Smartphones

DiscoZombie

<div class="IPBDescription">Worth having? Advice needed.</div>So I'm considering getting a Droid phone, though when I think about it, it's probably a lot of money to waste on a toy. I already have a GPS and an MP3 player and a Nintendo DS and a PSP, and 95% of my time I'm at a computer anyway, home or at work, so do I really need to spend that much money a month to be on the internet when I'm out at restaurants or in the car or whatever?

Do you have a smartphone? what do you use it for? how much do you use its fancy features? how much did you pay for it? how much do you pay a month for service? The most appealing possibility for me is being able to tap into music services like Pandora and Grooveshark while on the go, so I would never need another MP3 or CD again. Not sure what else I'd use it for, except if I'm out and I wanted to know where something is, etc.

I make fun of my wife constantly for texting while she's at home, on her phone's 9 digit pad, while she's sitting right at her computer and could SMS for free from her full keyboard in Gmail. I can just see myself playing with my Android while being in front of my desktop too. She would call me out so fast...

douchebagatron

if there's one thing i do know, it's never give your wife a reason to think she's better than you.

Geminosity

I don't have one myself but some of my friends do and the usual use is checking up stuff on the net (e.g. if we're unsure on a topic, wikipedia! When's that restraunt open 'til? What time was that film showing again? etc). Of course this is only when we're not sitting at a PC (like when we're in a train/car, at a restraunt or sitting about a table doing some pen and paper roleplay or the like :3 )

Cereal_KillR

It also really depends on how much it costs where you live. Don't forget that it also probably comes with goodies such as free SMS/MMS, etc.

I for one have unlimited data+SMS+MMS, 2h phone, and 3G TV, for 15€ per month. I wouldn't pay 40€ for it (which seems the norm in France for example), but 15€ really is worth it considering French phone prices. Then again, I move a lot, I'm still a student so I'm an sms-addict, etc.

There are tons of little services that are nice to use, even if not necessary: check timetables for buses, directions to some place, etc. They're non-essential of course, but it's a nice thing to have. If you're a frequent traveller, it can also be very useful to be able to read your mail on the go. Plus, if that's the case, it's easier to ask your boss for a Blackberry or something.


Also, services like Spotify cost 10€/month to use on portable devices. Not sure for Pandora as it can't be used in Europe, and Grooveshark is shady in the legal domain.

Geminosity

would grooveshark even work on a smartphone? A friend told me that they don't support flash? :o

Cereal_KillR

Grooveshark worked on an iPhone app, so I guess they might have a droid version. The iPhone app still hasn't been approved ;)

DiscoZombie

I dunno, I've definitely heard of Pandora iPhone apps, I figured similar stuff would be available for Grooveshark, etc. Maybe not :o

Kouji_San

I still don't get the crappy cameras that come with phones, maybe they need to turn this around. Like a phone inside a slimline camera, awesome point and shoot camera hardware (especially compared to the crappy phonecames :P) and you would have your standard mp3/mp4/phone/internet access/agenda etc...

Sony's TX1, I picked up recently (as a pocket cam alongside me DSLR), could've been a good candidate... It takes awesome point and shoot pictures, performs very well in twilight, has panorama shot, can film in 720p and has a touchscreen. All that is missing is the mobile phone stuff... Ah well logic doesn't sell I guess...

KGB_Garal

IIRC didn't the Droid commercial say it has a 5 megapixel camera and also takes pictures at night? And Flash does work with the Droid phone too btw: <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10272261-94.html" target="_blank">http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10272261-94.html</a>

Kouji_San

Which will probably result in very noisy pictures with loads of jpeg artifacts and very soft images, due to the "high quality" plastic lens and tiny ccd with a big megapixel marketing number on it (good for low res webshots, I guess). But then again a smart phone is a phone first, so just ignore me :P

[WHO]Them

Life would suck without my iPhone. While it may perform functions that you can do at a computer, or with any number of handy little gadgets you may already have. The one thing it brings to the table is that you don't have to think ahead AT ALL.

It's like a swiss army knife. Sure there are far better tools for any individual job, but it's way better than nothing at just about everything.

I'd like to bring up an example of where my iPhone made me smile recently. I was tightening the drive chain on my motorcycle a couple weeks back. I was on my butt, surrounded by parts and tools. But I forgot to bring a ruler to check my adjustments. Moreover, I wasn't even sure where the one and only ruler in my house actually was. Then iPhone came to save the day with a free ruler application. With a couple flicks of my thumb, my phone became a ruler. To me that was pure awesome.

If money is tight, then I can understand not having one. But if's purely a "is this practical" argument, then smartphones are pure winflakes smothered in winsauce.


Edit: And phone cameras are for "pics or it didn't happen" pictures, not artistic well lit memory captures.

PaladinDude

I have no experience of android based phones, I was interested in the Palm Pre but again haven't owned it. I did own a HTC smartphone with Windows Mobile, the hardware was good (although battery hungry) but Windows mobile is apalling and I would strongly recommend avoiding at all costs!

I lost count of the number of times the phone crashed and would slow down the longer it was used to the point that I was unable to answer calls while the OS thought about waking up!

That experience put my off the fancier smartphones so I'm now using a Nokia E51 which has some smartphone features but is primarily a phone and "just works".

My 2 credits worth...

lolfighter

It's worth pointing out that gadgets tend to either weasel themselves into your life or out of your life. Meaning that either you use them more and more to the point where you don't understand how you lived without them before (answer: just fine), or you use them less and less to the point where you begrudge them the space they take up in your bag/pocket and just stop using them altogether.

Kazbar

My favorite thing about the iPhone is the webui so I can start torrents on my desktop when I'm out and about.

Instructions can be found here.

<a href="http://lifehacker.com/329325/bittorrent-for-your-iphone-and-ipod-touch-sort-of" target="_blank">http://lifehacker.com/329325/bittorrent-fo...d-touch-sort-of</a>
<img src="http://www.davidraso.com/utorrent-iphone/screenshot.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Scythe

<!--quoteo(post=1737816:date=Nov 17 2009, 04:03 AM:name=Kazbar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kazbar @ Nov 17 2009, 04:03 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1737816"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->My favorite thing about the iPhone is the webui so I can start torrents on my desktop when I'm out and about.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

So you're saying you like the iphone because it has a web browser? uTorrent's web ui works in any browser.

--Scythe--

spinviper

<!--quoteo(post=1737850:date=Nov 17 2009, 06:17 AM:name=Scythe)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scythe @ Nov 17 2009, 06:17 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1737850"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So you're saying you like the iphone because it has a web browser? uTorrent's web ui works in any browser.

--Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I think he's referring to the sheer <i>convenience</i> of being connected anywhere and everywhere. Yeah, this could be replicated by a laptop and one of those little USB GPRS modems, but they're far more bothersome to lug around. A smartphone is small, portable, and fufills the same role. It gives you access to web-based tools at your fingertips.

Corporal_Fortier

<!--quoteo(post=1737972:date=Nov 17 2009, 01:54 PM:name=spinviper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spinviper @ Nov 17 2009, 01:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1737972"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think he's referring to the sheer <i>convenience</i> of being connected anywhere and everywhere. Yeah, this could be replicated by a laptop and one of those little USB GPRS modems, but they're far more bothersome to lug around. A smartphone is small, portable, and fufills the same role. It gives you access to web-based tools at your fingertips.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I believe Scythe rather meant that you don't specifically need an iphone to control your torrents (since it's a WebUI and not an iphone app); any smartphone will do.

[WHO]Them

<!--quoteo(post=1737972:date=Nov 17 2009, 09:54 AM:name=spinviper)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (spinviper @ Nov 17 2009, 09:54 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1737972"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I think he's referring to the sheer <i>convenience</i> ... It gives you access to web-based tools at your fingertips.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

And with multi-touch interfaces, you don't even need a free finger to navigate the UI, you can use other <i>junk</i>. I dare your laptops to provide that level of functionality.

spinviper

<!--quoteo(post=1737974:date=Nov 18 2009, 02:09 AM:name=Corporal_Fortier)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Corporal_Fortier @ Nov 18 2009, 02:09 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1737974"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I believe Scythe rather meant that you don't specifically need an iphone to control your torrents (since it's a WebUI and not an iphone app); any smartphone will do.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Ahh, I see. Then yes, fair point.

DiscoZombie

I think I'm going to take the plunge and get a Droid. It will replace so many gadgets, and an extra $30 on my phone bill is a drop in the bucket. I can cancel my Zune pass and stream my music from the interweb. I should cancel cable and stream my TV from the interweb also. one device to replace my phone, camera, MP3 player, and gps, and it can surf the web and do god knows what else, for $200... a Zune HD costs more than that, and that's just an MP3 player...

Cereal_KillR

Pandora is free on iPhone/Droid?

iPhone doesn't support flash players (there's only YouTube for streaming) and Spotify only works on iPhone/Android with a Premium (10€) subscription.

DiscoZombie

<!--quoteo(post=1738012:date=Nov 17 2009, 07:04 PM:name=Cereal_KillR)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Cereal_KillR @ Nov 17 2009, 07:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1738012"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Pandora is free on iPhone/Droid?

iPhone doesn't support flash players (there's only YouTube for streaming) and Spotify only works on iPhone/Android with a Premium (10€) subscription.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I don't know for sure since I don't have one yet, but I see this:

<a href="http://www.pandora.com/android" target="_blank">http://www.pandora.com/android</a>

<a href="http://code.google.com/android/adc/adc2_top200.html" target="_blank">http://code.google.com/android/adc/adc2_top200.html</a>

the Grooveshark one is apparently hard to get, in that you have to download the app for rating the ADC entries, and then just hope you come to the Grooveshark one to rate. the Grooveshark folks said the app would be out for real by xmas...

Drfuzzy

I got a samsung memoir, its nice having a 8 megapixel camera built into a gps navigation phone with the interwebz, all touch screen :3
its everything i want to say the least

remi

And now, the Droid even has a working camera! ... For 24 more days. :-)

<a href="http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/17/mystery-of-droid-autofocus-conspiracy-solved-for-reals-this-time/" target="_blank">http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/11/17/myste...eals-this-time/</a>

Talesin

Couldn't get by without my G1; been toying with the idea of updating to a Droid, but as I'm neither on Verizon nor T-Mobile I'm waffling given the high cost. Really becoming an external brain-pack.

G1/Android Killer Apps (far as I'm concerned):
<b>Mileage</b> - Completely free car fuelling/maintenance tracking program. Long-term graphing of fuel economy, gas price trending and automatic reminders of service periods.
<b>OI Safe</b>(/Notepad/Shopping/Pictures) - Secure password storage. If you have numerous high-security passwords, this keeps them right on your hip. Also can encrypt OI Notepad notes. VERY useful for working in secured environments.
<b>Torrent-Fu</b> - Torrent management front-end, with configurable search handlers (and barcode search for those less legal among us).
<b>ConnectBot</b> - Full-featured SSH/telnet client, with tunnelling capability for secure browsing.
<b>Pandora</b> - The G1 app is finally out, and works awesome on 3G; slightly degraded on EDGE.

That said, if you're going for an Android based phone, the G1 is nice but is first-gen hardware; go for a Droid or one of the new HTC units with the physical keyboard. Don't have to try to cram all of your desired applications into 74MB (68MB or less, really), and the upgraded RAM and CPU on the newer models makes for a much more pleasant experience.

esuna

Get the HTC Touch Pro 2, good build quality, full qwerty keyboard, endless amounts of open source freeware apps to do pretty much anything you want, and WM6.5 (iirc) is extremely easy to use.

There is no other smartphone to consider, and i say this owning an n97.

puzl

I was a reluctant late convert to the iPhone.. basically I gave my gf an easy out for my birthday by hinting that a smartphone would be a good present.

Anyway, I can't imagine life without it now... it's kind of sad how far I've fallen... I even suffer separation anxiety from it if it is at my desk charging or whatever.

I mainly use spotify, the reddit app, safari and more or less use google webapps for everything else.

I'm sure all the other smartphones are reasonably.. don't listen to people who tell you that brand X is king, most of them are suffering from confirmation bias. The truth is the differences between the leading brands will be minor, and the decision which one to buy will be based on your personal needs. I think the major plus for the iphone is the size of the screen, but the major minus is the keyboard. As a touch screen keyboard it is very very impressive, but still no substitute for a physical keyboard.

DiscoZombie

I wound up with a Droid :) I wrote a big long post about it that got eaten by the last time the forums server was down. Long story short, I love it and I can feel it changing my life already, 3 days later. I'm not really a social networker so I feel like I'm missing half the point of a smart phone, but it's still awesome what you can do with one. Pandora was the first thing I got. Locale to enable and disable features depending on where I am. Key Ring to store all my stupid little store discount cards, which seemed like an awesome idea... however, I tried to use it at Best Buy and the lady said it didn't work and asked for my phone number. also I feel like a ###### who thinks he's better than everyone if I go to a store and tell them to scan my phone's barcode instead of a card in my wallet. anyway, also got a movie times/reviews app, weather, google sky map for neatness factor and fun, a SNES emulator, Shazam...

my favorite native feature is the search by voice. very good voice recognition, and I can just say "call ...", "navigate to ..." to call someone or navigate to somewhere, or I can say something else to search Google for it.

the camera seems sort of meh so far even though it's 5 megapixels. Maybe I'm just suffering from the bug Psyke mentioned. Also, Android doesn't have dial by voice from Bluetooth, which is pretty lame and backwards, but I'm not a hoity-toity on-the-go businessman where that's a make-or-break feature. All in all I'm very happy with the thing.

edit: I love how I said "long story short" at the beginning but wound up writing a long story again anyway.