Mobile Phones - Again

[RickyRock]

I am looking to upgrade my personal phone as it is now my prime phone as a self employed bod again.

The market has moved along in leaps and bounds since I was in the phone business. I am looking for something that has good in car facilities, Dee's Nina uses her iPhone with great effect through the Aux socket in the Mini as a hands free phone and music machine.

I don't need many gadgets but like technology.

Has anyone had any experience of the Android phones?

Any suggestions of what to consider and what to avoid would be appreciated.

[BKBob]

Jill has an iPhone, and I must admit to being a bit jealous.

It is very useable, and although has a lot of 'I'm never going to use that' stuff on it ............... you do.

[TheStig]

The old iPhone vs Android debate is long and complicated. Poeple who have an IP think they are the besst thing since sliced brea, peolpe that have Android Hate them etc etc

Now on paper i really think the IP is not all its cracked up to be, Apple are great at marketing etc, and sucks people in. The OS and GUI is stunning, but as a device, i truly think that the new range of 1ghz smart phone running andorid are slighly superiour.

A girl at wark has the new Samsung wave and i liked flicking around on that. Much of the software feel has been knicked from apple. Sure there arent as many apps on Android as Itunes, but the ones that matter are still there.

So in summary look at
iPhone 4
Samsung Galaxy S (4" screen)or Wave (3.5" screen)
HTC Desire

Those are really the front runners in the market. The IPhone is only one 18-24 month contracts with a premium on the phone depending on contract etc. The others are available on the nextwork of your choice usually on lesser priced contracts.

Things that annoy me with the IP at the moment is the fact they say you can do video calls. Now my last 4 phones have been able to do that with sound unlike the IP4!...anyway, hope this rambling helps.

[BKBob]

I still have one of these, on a pay as you go tariff.

Still works and the battery still last 4-5 days, with use.





Go on you know you want one.

[TheStig]

8210 a pure GIRLS phone FACT!

[abssorb]

I had a note through the door today saying they tried to deliver my new android phone.....Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini Pro


Been watching the market for a while and listening to my brother who's had Androids since they came out. Up until now the android phones haven't been upgradeable to newer versions. The Xperia is apparently the first that can be, so I took the plunge.

The major point for me being that the snazzy new google maps with turn-by-turn sat nav is only available on android 2.2 or tweaked earlier versions. So I've been waiting. Plus I love the idea of a real keyboard.

Android is open source, with the backing of giants. I'm looking forward to seeing if it lives up to expectations.

The church of Apple brainwashes its followers. It's so close to a religious cult it's risible. I bought an apple and tried to get on with it but it was a right bimbo device. Pretty but thick as a whale omlette. I wiped it and put Linux on it and it went about 10 times faster. So I'm biased when it comes to the iphone I think, so I won;t comment.

[Myrkk]

I don't know the techy geeky stuff but my personal preference is the HTC Desire. But that's just cause I have a strong aversion to anything that has i in front of it. You can even get iprams now.... wtf??

I like the fact that android is open source

[TheStig]

The worst 'i' product to date is the iTwist from KFC!! Whats that all about.

I like the x10 mini Pro, but i found it a little to small. I have been using a phone keypad for so long typing that i think i would struggle for too long with a real keyboard.

[burty]

I got me a Motorola Milestone Android Phone courtesy of my employers. Had it about 6 months.

On the whole I like the mobile despite some of the failings in the hardware and software as I'm still learning to like Android - I am amazed at what basic functionality is missing - stuff I've had in Symbian for years. I'm also surprised at the few glaring errors in the way it operates. I'm surprised at Abssorb's comment that "Up until now the android phones haven't been upgradeable to newer versions. The Xperia is apparently the first that can be, so I took the plunge." as the Milestone is upgradeable, indeed I've upgraded twice in 6 months.

What don't I like?
It seems that Android likes to do stuff the Google way, and assumes a permanently 'on-line' approach. Fine if you use Gmail, less fine if you also use a corporate exchange email account.
Latest version has introduced a security conflict with exchange accounts so now the phone insists on a 4 digit code every time to unlock the screen - which is bloody annoying - and there is no way to override it other than dodgy applications which then unlock the screen all the time with obvious consequences.
An inability to save documents sent by email - other than by opening and performing a "save as" - which is irritating and surprising at the same time.
Forward an email with an attachment and the attachment gets embedded as text so is useless to the recipient.
No support for Zip files sent in emails - perhaps there is an app that I have not discovered for that.
No file manager as standard - OK an app is downloadable but still it's something that should be part of the OS IMHO.
Mute button is easily pressed by accident by your ear whilst in a call - shades of iPhone I gather.
Built in browser takes a bit of getting used to, particularly zooming.
It's a bit too easy to call people by accident whilst scrolling contact lists
Bizzarre behaviour with contact lists that are synchronised with Gmail contacts and corporate contacts (I've had some contacts that exist but are not viewable).
Built in SMS uses a similar approach to Gmail where all texts from one sender are bundled up together, which can be handy and annoying at the same time.
Texts sent yesterday lose the time-stamp visibility which may be trivial to some but is extremely important to me - given the reason for the some of the texts I get (this is overcome by downloading a much improved Text app)

On the whole I fail to see the great benefit in Android, other than the availability of apps. Symbian should have just made a better software development kit available and maybe Android wouldn't have stolen the market.

Other issues I have which are likely to be hardware rather than OS:
The Milestone audio quality is utter rubbish - likely to be a problem with the vocoder.
Battery life is appalling too - lasts about a day at best but only if you don't use the screen or the mobile.

[RickyRock]

[TheStig]

So you like it then Burty. I hate Motorola phones plain and simple. Sound quality has always been poor, was on both my mums RAZRs.

In all honesty, i think all the smart phones are flawed, even the iPhone. Its just that the iCult wont admit it

So, RR, i take it that the decision is going well

[RickyRock]

So you like it then Burty. I hate Motorola phones plain and simple. Sound quality has always been poor, was on both my mums RAZRs.

In all honesty, i think all the smart phones are flawed, even the iPhone. Its just that the iCult wont admit it

So, RR, i take it that the decision is going well

I am in no rush at the moment and my old Sony C902 continues to chug along, so I think that I might bide my time. All of my kids have the iPhone and love them but I am not sure that it is for me, plus I generally don't like to follow a trend.

Keep the thought coming it is quite an interesting topic and it seems to wind burty up, which can't be a bad thing

[abssorb]

I got me a Motorola Milestone Android Phone courtesy of my employers. Had it about 6 months.

On the whole I like the mobile despite some of the failings in the hardware and software as I'm still learning to like Android - I am amazed at what basic functionality is missing - stuff I've had in Symbian for years.

I hated the symbian nokia e61 I was lumbered with for 2 years, but I think that was a poor implementation of symbian. Maybe the milestone is the same? But have faith.

the Milestone is upgradeable, indeed I've upgraded twice in 6 months.

I didn't know that

What don't I like?
It seems that Android likes to do stuff the Google way, and assumes a permanently 'on-line' approach.

Android is a google offering after all, another reason for me to get it because I've been using gmail for a few years now, and of course the cloud is the future . So far my android integrates with google mail, calendar, contacts and documents so seamlessly it caught me out. There was no need for me to enter my contacts. Simply enter my gmail password, seconds later all my contacts are on the phone. Including all the little photos, which now appear in text conversations, email chains, favorite contact lists, all sorts. Impressive, and though it sounds like just fluff, it makes things easier to read.

less fine if you also use a corporate exchange email account.

Ah. It's a shame you're stuck with exchange. Exchange is 20yr old technology and is pretty redundant in today's world, and now does little except get in the way. A lot of corporations are now junking it in favour of corporate gmail.

<<Loads of email problems caused / influenced by exchange >>

That's exchange for you.

Mute button is easily pressed by accident by your ear whilst in a call - shades of iPhone I gather.

Happily the xperia senses proximity and disables the touch screen when it's next to your skin. Maybe there's an app to work around that on yours?

Built in SMS uses a similar approach to Gmail where all texts from one sender are bundled up together, which can be handy and annoying at the same time.

Gmail felt so weird when I first used it, but soon illustrated how clunky and old fashioned the Microsoft way is. My last phone did the conversation thing too (Sony ericsson W715).

Texts sent yesterday lose the time-stamp visibility which may be trivial to some but is extremely important to me - given the reason for the some of the texts I get (this is overcome by downloading a much improved Text app)

Haven't had that yet. I'll look out for it, thanks . My number hasn't transferred over yet so not getting many texts on it.

On the whole I fail to see the great benefit in Android, other than the availability of apps. Symbian should have just made a better software development kit available and maybe Android wouldn't have stolen the market.

That's a shame. Just playing with this phone since friday I'm astounded at how good android is and how it's already made life a hell of a lot easier for me. It reminds me of my old psion. It works like I expect technology to work, in that when something is good, I can usually imagine a way that is better, yet most technology fails to include anything but the basics. But so far with the android, the advanced settings give me what I expect.

Even the simple stuff. Decades ago, my psion and later PDAs would let you store your contacts in folders. Work contacts, personal contacts - at the very least. Why phones can't do this is unreal. Even the most basic phones have enough computing power to launch a space mission so there's no reason they can't do it. The symbian didn't do this, the iphone doesn't do it well. The android does it as standard, and syncs the whole lot automatically with my gmail contact list with no setting up. If I make a change on my PC, it immediately sync automatically on my phone.

Other issues I have which are likely to be hardware rather than OS:
The Milestone audio quality is utter rubbish - likely to be a problem with the vocoder.

On the xperia, call audio is average, but media audio is stunning.

Battery life is appalling too - lasts about a day at best but only if you don't use the screen or the mobile.

Battery life is about 3 days of moderate use with wifi and GPS left on. Haven't tried bluetooth yet.

I hope I'm not jinxing the experience, but so far it's great!

[RickyRock]

Nice report Absssssssssss, very useful thanks

[Highside1]

I know nothing about android phones, but Saira has had her iphone for a while now and likes it very much. However, i am not convinced.
As a gadget it is great, very intuitive to use, even I got on with it almost immediately, however, as a phone it isn't that great. I find it bulky and awkward, and when Saira calls me I often find she is faint.
But my main problem is with Apple themselves. Itunes is a pain in the arse to manage (especially when more than one pc is used and/or more than one iphone/ipod).
Another problem we discovered was about a month ago, Saira connected to itunes and was informed of a software uprgrade, which she did. This resulted in none of the accesories (car stereo and speaker unit) no longer working with the iphone.
Luckily Saira still had warranty left and managed to get a replacement for a phone still on the previous software, but it does mean she can no longer upgrade her phone.
My last word on the iphone is that I am glad i stuck with my simple phone and bought the ipod touch instead of an iphone.