[Postell]

Hey guys im getting a new phone in a few days and wanted some opinions. I have never had a smartphone so this will be my first. I have quite a bit of experience with apple OS since i have an itouch, but ive only used the android OS a few times when messing with friends phones. one of the main reasons im looking at an android is because verizon is offering double the data for the same price. both phones are the same price. I also have no idea if the extra data is even necessary since ive never had a smartphone before.

the positives of the iphone
-im familiar with it
-sleek design, lots of software support
-i like it alot
downsides to iphone
-everyone has it
-new iphone coming out this year (easily outdated)
-no 4g
-stuck with less data (2gb a month)

Pros of nexus
-new icecream sandwich OS
-twice as much data on my plan (4gb)
-newer and different experience from the iphone
-blazing fast 4g
cons
-reviews say the build quality is ok
-camera is not as good as iphone
-not great battery life

if anyone has experience with both phone and can chime in it would be great!

[ragingclue]

CDMA 3G versus LTE is a big factor here.

Also, there is a large disparity in screen size. For some people, gigantic is good. For some people, it's really bad.

Other than that, it comes down to your personal OS preference.

[tareemaa]

I used the iphone for 2 and a half years and then switched over to Android and never looked back. Android is a much more customizable OS in my opinion and it allows users so many more options. I personally think Apple fell behind with their OS, but the ease of use is there and thats why so many people like the Iphone. I am using the Galaxy Nexus after going through probably 10 different android phones in the last year I have to say it is a phenomenal phone. Build quality is excellent in my opinion, but no metal or glass. The screen is phenomenal, its 4.65 in with "retina display" pixel density, it kills the Iphones screen due to the fact that its a 720p screen PLUS AMOLED. I am using the GSM version so I dont have the LTW radio burning up the battery, so battey life is the best I have seen in any smart phone to date. And Ice Cream Sandwich OS is amazing as well. Super clean design, very fast, very intuitive.

If this is your first shot at a smart phone, the iPhone may be right for you, but I highly suggest the Nexus. The learning curve is there, but once youve learned it, you'll love it.

[UltimateBMW]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

CDMA 3G versus LTE is a big factor here.

Also, there is a large disparity in screen size. For some people, gigantic is good. For some people, it's really bad.

Other than that, it comes down to your personal OS preference.

A few notes from someone with a Galaxy S 2, and who loathes Apple. But respects their ability to create simplistic UI's.

The Iphone 4s is HSPA+. Which is roughly a 3.5G grade. (Not fully 4G but still a step above 3G).

Why is build quality being 'ok' a bad thing? It's either good or it's bad.

Every phone will be replaced by something better in a year, and this shouldn't be a factor for you. If anything, I'd say that Apple actually has a little more longevity (as long as they don't purposefully brick your phone from a software side) because when a new OS is released via itunes you can directly upgrade your device at your own leisure. Where as for subsidized android phones, I am still waiting for the powers that be (AT&T, Google) to release an update for my Android to ICS. Which it has promised to do... at some point.

The android offers in my opinion a better tactile feedback for a touch screen. The little sound effects just make it feel crisp, and phones are powerful enough now not to get bogged down by it.

In the end, you are choosing between the OS, as mentioned above. Samsung also makes over 40% of the parts within a iPhone.

From my experience, if you want a mini computer then go with Android. If you just want a phone that works with trinkets attached, go with Apple.

Disclaimer: None of my remarks have jailbreaking in mind. Since with Jailbreaking you can effectively put whatever OS you want onto anything. At that point you are just buying the hardware.

I am also a firm believer that most people will only just screw up their phone more by trying to make it better. Not all, but definitely most.

[UltimateBMW]

One other thing, while I love the single button on the iphone, the back button on Android phones is nearly invaluable.

So much so, that you will almost feel retarded going back to iOS after using Android for a long amount of time and getting use to the back button.

[ragingclue]

I was assuming he was asking specifically about both devices as VZW offerings. If so, I thought CDMA 3G was the available tier below LTE

[UltimateBMW]

Originally Posted by ragingclue

I was assuming he was asking specifically about both devices as VZW offerings. If so, I thought CDMA 3G was the available tier below LTE

You are half right.

Verizon's CDMA network uses EV-DO Rev. 0 and EV-DO Rev A. Needless to say, Rev A is faster. The iPhone 4 I believe used EV-DO Rev 0.

EV-DO Rev 0: 400-1000Kbps Down, 50-100Kbps Up

EV-DO Rev A: 600-1,400Kbps Down, 500-800Kbps Up

However, both of these are a bit slower than the HSPA network AT&T uses, but thats not really worth talking about right now. Just for reference:

HSPA: 700-1700kbps Down; 500-1200kbps Up
HSPA+ will be a bit faster still.

This is about where the extent of my knowledge, and to be honest overall care, goes.

[ragingclue]

Isn't Rev A still no data and voice simultaneously though?

[UltimateBMW]

Yes, I believe so.

[Postell]

went with the nexus guys. the only thing that i dont like about the phone is the vibrate is very very weak. i can never feel it in my pocket unlike other phones ive had, besides that its awesome!

[ZZZZ]

I went from an iPhone to Android and now Windows Phone Mango.
I hated Mango at first, and now I strongly feel it is the most stable/well thought out OS of the bunch. It is missing some of the software support, but it has a lot of Microsoft apps/titles for it and meshes seemlessly with your Xbox if you have one. Including gamer points/achievements, and ability to remotely control your XBOX and such.

However, out of Android / iPhone, I feel Android is more customizable and better for more advanced computer users, you can do a lot with it. But it requires a lot of 'fiddling' to get a balance of performance vs battery life. I've had quite a few crashes, you'll soon learn how to do a hardware reset on the thing. iPhone is much simpler and extremely boring in my opinon, but it makes up for boring with stability and software support. iPhone is to Toyota, as Android is to Audi. (that is---much more sleek, much less stable).

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by ZZZZ

I went from an iPhone to Android and now Windows Phone Mango.
I hated Mango at first, and now I strongly feel it is the most stable/well thought out OS of the bunch. It is missing some of the software support, but it has a lot of Microsoft apps/titles for it and meshes seemlessly with your Xbox if you have one. Including gamer points/achievements, and ability to remotely control your XBOX and such.

However, out of Android / iPhone, I feel Android is more customizable and better for more advanced computer users, you can do a lot with it. But it requires a lot of 'fiddling' to get a balance of performance vs battery life. I've had quite a few crashes, you'll soon learn how to do a hardware reset on the thing. iPhone is much simpler and extremely boring in my opinon, but it makes up for boring with stability and software support. iPhone is to Toyota, as Android is to Audi. (that is---much more sleek, much less stable).

Yeah same, I had some hands on with Nodo, pre-Mango, and Mango, then went back to Gingerbread and I've been tweaking and stuff... But even when not messing around with custom ROMs, kernels, OC/UV, etc... I seem to be having issues with stability.

Now that there's a Super AMOLED WP offering coming out with the Carl Zeiss optics in the camera.... Although WP7.* is still lacking in features, the stability and ease of use when I had it was good. Now they've put a good package together, the Lumia 900 looks like it'll be a good phone. Apollo should be out later this year with a lot of Mango's missing features. WP7 got a bad rap for damn good reason before Mango was out (Nodo was pretty rough, my opinion was that WP6.5 was actually better with all the extra features it offered), and it still is lacking in some aspects, namely customization, but it just works and is simple. Sometimes, that's all I want.