Smartphones

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:25 pm

I'm thinking of getting a smartphone and would like some opinions. I had originally avoided it since I calculated it would be about $90-100 a month for a phone with data and texting and calling, but I think it's finally time for me to upgrade.

What type do you guys have?

From everyone I've talked to, majority said to go with an iPhone. From what I understand, the difference between the 4 and 4s is basically Siri, a better camera, and a slightly faster processor. 4s is a couple hundred more than the 4, but I am leaning towards going with it just because it is spiffy and the creme de la creme.

Also, since I am completely ignorant of this type of thing, what exactly does Wifi do for a smartphone? I know I can connect to the internet, but does that count as whatever limit of data I have? Or does it not count since it's a free hookup spot?

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 7:50 pm

I went with the 4 when I got my iPhone because it was, as you said, about $100 cheaper than the 4s. Though I do think that 4s would be cool to have.

As for your data plan, the size you get really determines how much you pay a month. I chose the cheapest plan, and mine is about $90 a month all in all.

As for Wifi, if you connect to a network, it does not count towards your data (as I was told and have gone on since I've never gone over my plan according to my bill the last 4 months). Only when you use the 3/4G and you're not connected to a Wifi network will you start to use your data plan. Again, that was what I was told because I asked the same question when I got mine.

The best bet: go in and ask someone who works there every single question you can. I told the lady I worked with to treat me as if I was in my late 80s getting a phone for the very first time. She really helped me to understand everything, and even helped me to see what my bill would be each month. It was the best service I'd ever had for something like that.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:09 pm

I found a couple cool websites detailing what type of data plan to get. I have no clue how much I'll use so I'm torn between the cheapest and the middle range. Definitely not going with unlimited as that would be too much.

I just wish that for my local suppliers there were cheaper offers for minutes. I don't use that many minutes, maybe 100 minutes a month at max (I'm more of a texter). All plans I've seen make me spend $30 for 450 minutes, and I only want a quarter of those but no such luck =o/

wolf_2099 · Post by **wolf_2099** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 8:16 pm

iPhone 4 here. I have had a blackberry.

iPhone 4 beats beat the blackberry in every category if you're using it for fun, personal use.

With the prevalence of free wi-fi, if you are smart, and connect to it as opposed to usuing your data, you can actually get away with using very little data.

My suggestion would be, get a big data plan for the first couple months, and look at your bills to see how much you use, then switch to a cheaper if you want.

It's little more expensive long run, but way cheaper if you end up using a ton of data. Just confirm with your provider you can do this.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 9:56 pm

When it comes to the minutes, I was the same. But which carrier will you be with? I'm on AT&T now, and my $30 for 450 min a month is for landlines only. It's unlimited mobile to mobile no matter what carrier I'm calling. It's well worth it because while I rarely call landlines it's good to have just in case.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 10:37 pm

I was going to go with AT&T as well. I never looked at landline since Dan and I don't have a landline, lol. And luck you, for me the cheapest is $40 for 450 minutes with nothing lower (it varies per location, evidently).

It breaks down to $100 a month:
$40 for 450 minutes
$30 for 3gig data (I doubt the $20 for 300mb would work for me)
$20 for unlimited texts
$10 for the whole mobile protection insurance pack thingy

And what size phone did you guys get? I'm completely in the dark as to the size, so I was thinking of the middle one (32gig). I could probably get by with 16gig because the main thing I'll likely have on the phone is music and a few games. Yet then again I've never had a smartphone so I just don't know which size is right, I may underestimate.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:08 pm

That's the exact plan I got, and mine is always around 93 a month. I bought the smallest size because it was the cheapest and I didn't plan to put much on it. It also happened to be the only one that was in stock at the time I went to get my phone, and I needed it that day because my old one was shot. I have no issues 4 months later with space on my phone yet.

I typically download a few songs here and there, and rarely any apps. I've recently started downloading a few podcasts but those I can move to the cloud and take off my phone if I wanted to.

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:07 am

Another important thing is to determine which provider has the best service. i.e. Sprint, Verizon, AT&T etc... Different locations affect the service differently on smartphones. In New York AT&T was the only provider of the iPhone for several years and the best plans in the world could not make up for the excessive dropped calls, spotty service and slow internet speed.

However, upstate and in the midwest AT&T for the iPhone is amazing. Fast internet speed, clear calls etc...

Out of curiosity, who is your current provider?

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 11:33 am

AT&T is the only option. My mom used to have Verizon but where she lives there is a huge radio tower that blocks coverage from Verizon so phones and such get dropped suddenly (absolutely no problems at all once they switched to AT&T). And Sprint doesn't even offer an iPhone at all.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Tue Mar 06, 2012 3:44 pm

That's a good point. In my normal hometown, all providers were pretty equal, and I had Verizon for about 9 years. But when I moved (a mere 30 miles north), Verizon is horrible because all of their towers are actually owned by another company out here. I was in constant roam and would lose calls just by walking in my hallway. I switched to AT&T because they had the best service in my current town, and work very well throughout the MidWest.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Wed May 09, 2012 9:49 pm

Finally broke down and got a smartphone! I ended up getting the new HTC One X. No clue what I'm going when I'm using it, but it sure is fun to be able to move a screen around like that and look at all the pretties.

Now I have a dilemma. Since I went to a new carrier, I was given a new number as there was trouble getting my old number since my name wasn't on the bill (it was a family plan). We are able to eventually get me my original number, but part of me does want to keep the new number to go along with the new phone, a fresh start, you know? What would you guys do? Welcome a new number, or work to keep the old? Since hardly anyone remembers phone numbers these days it won't be a big deal to let everyone know to update my number...

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Wed May 09, 2012 10:37 pm

After doing a lot of research and straddling the fence, a brand new smartphone came out that blew away all the research I had done as it beat all the phones, lol. Today I went out and bought the HTC One X (having an "x" in the name was like the icing on the cake, as was the OS or whatever it's called is named "ice cream sandwich" lol).

Now the big question, what type of apps should I get for my Droid? I got Foursquare (now to overtake the Mayor of my comic book store, lol), IMDb (movie website, I check it each day as it's amazing), and Where's My Droid? (pretty cool app where if I have my phone on silent and lose it, I can find it through a website or a friend sending me a text). What type of apps do you guys have? I'm sure not everyone has a Droid, but I think on the Droid you can get pretty much any app...

Mr Wallstreet · Post by **Mr Wallstreet** » Thu May 17, 2012 6:13 am

My 2 year contract is up and I am eligable for an upgrade. I can either upgrade now to the iPhone 4 or wait until November and get the iPhone 5 when it is released.

If I get an iPhone 4 I know exactly what I'll be getting: more memory, better connectivity, faster internet, better camera phone (front and back) 4G with wi-fi. And its been over a year since the bugs have been worked out in the iPhone 4. The current iPhone 4 is looking all kinds of good.

However, and iPhone 5 sounds soooooooo tempting despite the fact that the hardware may be crap.

jedispyder · Post by **jedispyder** » Thu May 17, 2012 10:10 am

Yeah, I was almost tempted to get an iPhone but with the rumors the iPhone 5 (or whatever it will be named) comes out in the next 2 months or so which means buying an iPhone 4s right now will be a waste of money as the price will drop $100+ when the new one comes out.

Tragic Angelus · Post by **Tragic Angelus** » Thu May 17, 2012 2:35 pm

I love my iPhone 4. But I also got in in October/November a few months after the 4s had come out. So like Wally said, there weren't really any bugs to work out.