elaniemay

I have been considering rolling Android for a little while now, and as my upgrade date approaches, I am finding myself more in a position of Apple needing to do something amazing to keep me than Android needing to. I do not know anyone with a non-Apple device, so I don't have a way to "test one out" although I am working on possibly figuring a way to do that.

Anyway, the Android lingo is hard for me to follow, but I am trying. I have been reading up on this forum and on other sites and trying to take in as much as I can. I have come to the temporary conclusion that I like the Nexus 4 or the Samsung Galaxy IV (I like the III so I imagine the IV will be even better, and I am not yet eligible for my upgrade).

Does anyone have any thoughts on these two phones? I understand that phones are such a personal experience and often loyalties sway people when giving advice. I love my Apple products but am not blind to the fact that other amazing devices are available that may suit my changing needs better.

I want a phone that has speed, snappy reflexes, and a really nice screen. I take a ton of pictures and would need the camera to be solid, if not amazing. I rarely use my phone as a phone as I really don't like talking on the phone much at all, but I do text message and email a great deal. I like to surf the web, but do not watch movies or shows on my phone; an occasional youtube video here and there, but nothing extensive at all. (I am researching phones for my husband, too, because he has decided to go with whatever decision I make...and he LOVES watching movies, tv, and videos on his phone...so I have to keep that in mind for him, not that we need the same phone).

I am trying to give a wealth of information so you know where I am coming from. I understand that Androids are "buggier" and not as smooth of an experience as iOS. I don't want a phone that crashes daily, but I think I could handle some hiccups, given the pros afforded by Android. I need a lot of storage. I want 64GB+. That kind of kicks the Nexus 4 out, doesn't it?

I have no tech friends. None of my friends tend to care what phone they have except whatever Apple puts out next. It makes it difficult to have any sort of intelligent conversation on this matter. The Apple forum that I am a member of does not take kindly to mentioning Android, so I also cannot bring this up there. From what I can tell, you all are a bit more of an accepting bunch with heads more properly placed on your shoulders.

At least I hope so. I really do welcome any advice or direction toward sites I should take a look at or other phones that may be worth checking out. Also, if there are upcoming phones that I may want to sort of rumor-stalk, I'm down for that too. There are a lot more to keep track of with Android...haha.

Hadron

If you need a lot of storage that does kick the Nexus out (it wasn't obvious from what you said that you'd need this, but if you want to carry a large media library then that's a problem). It's the main reason I don't have one.

We don't know much about the S IV yet. There are some obvious guesses, but I've yet to hear a leak that contains anything more than those. But I expect it will at least be a spec-bumped S3, so you probably are safe with that.

Crashes are really not a problem. Forget the hype - iOS apps crash at least as frequently as android, just they don't actually tell you they are doing so. You find yourself on the homescreen and wonder whether you hit a button by mistake, but what actually happened was the app crashed. I'm using an almost 3 year old HTC and the OS never crashes, apps rarely. Not something you worry about when buying devices in the class that you are considering (either a Nexus or a Samsung flagship device).

But for the storage I'd say that the Nexus is a good choice. But if you need the space, the Galaxy will probably suit you better. I'd suggest keeping watch, because other devices may appear between now and when you get your upgrade. To pick one example, Sony are about to release a 5" waterproof phone with microSD expansion, which may also be worth checking the reviews when it is released, and there are rumours of others from other manufacturers.

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elaniemay

I need to find the "thank you" button, but for now, thank you! The more I read about the S3, the more I really really like it. I know that the S4 rumors are just that, but I figure that anything better than the S4 would make a great phone. Hopefully a screen that isn't as dim as people say and perhaps a big camera bump.

I have also been looking at the Sony Xperia TL, but the reviews aren't as good for that phone as they are for the S3. The other big Nexus 4 gripe is that it isn't LTE. I really want that.