Help me buy a SMRT FONE

[Intrepidation]

I'm interested in the upcoming Motorola Moto X. It's supposed to be a pretty neat phone, plus it'll be the first smartphone to be made in the US.

[Drew Dowdell]

Just got a Galaxy S4 on Verizon... finally dumped sprint.

[bobo]

I've been pleased with my Note II. I'm about to get a Galaxy S4 for my wife. On T-Mobile, which is just rolling out their LTE network.

[G. David Felt]

Just got a Galaxy S4 on Verizon... finally dumped sprint.

Keep us updated on battery life and usability. This is on my short list of phones when my Verizon comes up in September.

[Drew Dowdell]

Battery life so far has been substantially longer than my SII but that's because the battery size is substantially larger. Supposedly they've made the screens more energy efficient.

Feels thinner than my SII

Get a case, the dang thing is slippy*.

*Local Pittsburgh dialect.. don't hate.

[Robert Hall]

The phone that's getting buzz in my circles currently is the HTC One...a couple coworkers got them recently...seems pretty nice. I'm still happy w/ my Motorola Droid Razr Maxx despite it's issues (hanging, flakyness). I'm carrying an iPhone 5 for work, it's too small though.

[Drew Dowdell]

HTC One has one problem that made me cross it off my list instantly. No replaceable battery.

When I go to the auto shows, I carry 2 spare batteries with me because I use the phone so much for tweeting, facebook, coordinating where people are.... the last few shows I've been nearly crippled due to the Sprint network (or lack there of)... I'm not going to get into that situation with batteries.

[Robert Hall]

After my Droid Razr Maxx died last week I replaced it with a silver iPhone5S. Been happy so far..it's interesting to compare the 5S on Verizon w/ my work 5 on AT&T.

[Drew Dowdell]

what's so interesting about that comparison?

[Robert Hall]

what's so interesting about that comparison?

different carrier. different signal strength, noticed I get a better signal w/ one over the other in parking garages, buildings, etc.

[G. David Felt]

Which one does better in which situation?

[Robert Hall]

Biggest surprise was 1 bar on Verizon and 3 on AT&T when at home.

[G. David Felt]

So does it reverse itself at work?

1 AT&T and 3 for Verizon?

My works is crazy in that this 7 story cement rebar building has both an AT&T and Verizon Tower on the roof and yet go 3 feet away from the windows and you get ZERO cell reception does not matter who the carrier is. The reception sucks.

[Robert Hall]

So does it reverse itself at work?

1 AT&T and 3 for Verizon?

My works is crazy in that this 7 story cement rebar building has both an AT&T and Verizon Tower on the roof and yet go 3 feet away from the windows and you get ZERO cell reception does not matter who the carrier is. The reception sucks.

At work (1st floor, large glass windows 20 feet away) I'm getting 3 bars for Verizon, 4 for AT&T. Much better than 3 years ago where I was at a client 2 stories underground--no reception there--I'd have to shut off my cell phone or it would drain the battery trying to find a tower...

[FAPTurbo]

My Note 2 is still running great. I had to unroot it to get the 4.3 update and now it appears 4.4 isn't too far off. I liked having it rooted for additional security.

However it seems my battery is on the wane and doesn't hold a charge like it used to. I'll likely buy two new batteries for ~$20.

Also, Android's Chrome browser is proving to be a heap of garbage. Despite clearing my cache, it continues to be slow and crashes often. I think it's because my Google account is sync'ing my bookmarks and tabs with it, but that's one of main points of the browser.

I do find myself very interested in what the next Moto X will be like, as well as the upcoming OnePlusOne.

[Robert Hall]

When my Droid Razr Maxx was still useable, I found Dolphin to be a better browser. But over time, like my first Droid, everything got slower and crashier...too much hanging and blank screens. I tried 4 years w/ Android--Motorola Droid 1 then Motorola Droid Razr Maxx-- that was enough with that $h!. No more Android, no more Windows for me..I've sold out to Cupertino...

Edited April 29, 2014 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Drew Dowdell]

Chrome mobile is junk... over half the time, websites can't seem to detect it as a mobile browers and instead render the entire desktop site. I use Dolphin exclusively.

Cubi... I think your problem was sticking with Motorola (which is being sold off by Google already). I've been very happy with the three Galaxies I've had (S2, S4, Tab2)

My next tablet though will be one of the Lenovo convertibles running Windows 8.1

[Z-06]

I like my Dolphin browser.

[Robert Hall]

I thought about the Galaxies, but I didn't want to go down the Samsung path..that would be like going with Hyundai or Kia cars, IMO...

[Drew Dowdell]

So you bought a Camry? I really don't see the parallel, but okay...

[Robert Hall]

So you bought a Camry? I really don't see the parallel, but okay...

I didn't want to go w/ the Korean brand..would rather stick w/ an American brand.

[Drew Dowdell]

eh... it's still built in China.

[Robert Hall]

eh... it's still built in China.

The important work was done in the US by an American company...(design, software, etc). No one assembles cell phones (or consumer electronics for the most part) in the US, I'd rather support an American company...

Edited April 30, 2014 by Cubical-aka-Moltar