Hey guys,
So it's about time I upgrade from my little Samsung flip phone by now. I've decided to go the smartphone route, and I'm torn between devices at this point, namely the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Captivate. I apologize for the length of this post, but I'm a college student spending my hard earned money on this phone and the data plan to go with it, so it's very important for me to get something that'll last me two years. I can't afford to upgrade every time something better comes out, so I'm looking at what's high end right now, and I don't want to regret my decision later.
I've been following the release of both phones pretty closely and have been reading these forums and Android forums a lot. Here's the story:
When the new iPhone was introduced, I was highly considering buying it. With all the new features, it's the first iPhone I'd even thought about. Then all the problems started coming out, and I was glad I hadn't preordered it. Then I read about the Samsung Captivate and I like it as well. So here are some of my thoughts and comments about each. I know this is an Android forum, so I'm just going to ask to try to keep the fanboy talk and Apple bashing to a minimum, and help me make the best decision FOR ME.
I want a phone that'll basically do anything I want it to do quickly. The majority of the time, it will be used for web browsing on wifi, checking email, texting, and making calls. I don't game a whole lot, but if I've got some free time, they're fun - just like reading stupid stuff like TFLN. I want something smooth, fast, and fairly customizable. I charge my phone every night, so it's gotta be able to last one full day with moderate use.
So for the iPhone 4... I really like the sharp display. No disputing it's the highest resolution right now. It really looks great. I am familiar with iOS (I own an iPod Touch) and it's definitely nice and simple. Not a fan of how locked it all is, so if I get it, I'll definitely jailbreak it. I like the new camera and iOS4, but I'm concerned about durability. I'm definitely careful with my stuff (don't think I've ever dropped my Touch) but still, the whole outside of the phone is made of glass. The only protection I'd want for my new phone is an InvisibleShield type film. I'm also concerned about the reception issue. Whenever I browse the web on my Touch, I hold it in my left hand covering the weak spot. Then there's all the other problems it's been experiencing, and the fact that it's Apple so they'll never admit they messed something up.
CLIFFS... like the display, like the new features, like the OS (when jailbroken), concerned about problems, concerned about durability, not sure about how I like the ergonomics of the sharper edges (kinda hard to tell with the big anti-theft device stuck to the back of it).
Now for the Samsung Captivate... it's also got a gorgeous and larger display. I'm not really familiar with Android, but from playing with it a bit at the store, I like it. I know it'll get Froyo soon enough, and meets the requirements for Gingerbread, so even if Samsung doesn't release it, I'm sure someone will make 3.0 run on the Captivate. It seems pretty easy to tweak things to make it a lot smoother (use different launcher, kill background processes, remove AT&T crapware). I like how open it is, and I like the widgets that give a bunch of info without having to open an app. I like the look of the phone, the camera is good, and I really like the Swype keyboard. It seems more durable than the iPhone, but it also has an issue with losing reception when held a certain way. I also haven't had any experience with Android apps. The only ones on the demo unit were the ones that come with the phone. Accessories, apps, etc aren't nearly as universal as with the iPhone, and the phone to computer integration doesn't seem as seamless. Now for some questions. How do you enable pinch zooming on photos? I heard it only worked on web browsing, and that was true for the one I played with in the store, but I just watched a comparison video on youtube and the guy was pinch zooming photos on the Captivate. I also heard it has a great auto-correct keyboard, but the one I used didn't, but it did have Swype. Is there a different keyboard that does auto correct? How do you switch between them? What are some of the 'must have' apps for Android? I've read using Launcher Pro will make things a lot smoother vs TouchWiz. How easy is it to switch between the two? How easy is it to download/install apps, themes, widgets, etc? The store demo unit wasn't signed in to the marketplace so I couldn't try any of this stuff.
Cliffs... like the screen, like the OS, like the look and feel and features, concerned about reception issue, not sure about apps, few Android questions.
I'll probably think of more later but for now, based on what I've said and your experience, which do you think is better for me? I'll definately end up making my own decision, but I certainly value the opinions of people more knowledgable about the whole smartphone game. Seems some of you guys even have multiple smartphones on multiple carriers, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts and explanations, especially those who aren't totally loyal to iOS or Android exclusively.
I really appreciate your input, and I appreciate the 2 or 3 people who will actually read my whole post.
Thanks!
So it's about time I upgrade from my little Samsung flip phone by now. I've decided to go the smartphone route, and I'm torn between devices at this point, namely the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Captivate. I apologize for the length of this post, but I'm a college student spending my hard earned money on this phone and the data plan to go with it, so it's very important for me to get something that'll last me two years. I can't afford to upgrade every time something better comes out, so I'm looking at what's high end right now, and I don't want to regret my decision later.
I've been following the release of both phones pretty closely and have been reading these forums and Android forums a lot. Here's the story:
When the new iPhone was introduced, I was highly considering buying it. With all the new features, it's the first iPhone I'd even thought about. Then all the problems started coming out, and I was glad I hadn't preordered it. Then I read about the Samsung Captivate and I like it as well. So here are some of my thoughts and comments about each. I know this is an Android forum, so I'm just going to ask to try to keep the fanboy talk and Apple bashing to a minimum, and help me make the best decision FOR ME.
I want a phone that'll basically do anything I want it to do quickly. The majority of the time, it will be used for web browsing on wifi, checking email, texting, and making calls. I don't game a whole lot, but if I've got some free time, they're fun - just like reading stupid stuff like TFLN. I want something smooth, fast, and fairly customizable. I charge my phone every night, so it's gotta be able to last one full day with moderate use.
So for the iPhone 4... I really like the sharp display. No disputing it's the highest resolution right now. It really looks great. I am familiar with iOS (I own an iPod Touch) and it's definitely nice and simple. Not a fan of how locked it all is, so if I get it, I'll definitely jailbreak it. I like the new camera and iOS4, but I'm concerned about durability. I'm definitely careful with my stuff (don't think I've ever dropped my Touch) but still, the whole outside of the phone is made of glass. The only protection I'd want for my new phone is an InvisibleShield type film. I'm also concerned about the reception issue. Whenever I browse the web on my Touch, I hold it in my left hand covering the weak spot. Then there's all the other problems it's been experiencing, and the fact that it's Apple so they'll never admit they messed something up.
CLIFFS... like the display, like the new features, like the OS (when jailbroken), concerned about problems, concerned about durability, not sure about how I like the ergonomics of the sharper edges (kinda hard to tell with the big anti-theft device stuck to the back of it).
Now for the Samsung Captivate... it's also got a gorgeous and larger display. I'm not really familiar with Android, but from playing with it a bit at the store, I like it. I know it'll get Froyo soon enough, and meets the requirements for Gingerbread, so even if Samsung doesn't release it, I'm sure someone will make 3.0 run on the Captivate. It seems pretty easy to tweak things to make it a lot smoother (use different launcher, kill background processes, remove AT&T crapware). I like how open it is, and I like the widgets that give a bunch of info without having to open an app. I like the look of the phone, the camera is good, and I really like the Swype keyboard. It seems more durable than the iPhone, but it also has an issue with losing reception when held a certain way. I also haven't had any experience with Android apps. The only ones on the demo unit were the ones that come with the phone. Accessories, apps, etc aren't nearly as universal as with the iPhone, and the phone to computer integration doesn't seem as seamless. Now for some questions. How do you enable pinch zooming on photos? I heard it only worked on web browsing, and that was true for the one I played with in the store, but I just watched a comparison video on youtube and the guy was pinch zooming photos on the Captivate. I also heard it has a great auto-correct keyboard, but the one I used didn't, but it did have Swype. Is there a different keyboard that does auto correct? How do you switch between them? What are some of the 'must have' apps for Android? I've read using Launcher Pro will make things a lot smoother vs TouchWiz. How easy is it to switch between the two? How easy is it to download/install apps, themes, widgets, etc? The store demo unit wasn't signed in to the marketplace so I couldn't try any of this stuff.
Cliffs... like the screen, like the OS, like the look and feel and features, concerned about reception issue, not sure about apps, few Android questions.
I'll probably think of more later but for now, based on what I've said and your experience, which do you think is better for me? I'll definately end up making my own decision, but I certainly value the opinions of people more knowledgable about the whole smartphone game. Seems some of you guys even have multiple smartphones on multiple carriers, and I'd really like to hear your thoughts and explanations, especially those who aren't totally loyal to iOS or Android exclusively.
I really appreciate your input, and I appreciate the 2 or 3 people who will actually read my whole post.
Thanks!