OT: iPhone5 vs Galaxy SIII... who ya got?

[HuskyHawk]

If your eyesight is that bad, you need one of those Jitterbug phones they give old people.

Blind folks can use an iPhone.

Right. That's why every other smartphone manufacturer offers a bigger screen. They could have kept the aspect ratio, gone to 4" and retained a small form factor compared to the rest of the market. developers would have been thrilled. But no, Apple had to be unique and create an idiotic new screen size, just to avoid being seen as a follower.

I may end up with one of the things anyway, given my lack of choices. It is at least very light. The materials make much more sense than the glass back on my 4 (another dumb move...heavy and breakable...but it was pretty so they did it anyway).

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Right. That's why every other smartphone manufacturer offers a bigger screen. They could have kept the aspect ratio, gone to 4" and retained a small form factor compared to the rest of the market. developers would have been thrilled. But no, Apple had to be unique and create an idiotic new screen size, just to avoid being seen as a follower.

I may end up with one of the things anyway, given my lack of choices. It is at least very light. The materials make much more sense than the glass back on my 4 (another dumb move...heavy and breakable...but it was pretty so they did it anyway).

That Apple commercial promoting how the guy's thumb fits across the screen perfectly is ridiculously stupid, everyone's thumbs are different lengths, so they won't all fit perfectly across the screen! The shape of the iPhone 5 in person just looks very odd. I can't imagine it'd be any good watching something on horizontal view with it being so skinny.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That Apple commercial promoting how the guy's thumb fits across the screen perfectly is ridiculously stupid, everyone's thumbs are different lengths, so they won't all fit perfectly across the screen! The shape of the iPhone 5 in person just looks very odd. I can't imagine it'd be any good watching something on horizontal view with it being so skinny.

Just went an looked at them both again during lunch. Impressions confirmed.

iPhone 5: great build quality, light, pocketable, probably a better size for a phone. UI is getting a bit dull...boring really (no updates since the original). But everything works. Screen is brighter, better whites and is very sharp. Web sufing is limited by screen dimensions, as are HTML e-mails, which render really small. Apple keeps the carrier's hands off the phone. No crapware.

Samsung GS3: cheesy glossy plastic that is a fingerprint magnet. Just a hair bigger than is ideal for pocketability. Weight is fine though. UI is less intuitive, but more interesting and more customizable. Screen size was great for the web and HTML e-mail. Much better for watching video. USB charging is nice, as is the expandable storage, making it a much better device for watching content while disconnected (like on a plane).

Calendar and mail apps seemed about the same (Windows phone better on both counts). Both were plenty fast. Both have access to a zillion apps.

Honestly, if I could get a different Android device with improved materials and brighter screen, I'd go with it. The One X solves some of my biggest complaints about the SG3. I was kind of shocked by how dreary the iOS UI seemed. Perfectly ordered icons that do nothing. I don't think I want to look at it for two more years. I know...if it ain't broke.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

I admittedly haven't tested the screen brightness on the iPhone, but the AMOLED screens the S3 and GNexus both use are REALLY bright, the test phone must've had the brightness setting turned down, because at full blast, it will hurt your eyes. It actually can function as a full blown flashlight with a blank white screen, some Android flashlight apps actually have that function available to use the screen as a flashlight instead of the camera flash. Only thing I'd be concerned with the One X is if you'll get stuck behind in the operating system updates. That's a problem I ran into with my previous Android phone, that when it finally updated to Gingerbread, it screwed up the phone (an HTC as well) and eventually made it unusable because the model really wasn't meant to run GB and they patched together a mod for it that wasn't good. I can't see that happening at any point with the S3 since it's their flagship model, I don't know much about the One, but be wary of that. That's the reason I got the GNexus, it's a Google-made phone, so the odds that Google's operating system won't work correctly on it are very, very low.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I admittedly haven't tested the screen brightness on the iPhone, but the AMOLED screens the S3 and GNexus both use are REALLY bright, the test phone must've had the brightness setting turned down, because at full blast, it will hurt your eyes. It actually can function as a full blown flashlight with a blank white screen, some Android flashlight apps actually have that function available to use the screen as a flashlight instead of the camera flash. Only thing I'd be concerned with the One X is if you'll get stuck behind in the operating system updates. That's a problem I ran into with my previous Android phone, that when it finally updated to Gingerbread, it screwed up the phone (an HTC as well) and eventually made it unusable because the model really wasn't meant to run GB and they patched together a mod for it that wasn't good. I can't see that happening at any point with the S3 since it's their flagship model, I don't know much about the One, but be wary of that. That's the reason I got the GNexus, it's a Google-made phone, so the odds that Google's operating system won't work correctly on it are very, very low.

Not the S3. It has a Pen-tile display. Not nearly as nice as the S2 before it. Look at the reviews, they all say the same thing. The brightness is very low. Colors and blacks are great on the AMOLED displays..the whites are not good on this one.

New LG Nexus is supposed to be out soon. Might be a good option. The one you have is Samsung made I think.

 

[ffg53]

I've had both a droid and now an iphone.

If you're a techno-geek who understood anything Fishy said in the post above, the droid might be the way to go.

If you want your phone to do the hard work and all you have to do is download, open, and occassionally update apps, then the iphone is probably the way to go.

The droids do more, but they are high maintenance. The iphone gives you less control, but never lets you down. Unless you have AT&T and live in central CT, then you'll need a phone app to make a phone call because the coverage is terrible.

I have a Verizon iPhone and get great coverage in the mountains in northwest Maine as well as the Rockies in central Idaho. When I had AT&T I couldn't get reception in either of these places and more besides.

Other than that I agree with everything you said.

 

[J187Money]

My sister, who works at Verizon, loves the Droid Incredible by HTC. She thinks the S3 is the 2nd best phone. But she has also been using the new Windows phone (which isn't out yet) and she says it is best "work" phone she has ever had. That comes out in mid-November.

 

[HuskyHawk]

My sister, who works at Verizon, loves the Droid Incredible by HTC. She thinks the S3 is the 2nd best phone. But she has also been using the new Windows phone (which isn't out yet) and she says it is best "work" phone she has ever had. That comes out in mid-November.

That's what I wanted...but my employer won't be issuing them for at least several months.

 

[UCFBfan]

So glad I just saw this thread. I have Verizon and a DROID X and like the phone but really was looking for an iPhone. However, my contract was up in August and I am having a hard time giving up the idea of my Google software. Hearing how bad Apple Maps are was a big blow. I use my DROID as my GPS all the time.

So my question is do I go DROID Razr M or get the Maxx? I have read reviews and such on the Razor but didn't know if the Maxx was worth waiting.

Does anyone know if the touch screen is more responsive on the new Droids? That's always been my complaint on my DROID x as opposed to the iPhone.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[ffg53]

So glad I just saw this thread. I have Verizon and a DROID X and like the phone but really was looking for an iPhone. However, my contract was up in August and I am having a hard time giving up the idea of my Google software. Hearing how bad Apple Maps are was a big blow. I use my DROID as my GPS all the time.

So my question is do I go DROID Razr M or get the Maxx? I have read reviews and such on the Razor but didn't know if the Maxx was worth waiting.

Does anyone know if the touch screen is more responsive on the new Droids? That's always been my complaint on my DROID x as opposed to the iPhone.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Apple maps are not as as bad as they're made out to be. Are they perfect? Nope. When I was in Kent last weekend, Rt. 7 was marked by Apple Maps as US Rt. 20, but unless you're hopelessly geographically challenged it was an obvious enough mistake to be instantly recognizable. Of course where there's one mistake there's bound to be others, but it's not as apocalyptically awful as some are making out. It DOES load and update much faster than Google maps. And Apple is pretty good about fixing broken things. Except for iTunes, which sucks.

Someone else mentioned needing to use iTunes to download photos and videos. That's not true. When you plug your device into your computer it automatically asks if you want to download photos using other software, just like any other external device (flash drive, etc.)

 

[IthacaMatt]

Need a new phone, I'm down to either the iPhone5 and the GS3. For those of you that have either one, would you mind sharing what you like/don't like about your phone. I have no ability to make a decision on my own, so I'm going to let you all persuade me.

I like the iPhone 5. It's not too big, it's very simple and it's fun to use.

Droids have better specs and bigger screens, but it's kind of like Windows computers - which operating system do you have, will this program work with it, etc. Carriers seldom upgrade you to the latest version, preferring to make you wait til you trade in your phone in 2 years. Cutting edge, but less proven technologies. Really customizable, but carriers load in crapware that may be hard to get rid of or avoid.

iPhones for your mom, your wife, or if you are already a Mac household. Then it's a no brainer. There are very good 3rd party apps for turn-by-turn driving, or other map-related apps. They will fix theirs relatively soon, and unlike Droid, you will actually get the update.

 

[BlueMAB]

I have a Verizon iPhone and get great coverage in the mountains in northwest Maine as well as the Rockies in central Idaho. When I had AT&T I couldn't get reception in either of these places and more besides.

Other than that I agree with everything you said.

So we agree on everything. AT&T's coverage largely sucks compared to Verizon (which I also have).