I-phone or android based and why?

[tjclem]

A bit of background. My wife and I are Verizon customers and live in central Florida. Wh have been using the envy 2 phones with no web/e-mail service for the last few years. I am thinking about stepping us up to smart phones. Everybody I know that has an I-phone loves it. Consumer reports doesn't. If you own either an I-phone or an android based phone let me know your thoughts and experiences. Any more dropped calls. Slow or fast web access? Any comments? Thanks..Tom

[MJ5150]

I have an Android, the wife has an iPhone.

If you aren't the tinkering type, and just want the device to always work doing the basic tasks, get the iPhone. If you like to tweak your electronics, modify how it looks, change up how it operates, go for the Android. Both devices are solid.

-Mike

[mkandolf]

I have an iPod Touch and a Droid X. I love the Droid OS over the Apple. Way too many free apps on the Droid, not so on the Touch. I use the Touch for playing my albums and that's about it anymore. NEver drop a call with my Droid and everyone around me that went to the iPhone 4 when it came out on Verizon is sorry. They want their Droids back. The Droid is one fast OS.

[Ziltoid]

If we compare the stock device I prefer the Iphone (mainly a feeling thing) but if I were to get one I would get the android for the sake of tweakability.

[Gard]

Had a first-gen iPhone for years, loved it, thought it was not only the best thing since sliced bread, it SLICED bread by just existing.

Ditched it for an EVO 4G (Android, Sprint) phone back in November, and within an hour was saying:

"iPhone? What iPhone???"

Everything the iPhone did well, the EVO did better; and it did stuff my iPhone WISHED it could....

...short answer, Mike's dead on - if you just want something simple to use but flashy and impress the neighbors, get the iPhone. If you want something that WORKS, get an Android.

[OldDog52]

If you don't care whether the apps you download have been "vetted" for security, stability etc. then Android is for you. Keep in mind your phone will have passwords etc on it and any random app can snoop the phone.

If you don't care about a consistent interface between apps, Android is awesome. It's a hodgepodge of haphazard designs.

If you just hate Apple and Steve Jobs and don't want your user experience controlled by them (meaning providing the optimal user experience), Android is the ticket.

I say the above after using an iPhone 3G for a couple years, then switching to Android. With Android, all my html-formatted emails were mangled. I could not click on links, nor could I copy and paste the links into a browser. Android could not handle wi-fi roaming very well. I tried for 2 months to like Android, but there were so many annoyances I finally switched to iPhone 4. I could not be happier.

I also hate Apple. But they have the superior smartphone, for me anyway. I'm not afraid to admit it when Apple does something right.

Consumer Reports dislikes iPhone 4 due to the antenna issue. Put a cheap plastic case on the phone and "problem" is solved.

[OldDog52]

Originally Posted by Gard

Had a first-gen iPhone for years, loved it, thought it was not only the best thing since sliced bread, it SLICED bread by just existing.

Ditched it for an EVO 4G (Android, Sprint) phone back in November, and within an hour was saying:

"iPhone? What iPhone???"

Everything the iPhone did well, the EVO did better; and it did stuff my iPhone WISHED it could....

...short answer, Mike's dead on - if you just want something simple to use but flashy and impress the neighbors, get the iPhone. If you want something that WORKS, get an Android.

LOL. I lived with an Evo for a couple weeks. The battery life is dismally poor. I could not make it through a single work day without the battery draining to near zero, especially if 4G is enabled. I work with 2 guys who have Evos. They carry spare batteries with them at all times. They have to plug the phone into a charger at every opportunity.

I can go 2.5 - 3 days on a single charge with my iPhone 4. That's with everything enabled: wi-fi, Bluetooth, and location services.

[tastybasslines]

Android on basic principle, since most Apple products look like diaphragm cases.

[tjclem]

Thanks all quite a flood of info fast keep it coming. For what it is worth I have a Mac at home so I don't dislike Apple. I don't normally tweek things. Security is important to me. I would also like to use it to take quick in-progress photos of basses I am working on and e-mail them to customers as well as surf the net. I honestly don't know what apps I would use...t

[L-A]

Originally Posted by Gard

...short answer, Mike's dead on - if you just want something simple to use but flashy and impress the neighbors, get the iPhone. If you want something that WORKS, get an Android.

Distinction between your message and Mike's, because I too think he's spot-on:

Both phones work. If you think your needs are unusual and you'll need to tweak the phone or its OS, you will be better off outside of Apple's walled garden. Otherwise, the joy of iOS is that you never worry about (and can't screw up by mistake) what's going on under the hood.

There was no mention of the iPhone being flashy and useless in his post.

Originally Posted by tjclem

... I would also like to use it to take quick in-progress photos of basses I am working on and e-mail them to customers as well as surf the net. I honestly don't know what apps I would use...t

Both phone types will do that without a problem. You can link email accounts and send pictures from the camera app on either device. iPhones come with all necessary apps installed, and most Android devices too; I don't think you would need to download any additional app for such a task.

[OldDog52]

Anyone who says iPhone is all flash and bling and about impressing other people has probably never used one for an extended period, or they have an anti-Apple agenda. I have zero patience for "problems" with my smartphone that require constant tweaking. I just want it to work properly. Like Dysan vacuums.

[L-A]

Yeah, Dysan and Appel are great manufacturers

[MJ5150]

This funny picture has been going around for years when comparing Apple and PC. It applies here as well, in my opinion...



-Mike

[OldDog52]

Jailbreak the iPhone and you do pretty much whatever you want. Lots of people do that.

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

I have an Android, the wife has an iPhone.

If you aren't the tinkering type, and just want the device to always work doing the basic tasks, get the iPhone. If you like to tweak your electronics, modify how it looks, change up how it operates, go for the Android. Both devices are solid.

-Mike

While I agree with this wholeheartedly, I'd also add if you see yourself as an ultra-tweaker, getting the iPhone, and jailbreaking it opens countless tweaking opportunities.

[j.kernodle]

Tom, I work in a situation that I have access to pretty much any smartphone that I want to take home, play with or work from for an extended period of time.

4G is pretty impressive. It works very quickly, as of now though its limited to the android OS. the tradeoff for now is poor battery life and being limited to android. If you stay near a charger or like android, then its no issue for you.

Personally I haven't found any android phone to work as "smoothly" as an iphone. I don't have the time or inclination to be overly techy or spend a bunch of time with a device. I have a Motorola Xoom for work which is kind of the ultimate expression of the android OS, and to be honest, I rarely touch it.

I like the fairly straightforward and very polished way the iphone OS goes about its business.

Hope that helps, but as always, ymmv.

[L-A]

I see where this thread is going.

[tjclem]

Originally Posted by L-A

I see where this thread is going.

I wish I did.......

[Longhair]

I have been using HTC phones since WM5 and never had a problem with either the actual phone of the operating system.

[Ziltoid]

Since you said you don't normally tweak things I'd vote iPhone, they are really nice phones, don't listen to the haters.