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What's the best phone/pda, then?

FridgeMagnet said:
...Android, because it's Java and open source. Paid developers will I think stick with the iPhone, but there will be loads of great free stuff for Android.....
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Here's the thing... will be. I think there are two kinds of cutting edge users - those that buy equipment already at the cutting edge complete.. or they buy flexible equipment to take it there. I'm usually in the second camp.. and I wonder if android has anywhere near the software base for a while to do that?
 
Kizmet said:
Here's the thing... will be. I think there are two kinds of cutting edge users - those that buy equipment already at the cutting edge complete.. or they buy flexible equipment to take it there. I'm usually in the second camp.. and I wonder if android has anywhere near the software base for a while to do that?
Click to expand...

I think it will take a little while for the Android app store to have a decent selection. Not terribly long, but it will be a few months at the very least - and also, there are some bugs to work out with the underlying platform, still. That's why I said I'd go with the iPhone at the moment, if I was going to pick one right this instant; I am confident that it will retain a solid base of apps throughout the lifetime of the phone at the very least, and I can get what I want now, too. When I'm renewing, though, I will definitely think about Android phones.
 
FridgeMagnet said:
I think it will take a little while for the Android app store to have a decent selection. Not terribly long, but it will be a few months at the very least - and also, there are some bugs to work out with the underlying platform, still. That's why I said I'd go with the iPhone at the moment, if I was going to pick one right this instant; I am confident that it will retain a solid base of apps throughout the lifetime of the phone at the very least, and I can get what I want now, too. When I'm renewing, though, I will definitely think about Android phones.
Click to expand...

So maybe in a year or two it will be an option for the business user who needs some stability of software past versions 0.1 and 0.2 etc? Or have I misread?
 
Kizmet said:
So maybe in a year or two it will be an option for the business user who needs some stability of software past versions 0.1 and 0.2 etc? Or have I misread?
Click to expand...

I can't really speak about the reliability of software at the moment, but I'd expect to have to wait a little (not a year, less, but enough time) for mature applications.
 
FridgeMagnet said:
You know what - I've never had a WM phone, but I find it very very suspicious that every single person without exception that I've ever known who's had one says "oh christ, yes, it's fucking awful". They're not always very specific and they don't always give the same reasons but, well, it's kind of a bad sign.
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I had a WM5 phone for two years and thought it was fine, never had a problem with it.

However, now I've had my G1 for just 2 days, and I could never, ever go back. It's made me realise just how shit WM really is :D
 
FridgeMagnet said:
I can't really speak about the reliability of software at the moment, but I'd expect to have to wait a little (not a year, less, but enough time) for mature applications.
Click to expand...

From what I can tell what software that is on the phone atm works, and works pretty well. There are some things missing though, so it's not quite there for a "business" type user just yet. Time will tell how quickly this changes I guess.
 
i've just noticed the c905. 8mp camera, gps, wifi, activesync, etc. Ticks all the boxes for me, and apparently the camera really is as good as a standalone.

Funny that it packs all those features but is relativly unknown.
 
ChrisFilter said:
i've just noticed the c905. 8mp camera, gps, wifi, activesync, etc. Ticks all the boxes for me, and apparently the camera really is as good as a standalone.

Funny that it packs all those features but is relativly unknown.
Click to expand...

That's a nice piece of kit. :)

I guess I need to make a decision... I was using two phones in combination because I have two sims that I use for bulk calls (small simple phone) and bulk texts/internet/stuff (pda). Maybe I'm better off with one and a sim switcher?
 
Turns out I can end my 3 contract 9 months early for £112 and sell my N95 to www.fonebank.com for £115 so I can start a new contract... thus satisfying my need for gadgets at no cost. Also, the 3 signal at home is pants so there's a proper reason for doing it as well.

So, iPhone, G1 or Storm I think... problem is, they're all flawed. I had a go on the G1 earlier and it's very nice to use with a great browser, plus Android will get loads better, but the lack of 3.5mm jack is a massive bug bear, and god knows when proper push Exchange support will be released.

I'd miss a proper keyboard on the iPhone, and a decent camera, and video.. and £45 a month is too much. And you can't change the battery. And O2 are a bit shit. And it doesn't look all that good for a tinkerer like me.

So, the Storm. Haptic feedback is nice... but... no wi-fi.. no qwerty.

I did really like the G1.. but.. well.. no 3.5mm jack just seems insulting.

Maybe I should just wait, but there doesn't seem to be much on the horizon.

Nokia E71 is a thought I suppose.
 
If the lack of a jack is your major issue then get a G1, adapters are readily available for bugger all money, just bung one on the end of your headphones and you need never worry about it again.

The G1 has its faults, but, unlike anything else out there, there seems to be a very visible stream of development going on to sort it out.
 
ChrisFilter said:
So, iPhone, G1 or Storm I think... problem is, they're all flawed. I had a go on the G1 earlier and it's very nice to use with a great browser, plus Android will get loads better, but the lack of 3.5mm jack is a massive bug bear, and god knows when proper push Exchange support will be released.
Click to expand...
I've just written a 1,500 word piece mulling on this very topic, weighing up the pros and cons of a host of smartphones. I'll send you a link when it gets published but I had the iPhone and G1 as the best two of the lot.


If you don't mind being under the corporate boot of Mr Jobs and can handle being forced to do things his way, the iPhone's probably the best bet for mainstream use, but for the more adventerous with an appetite for messing about with new apps, it's got to be the G1.
 
editor said:
I've just written a 1,500 word piece mulling on this very topic, weighing up the pros and cons of a host of smartphones. I'll send you a link when it gets published but I had the iPhone and G1 as the best two of the lot.


If you don't mind being under the corporate boot of Mr Jobs and can handle being forced to do things his way, the iPhone's probably the best bet for mainstream use, but for the more adventerous with an appetite for messing about with new apps, it's got to be the G1.
Click to expand...

I've gotta be honest and say the Storm is winning in my mind... I can live without wifi.
 
ChrisFilter said:
I've gotta be honest and say the Storm is winning in my mind... I can live without wifi.
Click to expand...
Some bloke did a review here.

It's a nice phone but I don't like the Blackberry UI one little bit. And no wi-fi means you're fucked as soon as you get out of the country, unless you fancy Kraken-sized data charges.*

*I talk from some experience here
 
The thing that makes me worry about the Storm is the applications. It's all very well reviews saying "yeah, lovely keyboard, great reception, nice camera" or whatever but part of the point of these things is the applications available for them - those of us who are old Palm stalwarts can testify to that.... Without a good source of new software, basically it's a nice smartphone with built-in apps and that's it.
 
FridgeMagnet said:
The thing that makes me worry about the Storm is the applications. It's all very well reviews saying "yeah, lovely keyboard, great reception, nice camera" or whatever but part of the point of these things is the applications available for them - those of us who are old Palm stalwarts can testify to that.... Without a good source of new software, basically it's a nice smartphone with built-in apps and that's it.
Click to expand...

Well, I've never needed to install any apps on my n95 (which is good, cos there's fuck all out there for s60).
 
ChrisFilter said:
Well, I've never needed to install any apps on my n95 (which is good, cos there's fuck all out there for s60).
Click to expand...

That's the thing, isn't it? If you're competing against other phones without much out there for them either, you're fine, the phone isn't crippled, it makes calls and does stuff. But when there's an alternative that can easily be upgraded and augmented, well.
 
FridgeMagnet said:
That's the thing, isn't it? If you're competing against other phones without much out there for them either, you're fine, the phone isn't crippled, it makes calls and does stuff. But when there's an alternative that can easily be upgraded and augmented, well.
Click to expand...
I think I've warmed to Android because it feels much more like Palm's old vibe, whereas the iPhone - for all its coolness and fantastic interface - really feels like a product from The Man who is hammering down The Law.

And I don't like. No sir!
 
editor said:
I think I've warmed to Android because it feels much more like Palm's old vibe, whereas the iPhone - for all its coolness and fantastic interface - really feels like a product from The Man who is hammering down The Law.

And I don't like. No sir!
Click to expand...

I'm hopeful for Android - I think it could lead to some terrific stuff.

I have to say though that after using the iTouch for a bit, I'm bang into selling out to the Man. Fuck yeah. (To be more specific - I think that a setup where small devs can get paid via convenient micropayments, which isn't like the usual iTunes ripoff with the media companies getting most of the cash, is good and encourages people. There's a place for opensource and a place for closed. As long as the formats used and the infrastructure are open I am not amazingly bothered.)
 
Kizmet said:
I like the look of the x1... seems to tick all the boxes on first view... what think you?
Click to expand...

Played with it in the shop... sadly the keyboard is too flat and you don't get a great sense of feedback. I reckon that could get well annoying, very quickly.

What I was pleasantly surprised by, was the HTC Touch Pro / XDA Serra (on O2). Fantastic keyboard, miles ahead of anything else, and a really nice 'flo' system so it acts a bit like the iPod. Also, apparently the battery lasts for 2 days, which might be a plus to some. Big omission is a 3.5mm jack, but for the right phone I could live with that.

It's down to the G1 or the Touch Pro for me. Flawed handset with great OS or great handset with flawed OS... hmmm.
 
Bah, the Touch Pro costs money everywhere unless you spend loads a month.

Looks like the G1 is the only contender left after a process of elimination.
 
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