Smart Phones

[Switchblade]

So my phone is 'available for upgrade' in Feb '11. I am looking hard at a few of the newer smart phones since I can use the apps they have these days.
Looking at anythig on AT&T's list since I have the best contract(OLD 1100 minute roll over program, several phones[5, three 'smart'], and everything is unlimited except data)
My favorites so far are:

iPhone, Blackberry Torch, Motorola Flip Out, Palm Pre, and HTC Surround.

Looking at the different pros and cons of regular Blackberry apps, Windows functions, and iPhones access, and Pre's Palm apps.

If anyone has any of these or knows more than the sites tell, I'll be glad to hear the pros and cons of each of these with your experience. Also like to know which Ballistic apps you are running if you use one of the above named phones.
Panty 6 just got the Blackberry Torch with her upgrade. So far, not too impressed with it, but she is still figuring it all out since her last phone was the older BB Curve

 

[socalsheepdog]

Re: Smart Phones

Black Berry is dead. Their apps suck. Palm who?

I would really consider any HTC Android offering like the Aria or the iPhone. They are really the only players worth looking at.

 

[Phylodog]

Re: Smart Phones

I would agree reference the Blackberrys. Short of a major overhaul of their operating system and phones before your upgrade I wouldn't even consider one. I went from a BB to my Droid X and it was like going from a calculator to a state of the art laptop.

 

[socalsheepdog]

Re: Smart Phones

Cnet Aria review

http://reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/htc-aria-at-t/4505-6452_7-34118626.html

This phone would be better rooted so you can install 3rd party apps. After getting a Sprint HTC EVO, I am in heaven.

 

[pyplynr]

Re: Smart Phones

I have the iPhone 4 and the same plan as you with 3 more phones on the plan. I really dont see much difference in the iPhone 3gs and the iPhone 4. They say it's faster but I can't really tell. Battery life seems a little better. Camera is supposed to be better (I don't really ever use mine, so I don't know). All in all I like the features of the iPhones better than the blackberrys and palms.

 

[Sgt. 0811]

Re: Smart Phones

Go with either Iphone 4 or Evo4G those are the only two in my book.

 

[socalsheepdog]

Re: Smart Phones

He would have to switch to Sprint to get the EVO. I would say read up on the droid thread here and talk to a few who have the iPhone and make a choice between the two. I have had several HTC phones and the quality of the phones have been great. Most of my buddies love their iPhones, but a few have jumped ship to android. Mostly because of the ATT service.

 

[rdgshooteer]

Re: Smart Phones

I have the Iphone 4 dont have any experience with the others. I will say I hardly use the computer anymore with having it. I have ballistic FTE installed but have not had a chance to really play with it. One thing I really like about having it is I dont have to carry a separate MP3 player with me in the vehicle for music. The battery life is fairly decent unless you use the data portions continously then the battery seems to die alot quicker but will usually last me most of the day still. The one thing I really like about the 4 from when I upgraded from the regular 3g is the otter box for it is alot slimmer and is actually nice to use compared to the 3g.

 

[Guest]

Re: Smart Phones

Aria

 

[border_reiver]

Re: Smart Phones

Droid!!

 

[phantasm]

Re: Smart Phones

Another vote for anything based on the Android OS. In your case the Aria. I used a BB for awhile and I liked it at first but quickly grew tired of it. Never used an iPhone but I've messed around with a few and they're OK. I prefer an Android device and in fact everyone in my family has upgraded to one.

I recently moved to a Droid X from a Droid and love it. My old Droid is sitting in the bed side drawer with my old BB and a few other old phones.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Smart Phones

Consumer Reports says for AT&T:
iPhone4
Samsung Captivate(Droid)
are the top choices with
HTC Aria(Droid)
and iPhone3G
under those.
If nothing better comes up for sale by the time I get to pick up a new one, it will be between the HTC and the Samsung...Swype virtual keyboard looks right nice

 

[idahoshooter]

Re: Smart Phones

Iphone smokes them all IMO.

 

[Guest]

Re: Smart Phones

Swype keyboard is damned nice!
I've never had an iphone, but I cannot imagine a phone over which I have little to no control and customization.

With my rooted HTC Droid Incredible, the sky's the limit as what I can have on there and how it looks and feels.

 

[Spazz.]

Re: Smart Phones

I have a couple friends who love their Captivates. I've heard good things about the Arias as well, but nothing firsthand. I would take any current Android based phone over an iPhone, if for no other reason than the iPhone signals suck dinosaur balls where I live. I enjoy the Android interface a lot better than the iOS as well, and there isn't that much of a difference in the apps you can get on either platform.

I would get the Samsung Captivate if I were in your position. You may be able to get the captivate free from Amazon if you upgrade; I'm not sure. I'm so glad I got my Motorola Droid. It's been a great phone/pocket computer/sanity keeper. I use it constantly almost every day, and I haven't had any issues with the Android OS itself - my issues have been with Verizon restricting access to Android's features. I solved that problem when I rooted, though.

Good luck!

 

[socalsheepdog]

Re: Smart Phones

I didn't know the samsung was an option, I would get that over the Aria due to the processor speed. Android is a better choice IMHO over iPhone. It can only compete with Android if it has been jail broken which essentially makes out an open source platform like Goggles OS. Open wins.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Smart Phones

SO, Droid based operating environment it is(I HATE iTunes, and anything that has to use it). How about ballistic programs that function in the droid environemnt?
Since I have a super priced(old original military only program, grandfathered in) AT&T account, and I have to wait until Feb '11 to upgrade, I have a month or so to look and ask probably way too many questions. After reading the Droid forum length thread I found a little good and lots of irrelevetn babbling..too much to wade through after three pages or so...

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Smart Phones

Shooter.

This app is awesome. It includes everything you need including a fast ranging calculator and a built-in angle indicator.

 

[Kyshooter]

Re: Smart Phones

Droids rock. I'm loving the HTC Incredible.

And a year ago I was the last guy on earth you would have found with a smart phone. Sure, I could still live without it but life wouldn't as easy or as much fun.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Smart Phones

I have held off of a Smart Phone because my GR500 could do everything I needed it to do...until now. Too many appointments and lists of things to do on a daily/weekly basis and alarm reminders so I don't forget, or actually so I can OH SHIT when the alarm goes off and reminds me that I have to be in Nashville in two hours.
VA said they would issue me a PDA, but shoot why carry TWO pieces of gear when one will do?

 

[tkilla]

Re: Smart Phones

as most people have kinda said...if your gonna go with a blackberry it would only have to be for the keyboard or bbm...the palm has horrible battery life and with that small of a touch screen you'd be better off with a torch...the htc surround i have now as my work phone and has bad battery life and no cut and paste option and is in need of an update fast...i would wait for that one....otherwise my captivate which is android is awesome...great screen quality and battery life...i've rooted it and done some other stuff as far as updates and its by the far one of the best phones to have...i had the aria first and the phone was just too small for the keyboard and battery life could've been better...if you go with the iphone it would prolly be just cause friends have them or it may sync well with what you already have...

 

[race4fun]

Re: Smart Phones

I have a iphone 4 and my girlfriend has the Samsung Captivate. She has had problems with it twice already and had to send it back. She uses my Iphone alot. If you ask her that droid dont come close to the iphone. The apps run faster on the iphone and the camera is way better. The processor on the iphone 4 runs faster and the battery last alot longer than the Captivate. If she could do it again she would have an iphone 4 without a doubt.

 

[generalzip]

Re: Smart Phones

Wait for the iPhone 4 to come to Verizon. Best phone best service provider. I've used the Droid X, Droid 2, and Iphone 4. The iPhone is the hands down winner with ease of use, apps, smooooothe OS, and awesome display.

 

[phantasm]

Re: Smart Phones

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: generalzip</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wait for the iPhone 4 to come to Verizon. Best phone best service provider. I've used the Droid X, Droid 2, and Iphone 4. The iPhone is the hands down winner with ease of use, apps, smooooothe OS, and awesome display. </div></div>

I gotta disagree, my Droid X has been better than any iPhone I've used. I never owned by an iPhone but I've used them and it just didn't work for me.

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Smart Phones

AT&T is our locked in service under a grandfathered contract. We have rollover in teh 10k minute range every month AFTER the 'loss'(we are basically allowed a level of no more than 10k), $9 per unit for the three boys and Panty 6 and the basic plan is about 5 years old, one of AT&T's originally military discounted family plans.
We pay $10 per phone for the kids(Sam, middle, Riki in Syracuse) data plans, and Panty 6 uses the $15 a month plan since she bailed on her originally grandfathered in unlimited $30 plan last year(kicking herself for it now).
After watching her use of the BB Curve, and her frustration with apps on her new Torch, I ain't going there. I have reached the limits of usefullness in a basic phone(my GR500) so I pretty much have to upgrade to either a Droid(captivate) or Windows(HTC Surround) phone. I am leaning toward the Captivate and Droid platform over anything else at this point, and must wait until Feb '11. Maybe something really cool will come out after the new year but I doubt it.
iPhone is a big hell no because I hate iTunes with a passion adn will not be locked into it since I have my entire music file in a 150G HD that can use whatever playback platform I want

 

[race4fun]

Re: Smart Phones

I hope you won't be disappointed with that Captivate. The camera sucks unless your outside i good light. Girlfriend takes tons of video with hers of her daughter. To get them to sent to friends and family she has to sent them to my iphone and have me forward them. If she sends them directly to them the video's never make it. Most of my friends that have iphones also hate itunes. They put up with itunes because the rest of the iphone is so awesome.

 

[Csf45]

Re: Smart Phones

androids are alright, but the iphone is far superior. I had an android before, switched to iphone and never looked back

 

[Switchblade]

Re: Smart Phones

Yeah, I hear that iPhone thing from a lot of people and it does redeem itself with the KAC program too...maybe I'll save my pennies and wait for the 4...we shall see, got a couple months...

 

[264win]

Re: Smart Phones

im really not much of a computer geek , but i have been very happy with my captivate [at,t], droid. very easy to learn /use . i like it better than buddies iphone 3gs and 4 . also like that there is decent insurance plans for the capivate . if your iphone goes for a swim , or gets dropped to hard , you pony up 400.00-600.00 .

 

[Guest]

Re: Smart Phones

Switch,
Since it's going to be a little while yet, you may want to begin watching the news at these sites for the latest info.

http://www.androidcentral.com/
http://mobile.engadget.com/

 

[jerseymike]

Re: Smart Phones

Droid X with the Shooter App is my recommendation.

 

[race4fun]

Re: Smart Phones

He is with AT&T and is not switching carriers so most of the phones being suggested are out of the question. One other option that I have not heard opinion on is the new windows phone. Anyone have info on that one.