Phone Choice Help!!

[OLDnSIMPLE]

I am brand new to the forum, but have been lurking in the shadows for a few weeks now. I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but chose here because the Photon is one of my choices. I am on the Sprint Network and am ready to upgrade my phone. I am extremely tech illiterate and could use some opinions.

I have never heard of rooting before I came to this forum, so that is not important. Neither is bootloader, or whatever it's called because again, I have no idea what that is.

I have OCD and ADD, and need a phone that is fast when looking something up on the net, or videos from youtube or whatever. All I really do with my phone now is email, talk, text a little when I have to, play a few games when I am waiting for something, watch a few videos from youtube and sometimes Sprint tv. I would probably use it as somewhat of a music player if the new phone was better than the piece of crap I have now. I am also signed up for netflix already, so if it had the ability to stream movies, that would be a plus.

The phone I have now is a Palm Pre, so anything would probably be better. I bought my daughter an Evo 4g, and she seems to like it. Here are some questions I have

Is 1.2 GHz vs 1.0 GHz really going to make a difference? I mean will I even notice?

How much ROM do I really need?

Basically I am looking for a which phone to buy for dummies kind of answer. The three I am interested in are the evo 3d, Photon, or wait until the Within comes out. Are any going to be fine? Is one really superior orinferior to the others? I don't care about 3d, so that is not an issue either way.

I appreciate any help, and as much of it as possible.

 

[burgertime]

I am brand new to the forum, but have been lurking in the shadows for a few weeks now. I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but chose here because the Photon is one of my choices. I am on the Sprint Network and am ready to upgrade my phone. I am extremely tech illiterate and could use some opinions.

I have never heard of rooting before I came to this forum, so that is not important. Neither is bootloader, or whatever it's called because again, I have no idea what that is.

I have OCD and ADD, and need a phone that is fast when looking something up on the net, or videos from youtube or whatever. All I really do with my phone now is email, talk, text a little when I have to, play a few games when I am waiting for something, watch a few videos from youtube and sometimes Sprint tv. I would probably use it as somewhat of a music player if the new phone was better than the piece of crap I have now. I am also signed up for netflix already, so if it had the ability to stream movies, that would be a plus.

The phone I have now is a Palm Pre, so anything would probably be better. I bought my daughter an Evo 4g, and she seems to like it. Here are some questions I have

Is 1.2 GHz vs 1.0 GHz really going to make a difference? I mean will I even notice?

How much ROM do I really need?

Basically I am looking for a which phone to buy for dummies kind of answer. The three I am interested in are the evo 3d, Photon, or wait until the Within comes out. Are any going to be fine? Is one really superior orinferior to the others? I don't care about 3d, so that is not an issue either way.

I appreciate any help, and as much of it as possible.

It sounds to me and don't take this the wrong way, that you're going to love either phone you buy. Moving over to a true smart phone is like going from rotary to wireless. So with that said, I think you can narrow down your selection pretty easily.

The Photon really appeals to business types who travel a lot. Since it can be used with GSM bands. To simplify what the means; Sprint and AT&T use different frequencies to send out their signal. Sprint is on the CDMA frequency and AT&T is on GSM. Typically you can't use a Sprint phone on AT&T and you can't use a AT&T phone on Sprint. With the Photon it can accept both frequencies so that while overseas you can use the Photon on a GSM frequency (which most countries are on). I think that is probably a bigger factor in excitement with the Photon.

The Evo3d is more of a fun phone. I would think from what you described that would be the phone for you since it offers more bells and whistles on the gaming and video end.

Either way though both phones pretty much offer the same thing and can handle your needs. What it will probably come down to for you is how it looks and feels in your hand. Hope this helped.

 

[OLDnSIMPLE]

That did help. I actually knew about the CDMA and GSM thingy, but does that mean that even here in the US I would be able to have coverage where Sprint lacks because of the GSM capabilities? What bells and whistles does the Evo have over the Photon other than 3d? And what about the Samsung? Should I wait? Would I care?

 

[Godfather13]

I agree, both the Evo 3D or the Photon would fit your needs with no problem. They are both blazing fast and can handle your web surfing, texting, and you tube video watching.

The Samsung GS2 (Within) doesnt have a release date so throwing into the mix depends on your time frame for wanting a new phone. Also, many complain about Samsungs dedication to getting their phones the latest updates. But spec wise, and screen-looks wise, the phone will be nice.

My advice, if you are wanting a phone now, is to wait until Sunday or Monday when the Photon will be in the Sprint stores and play with both the Evo 3D and Photon. See which you like better in terms of looks, how it feels in your hand, and the userbility of both operating systems (HTC Sense / Moto Blur) and then take home the one you like best. I dont think either choice will disappoint.

 

[mkvoran]

For all real intents and purposes, the GSM radio is not going to mean squat here in the USA.

The EVO really does not have any bell's and whistles over the Photon other than 3D.

Full disclaimer - I favor the Photon.(mostly for its camera and global capabilities) I think the camera is better on the Photon from the sample pics we have seen, and the video camera on the Photon can actually zoom while recording, a trick the EVO cannot perform. Another thing I like about the Photon over the EVO is that the camera is recessed into the body unlike the EVO's which sticks out a tad. This means that the Photon lens won't get scratched up as easily.

burgertime is correct though, it's really going to come down to how you like it in your hand and how you like the interface/theme of the phone. They will have very different look and feel. Many prefer the interface of the EVO (HTC Phones).

I would also suggest you look at the Nexus S. Slightly smaller sleeker phone that can hang with the big boys, but is cheaper. 149.99 right now, and if you go with the link below - its' a cool 69.99 for a sweet phone.

Nexus S 4G from Google for Sprint - Wirefly Friends and Family Store

Keep in mind that when ordering from Wirefly, you should be sure that you will don't think you would have any reason to cancel your sprint service for at least 180 days, otherwise they hit you with a steep fee ON TOP of what Sprint will charge you.

Good luck!

 

[burgertime]

The only way you could have coverage with GSM here in the US is by getting a SIM card through someone like Boost Mobile Pre Paid (I think they're GSM) and using that...I'm not an expert though so I'm not sure how you switch. Of course because of how towers are used and rented, it's very rare that that one big carrier works where another doesn't. Almost always if one has no signal the other won't either.

As for what the Evo has over the Photon...well you can root it and it's 3d that's probably it. Since you don't care about rooting than you probably will be happy with either phone. They both also offer different interfaces, the Evo uses HTC Sense and Moto uses Moto Blur. If you are not a huge tech nerd you probably will not care either way, as it's mainly just aesthetic.

Again I'm willing to bet that the winner will come down to which one you think looks better and feels better in your hand. For what you want, they will both accomplish your needs.

Oh and one more thing about the Photon if you use Exchange it has the proper security on it which Android was lacking....so you won't have problems with your IT guy refusing to give you Exchange service because of Android now.

 

[OLDnSIMPLE]

The only way you could have coverage with GSM here in the US is by getting a SIM card through someone like Boost Mobile Pre Paid (I think they're GSM) and using that...I'm not an expert though so I'm not sure how you switch. Of course because of how towers are used and rented, it's very rare that that one big carrier works where another doesn't. Almost always if one has no signal the other won't either.

As for what the Evo has over the Photon...well you can root it and it's 3d that's probably it. Since you don't care about rooting than you probably will be happy with either phone. They both also offer different interfaces, the Evo uses HTC Sense and Moto uses Moto Blur. If you are not a huge tech nerd you probably will not care either way, as it's mainly just aesthetic.

Again I'm willing to bet that the winner will come down to which one you think looks better and feels better in your hand. For what you want, they will both accomplish your needs.

Oh and one more thing about the Photon if you use Exchange it has the proper security on it which Android was lacking....so you won't have problems with your IT guy refusing to give you Exchange service because of Android now.

I don't know what that last part meant, but it sounds pro Photon. One last question I actually had a a Samsung blue ray player that was really pathetic on it's updates, so reading that the phones have update issues as well is not a surprise. Does anyone have opinions on updates and support for htc's motorola?

 

[drexappeal]

I don't know what that last part meant, but it sounds pro Photon. One last question I actually had a a Samsung blue ray player that was really pathetic on it's updates, so reading that the phones have update issues as well is not a surprise. Does anyone have opinions on updates and support for htc's motorola?

First off - Welcome to the forums! I'm sure you've already seen a lot of useful information (and probably a lot that went way over your head...which, don't worry because some of it really goes over my head too and I really wouldn't be able to "dumb it down" if I tried).

All that meant was that, if you wanted to have your phone connected to your work email, you could do with with the Photon because it has added security that past Android phones did not have. This is actually a HUGE factor for me because the IT department couldn't connect my EVO 4G for me because of security purposes.

As for HTC and Motorola updates, based on your original post, I'd say you're better off with either of those as supposed to Samsung. Both HTC and Motorola have a much better reputation for releasing OEM (Original Equipment Manufactured) updates OTA (Over The Air). I'm guessing Samsung has more difficulty with the support, due to their having multiple electronic products (e.g. TV's, dvd players, washer/driers, mobile phones, etc.). Many would argue that isn't the case, but majority of that type of response comes from people who are in the "tech savvy" crowd.

What I would HIGHLY suggest for you is to go into any store that has "live" display units that you can try out. Try the UI (User Interface aka everything you see on the front screens and functionalities are part of the user interface, which is designed by the manufacturer) of the HTC EVO 3D (aka Sense). Try the UI of the Motorola Droid 3 (aka Moto Blur or whatever the name is now). I only say to try the Motorola Droid 3 because it has the same UI that will be on the Motorola Photon (new version of Moto Blur). Whichever seems more "user friendly" to you and seems to be something that you'd be able to pick up more quickly is the ideal device for you. It's definitely true that you can't go wrong with either the EVO 3D or the Photon 4G, but the real answer to which is "better" would purely be up to your own personal needs of what is most important for you. Only way to determine that is by trying out both (FYI-trying out the Droid 3 in a store would give you an idea of how the Photon would similarly work, but the Photon should be more responsive). If you'd rather wait until after the Photon is released, you'd get an even better idea of which is better suited for you because Sprint will have them in the store to try on Sunday (day of Photon release).

For someone that is "tech illiterate" (as you say), you're at least tech savvy enough to post on an internet forum, so you're already ahead of your "tech illiterate" class! Kudos for that.

 

[OLDnSIMPLE]

Being able to connect to work email would be awesome. If that's an option on one and not the other, that would all but sway it for me.

 

[burgertime]

Being able to connect to work email would be awesome. If that's an option on one and not the other, that would all but sway it for me.

Do you know if your work uses an Exchange server? If you need help figuring it out and use Outlook at work you find out by going to:

Tools -------> Account Settings


In the box that shows up you should see "Microsoft Exchange" or "Exchange" if you see "IMAP/SMTP" or "POP3" then your work does not use Exchange.

It should be noted that some companies do allow Android phones to use Exchange.

 

[OLDnSIMPLE]

It is exchange. So now I need to ask IT if I can have access on my phone?

 

[drexappeal]

Do you know if your work uses an Exchange server? If you need help figuring it out and use Outlook at work you find out by going to:

Tools -------> Account Settings


In the box that shows up you should see "Microsoft Exchange" or "Exchange" if you see "IMAP/SMTP" or "POP3" then your work does not use Exchange.

It should be noted that some companies do allow Android phones to use Exchange.

Yeah, that's the unfortunate problem I have. The company I work with uses exchange, but they won't allow Android phones to be connected.

Hopefully, with the Photon's added security measures, that'll be a different story. I should be able to confirm on Monday because I plan on contacting our IT guy as soon as I have the phone.

 

[McLogan]

I think that the webtop app may turn out to be useful to me. I teach Solar & Wind energy at the local college, and it will be nice to be able to use my phone as a backup for powerpoint presentations.

I also just bought a large screen LCD hdtv. I think plugging the webdock into the hdtv and using a Bluetooth keyboard to surf the web in the tv room might be neat.

Also the early reports is that the Photon might be a better PHONE than the Evo 3D in signal reception and speakerphone sound quality. This is why I passed on the Evo 3D even though I had pre-ordered it at RS.

But, the EVO 3D still looks like a nice phone. I think the Photon will be better for my needs.

 

[wealthyrich]

If you want a phone that's only offers entertainment ! Go for the EVO'S!

But if you want a phone that offers, entertainment & you could use for business presentations! And most of all it is a international phone that you could use all over the world!

Than gooooooooo ! For the Photon! I'm going for the Photon!

 

[busted bones]

I am brand new to the forum, but have been lurking in the shadows for a few weeks now. I wasn't quite sure where to post this, but chose here because the Photon is one of my choices. I am on the Sprint Network and am ready to upgrade my phone. I am extremely tech illiterate and could use some opinions.

I have never heard of rooting before I came to this forum, so that is not important. Neither is bootloader, or whatever it's called because again, I have no idea what that is.

I have OCD and ADD, and need a phone that is fast when looking something up on the net, or videos from youtube or whatever. All I really do with my phone now is email, talk, text a little when I have to, play a few games when I am waiting for something, watch a few videos from youtube and sometimes Sprint tv. I would probably use it as somewhat of a music player if the new phone was better than the piece of crap I have now. I am also signed up for netflix already, so if it had the ability to stream movies, that would be a plus.

The phone I have now is a Palm Pre, so anything would probably be better. I bought my daughter an Evo 4g, and she seems to like it. Here are some questions I have

Is 1.2 GHz vs 1.0 GHz really going to make a difference? I mean will I even notice?
Not really however depending on optimizations and the polish of a phone it could be noticeable. If youre comparing the EVO 3D with this I dont think there will be much difference as both companies are good about polishing the production models.
How much ROM do I really need?
Well the EVO4G has half a GB of it and many people run out of room on theirs(myself included). Ill admit I had a lot of extra apps I didnt use or think about but it was nice to have them their in case I wanted to play them. If you use a secondary launcher you will use up a lot of extra space with one of those.
Basically I am looking for a which phone to buy for dummies kind of answer. The three I am interested in are the evo 3d, Photon, or wait until the Within comes out. Are any going to be fine? Is one really superior orinferior to the others? I don't care about 3d, so that is not an issue either way.

I appreciate any help, and as much of it as possible.

All 3 phones on paper look to be pretty much equal. All have a dual core processor and similar sized screens, the 3D and MP4G have a qHD screen to the SGSIIs 840x480 screen. The 3D and MP4G are similar size while the SGSII will be thinner. The 3D and MP4G are about half an inch thick the SGSII will be about 1/3 of an inch thick.

 

[busted bones]

Do you know if your work uses an Exchange server? If you need help figuring it out and use Outlook at work you find out by going to:

Tools -------> Account Settings


In the box that shows up you should see "Microsoft Exchange" or "Exchange" if you see "IMAP/SMTP" or "POP3" then your work does not use Exchange.

It should be noted that some companies do allow Android phones to use Exchange.

So mine says POP/SMTP. Im going to assume that my work doesnt support this then? Bummer as it would make my life alot easier when Im away from the office.

 

[burgertime]

So mine says POP/SMTP. Im going to assume that my work doesnt support this then? Bummer as it would make my life alot easier when Im away from the office.

Well it just simply means that your work is not on an exchange server which is mainly used for security purposes...but I've also felt worked a lot faster than standard pop3 or SMTP servers. That being said you can easily hook up your work email through your phone if you're using IMAP or POP3.

 

[da man]

Thought I would jump inn here, I too am lookng to upgrade (from a POS blackberry I was forced into at work after using a droid on verizon..) and am having difficulty choosing. I actually really like to feel of the nexus, and have always liked stock android, but am curious about the difference in speed between a dual core processor and those without. Any thoughts?

 

[drexappeal]

Thought I would jump inn here, I too am lookng to upgrade (from a POS blackberry I was forced into at work after using a droid on verizon..) and am having difficulty choosing. I actually really like to feel of the nexus, and have always liked stock android, but am curious about the difference in speed between a dual core processor and those without. Any thoughts?

I noticed it drastically between this phone and the EVO I had since last June.

Nexus S was a decent phone when it was released, but with the MoPho (love that nickname now), 3VO and Samsung Epic Touch 4G (Within), the Nexus S kinda takes a back seat to all 3 of those phones in overall stats.

 

[da man]

MoPho, thats funny! I'm going to have to get it just so I can say my phone is a MoPho! Also, this forum seems to be a little more freindly, more like I remember from my old HTC Eris days. The nexus discussion just isn't as personal compared to the discussions I read here. Thanks for the imput, I think you helped me make up my mind!

 

[drexappeal]

MoPho, thats funny! I'm going to have to get it just so I can say my phone is a MoPho! Also, this forum seems to be a little more freindly, more like I remember from my old HTC Eris days. The nexus discussion just isn't as personal compared to the discussions I read here. Thanks for the imput, I think you helped me make up my mind!

I can't take credit for that one. Someone else came up with it.

Difference in feel between the two is just a matter of preference. It's what's inside the Photon, 3VO and the upcoming Epic Touch 4G that really leaves the Nexus S in the dust.

 

[AndroidSPCS]

Be aware that Motorola locks down their phones more than HTC, which has pledged to unlock the HTC phones from here on out.

From that perspective alone, I think the HTC is worth considering over the Motorola phones. I put custom ROMs on my Evo 4G which allowed new features / functions sooner than what carriers allowed.

HTC also has excellent device support, is generally more developer friendly, which means you will have more choices down the road.

I am intrigued by the Photon, really like the hardware, but Motorola's anti-developer friendly policy causes me pause every time I seriously consider buying their phones.

 

[Wolfedude88]

Be aware that Motorola locks down their phones more than HTC, which has pledged to unlock the HTC phones from here on out.

From that perspective alone, I think the HTC is worth considering over the Motorola phones. I put custom ROMs on my Evo 4G which allowed new features / functions sooner than what carriers allowed.

HTC also has excellent device support, is generally more developer friendly, which means you will have more choices down the road.

I am intrigued by the Photon, really like the hardware, but Motorola's anti-developer friendly policy causes me pause every time I seriously consider buying their phones.

Yeah I agree, but both are currently locking their phones down a little tight. While HTC has said they are going to unlock their phones, we are still waiting. Hopefully not too much longer. Motorola has said the same thing about unlocking their phones in the future, depending on what the carrier wants.

So with Sprint there is a good chance for an unlocked Motorola device.

 

[drexappeal]

Be aware that Motorola locks down their phones more than HTC, which has pledged to unlock the HTC phones from here on out.

From that perspective alone, I think the HTC is worth considering over the Motorola phones. I put custom ROMs on my Evo 4G which allowed new features / functions sooner than what carriers allowed.

HTC also has excellent device support, is generally more developer friendly, which means you will have more choices down the road.

I am intrigued by the Photon, really like the hardware, but Motorola's anti-developer friendly policy causes me pause every time I seriously consider buying their phones.

Yeah I agree, but both are currently locking their phones down a little tight. While HTC has said they are going to unlock their phones, we are still waiting. Hopefully not too much longer. Motorola has said the same thing about unlocking their phones in the future, depending on what the carrier wants.

So with Sprint there is a good chance for an unlocked Motorola device.

You both have good points, but keep in mind that while this forum provides a platform for people that might do heavier customization than most, but that doesn't necessarily mean it applies to everybody on these forums.

Keep in mind, although I've read through all the advantages/dis-advantages to rooting, I still haven't rooted to this day! Point blank, I'd prefer not having to do that if the device can provide what I need, right out of the box without having to go any further. I still love the option to be there, but I've never had justifiable reasons for making sure that when I root, I do it correctly and back up all the necessary things that I would need.

My main point is, there are a lot of assumptions when it comes to these forums (1 being that everybody that posts on the forum are trying to do crazy customizations), but the reality is not everyone on here will even go there, so they'd mainly look at how the phone works out the box and what nuances they can add without having to root.

 

[Wolfedude88]

You both have good points, but keep in mind that while this forum provides a platform for people that might do heavier customization than most, but that doesn't necessarily mean it applies to everybody on these forums.

Keep in mind, although I've read through all the advantages/dis-advantages to rooting, I still haven't rooted to this day! Point blank, I'd prefer not having to do that if the device can provide what I need, right out of the box without having to go any further. I still love the option to be there, but I've never had justifiable reasons for making sure that when I root, I do it correctly and back up all the necessary things that I would need.

My main point is, there are a lot of assumptions when it comes to these forums (1 being that everybody that posts on the forum are trying to do crazy customizations), but the reality is not everyone on here will even go there, so they'd mainly look at how the phone works out the box and what nuances they can add without having to root.

Very true, that majority of people using an Android phone do not root their phones. I always end up rooting my phone at some point. To me and others it is about choice. Some or the majority like you mentioned don't care. Others like myself care, and want the choice.

That is the beauty of Android, we have options.