Recommendations Needed on Powerful Android Phone...

[Isthmus]

Hi everyone: I'm looking to replace my aging original Moto Droid. Originally my wife an I each got one. My wife has never fully warmed up to the Droid and has finally given up. She'll be gtting an Iphone 5 when it comes out in the fall. I on the other hand, love android and would like to continue using it. The thing is that I would like to avoid as much hardware degradation as possible, so that I don't end up with a slow handset in two year's time.

To that end, I'm looking for something with multiple cores (preferably higher than 1.2ghz); Lots of RAM (at least 1 GB); Lots of onboard storage; a replaceable large capacity Battery; and a large display (4.5"); front and rear cameras are good but not essential; no to minimum bloatware; and no physical keyboard.

I'm Using the existing HTC evo 3-d as my benchmark (though I'm not interested in the 3D features).

I would prefer vanilla Android, but I don't mind HTC Sense. I will consider Moto Blur or samsung if the hardware is good enough (though I'd probably change the UI in those cases).

I'm currently on verizon wireless but would consider a change of carrier.

I can buy a subsidized phone at any time, but have until december before my current plan expires..

with that in mind, can you guys recommend any existing or upcoming models? My biggest requests are plenty of RAM and a powerful multi core processor.

Thanks in advance for all your recommendations.

 

[Pep]

I'm keeping an eye on the HTC Vigor

**Rumored**
Vigor is packing a 4.3-inch HD screen, 1GB RAM, 16GB internal storage and a beastly 1.5GHz dual-core processor
Release October 5

There's some more on here

HTC Vigor - Android Forums

Pep

 

[chanchan05]

For vanilla Android, the new Google phone, Nexus Prime, is supposed to be released before December, and will be the first to run Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. Rumors has it that it will have a 1.5Ghz dual core processor and a 4.5inch AMOLED HD display.

 

[novox77]

This post is geared more toward your wife, since she's been fooled by the smoke and mirrors...

The Moto Droid was pretty revolutionary in the Android world, mainly due to Verizon's brilliant ad campaign and for the licensing of the term Droid. But it was still quite a clunky phone even for its time.

Not anymore. Today's high-end Androids are lead the way in terms of processing power and capability. Where Android used to play catchup to iOS, the reverse is now happening. Modern Android phones look sharp, work very smoothly, and are shedding their bad reputations for being battery hogs.

So if your wife is deciding to try iOS simply because of her experience on the Moto Droid, I think it would be a rash decision. That's not to say that the iPhone 5 won't be a great phone.... but just remember: Apple's entire business plan revolves around lock-in: getting you emotionally and financially vested so that it hurts to get out. It's going to cost her (and you by association) more money to do the same things that a comparable Android can do.

And yet, I'm a hypocrite for writing this because my own wife is so sold on iOS that she's willing to pass over several brilliant Android phones just to wait for iPhone5. She's currently on an iPhone 3G that is so crippled it barely works. Yet, she is throughly emotionally locked-in and can no longer see reason. What can you do....

 

[chanchan05]

This post is geared more toward your wife, since she's been fooled by the smoke and mirrors...

The Moto Droid was pretty revolutionary in the Android world, mainly due to Verizon's brilliant ad campaign and for the licensing of the term Droid. But it was still quite a clunky phone even for its time.

Not anymore. Today's high-end Androids are lead the way in terms of processing power and capability. Where Android used to play catchup to iOS, the reverse is now happening. Modern Android phones look sharp, work very smoothly, and are shedding their bad reputations for being battery hogs.

So if your wife is deciding to try iOS simply because of her experience on the Moto Droid, I think it would be a rash decision. That's not to say that the iPhone 5 won't be a great phone.... but just remember: Apple's entire business plan revolves around lock-in: getting you emotionally and financially vested so that it hurts to get out. It's going to cost her (and you by association) more money to do the same things that a comparable Android can do.

And yet, I'm a hypocrite for writing this because my own wife is so sold on iOS that she's willing to pass over several brilliant Android phones just to wait for iPhone5. She's currently on an iPhone 3G that is so crippled it barely works. Yet, she is throughly emotionally locked-in and can no longer see reason. What can you do....

LOL I feel you. A few things I remember off hand:

1. Back when Droids werent exactly competing, I had a 5800 and a friend had an iPhone 2G. Of course back then Symbian>>iOS in terms of functionality, and still held as the best smartphone OS. I could do a lot of things with it that he cant do. Then I had a better camera as well. He rebutted: "Just you wait, I'll get an app that turns my camera to 32megapixels!!!" Uh, yeah sure you would.

2. More recently, I was playing around with games, and I was using a PSXoid playing harvest moon. Another friend saw it and said, just you wait, we'll get a PS emulator one day too!

Nothing they see better on other phones will make them change, and they hold on firmly to the belief that one day their precious iPhones will get the features too.

 

[Isthmus]

This post is geared more toward your wife, since she's been fooled by the smoke and mirrors...

The Moto Droid was pretty revolutionary in the Android world, mainly due to Verizon's brilliant ad campaign and for the licensing of the term Droid. But it was still quite a clunky phone even for its time.

Not anymore. Today's high-end Androids are lead the way in terms of processing power and capability. Where Android used to play catchup to iOS, the reverse is now happening. Modern Android phones look sharp, work very smoothly, and are shedding their bad reputations for being battery hogs.

So if your wife is deciding to try iOS simply because of her experience on the Moto Droid, I think it would be a rash decision. That's not to say that the iPhone 5 won't be a great phone.... but just remember: Apple's entire business plan revolves around lock-in: getting you emotionally and financially vested so that it hurts to get out. It's going to cost her (and you by association) more money to do the same things that a comparable Android can do.

And yet, I'm a hypocrite for writing this because my own wife is so sold on iOS that she's willing to pass over several brilliant Android phones just to wait for iPhone5. She's currently on an iPhone 3G that is so crippled it barely works. Yet, she is throughly emotionally locked-in and can no longer see reason. What can you do....

Thanks but I was not asking for criticism of my wife's choices. She owns lots of other apple hardware and her phone is the only exception. She likes what she likes and I'd appreciate it if we didn't make this into yet another IOS vs android thread.

I would appreciate any more suggestions regarding my original question.

Thanks to the other guys who made recommendations. I'll have to look at the two recommendations. Nexus prime sounds intriguing.