:17 PM
The thunderbolt's really nice, but I think the nicest phone out right now is the samsung galaxy s II, which you would probably have to jailbreak and stuff
I like those too, just want as much CPU and rampower as possible for my MOBILE REMOTE DESKTOP SESSIONS
Quote from: vziard on July 01, 2011, 08:14:13 PM
I like those too, just want as much CPU and rampower as possible for my MOBILE REMOTE DESKTOP SESSIONS
then yeah, probably the galaxy ii or i guess the atrix.
some nicer stuff is coming up soon, although i guess that's always true.
Quote from: Hiro on July 01, 2011, 08:25:59 PM
then yeah, probably the galaxy ii or i guess the atrix.
some nicer stuff is coming up soon, although i guess that's always true.
hm, yeah, it's a tough choice... Galaxy S II basically has the best CPU/RAM combo of the bunch (and especially slim), but HTC is HTC, and more Verizon options (imo slightly nicer hardware, and Sense). Atrix is out because as I said AT&T's data network is useless, although it has some nice hardware too.
Quote from: vziard on July 01, 2011, 11:35:14 PM
hm, yeah, it's a tough choice... Galaxy S II basically has the best CPU/RAM combo of the bunch (and especially slim), but HTC is HTC, and more Verizon options (imo slightly nicer hardware, and Sense). Atrix is out because as I said AT&T's data network is useless, although it has some nice hardware too.
htc is nice, yeah. my stepdad has a thunderbolt and the hardware's really not as cutting-edge anymore. i will say that verizon's 4g is brilliant though. still, the galaxy s ii is sexy as fuck, and i've heard the battery life is vastly better than most android phones out right now, including the thunderbolt.
samsung's stock skin is pretty shitty, but sense isn't amazing either and if you're going to be rooting the thing then you'll have plenty of better interface options to choose from.
Quote from: Hiro on July 01, 2011, 11:39:15 PM
htc is nice, yeah. my stepdad has a thunderbolt and the hardware's really not as cutting-edge anymore. i will say that verizon's 4g is brilliant though. still, the galaxy s ii is sexy as fuck, and i've heard the battery life is vastly better than most android phones out right now, including the thunderbolt.
samsung's stock skin is pretty shitty, but sense isn't amazing either and if you're going to be rooting the thing then you'll have plenty of better interface options to choose from.
true. I'm reconsidering the Thunderbolt anyway, since I now realize there's more dual-core phones out than I thought. I'll probably just wait a few months and see what's available in the fall, seems to me like right now might be a bad time to upgrade... I'll wait for dual-core and 2.3 ubiquity before choosing a phone to keep for a year.
Quote from: vziard on July 01, 2011, 11:56:24 PM
true. I'm reconsidering the Thunderbolt anyway, since I now realize there's more dual-core phones out than I thought. I'll probably just wait a few months and see what's available in the fall, seems to me like right now might be a bad time to upgrade... I'll wait for dual-core and 2.3 ubiquity before choosing a phone to keep for a year.
my evo just got the 2.3 update, so it's taking over pretty quickly, and a custom rom will get you that anyhow.
i do think the thunderbolt is great, i just think the galaxy s ii is the classiest thing i've seen in while. waiting is a good idea though, i'm sure something cool will come up in a few months.
You should wait for Samsung's Galaxy S II. It's supposed to come out in August, or you could pick up an unlocked version on amazon. The unlocked version might be AT&T bands only, maybe T-mob.
There's already a bunch of ROMs thanks to guys at XDA. CyanogenMod is supposed to be ported to it too, if you care about that.
I got a Thunderbolt today because I need some wifi until cable gets setup, I'm impressed.
Tether dat thang.
Is tethering free on other smart phones? is AT&T the only company dicking consumers for it?
Quote from: KonohaShinobi on July 28, 2011, 08:26:42 PM
Is tethering free on other smart phones? is AT&T the only company dicking consumers for it?
No. I'm pretty sure that all the major carriers have tethering plans. Which is stupid because you're basically paying for your Internet service twice. You're supposed to use an official app from your carrier to tether but I'm pretty sure you could find another app.
I'm able to tether freely with my T-Mobile Nexus S without extra charges and I'm signed up for just a regular data plan. The option's simply in its Android settings menu (settings->wireless & network->thethering & portable hotspot).
Quote from: bluaki on July 29, 2011, 06:41:47 PM
I'm able to tether freely with my T-Mobile Nexus S without extra charges and I'm signed up for just a regular data plan. The option's simply in its Android settings menu (settings->wireless & network->thethering & portable hotspot).
I think that's because you have a Google phone. Otherwise that option would probably have been taken out.
Tethering is 20/mo extra including an upgrade to a 4gb data plan for my Thunderbolt. I've been using the mobile hotspot feature quite a bit, and while it's not quite perfect yet (phone flips between LTE and CDMA modes and drops data connection in between), it's some fast shit when it works. Overall I love this phone, no complaints.
Quote from: vziard on July 30, 2011, 11:19:02 AM
Tethering is 20/mo extra including an upgrade to a 4gb data plan for my Thunderbolt. I've been using the mobile hotspot feature quite a bit, and while it's not quite perfect yet (phone flips between LTE and CDMA modes and drops data connection in between), it's some fast shit when it works. Overall I love this phone, no complaints.
You're paying for tethering?
If you root the Thunderbolt than you can download free tethering apps, or just use the built-in Google feature that was disabled.
Quote from: TheSequel on July 31, 2011, 07:17:14 PM
If you root the Thunderbolt than you can download free tethering apps, or just use the built-in Google feature that was disabled.
I wanted the extra 2gb of data anyway (since they don't fucking do unlimited anymore), but yeah I should do that.
Get those custom ROMs mang