Verizon contract is up - what should I get?

[tehsusenoh]

My whole family's contracts are up, so this is a great time to get a new phone.

Except for choosing one.

My situation:

I'm locked into Verizon by my parents, no AT&T (wouldn't want it anyway), nor Sprint.

What is the best phone that is currently on Verizon right now? I do live in an LTE area, 45 minutes west of Chicago, so want that speed, but I also spend my summers and holidays up in Michigan, unfortunately an hour and 45 minutes north of where the LTE was turned on there.

Rooting is also an important thing for me, because I love to customize and use ROMs.

Should I get a phone now, like the Thunderbolt or the Charge, or wait for an SGS2 or a Bionic?

Thanks (and sorry about the long situation)
~tehsusenoh

 

[ArmageddonX]

Here is a quick overview of the current phones out for Verizon that have LTE:
Compare phones: LG Revolution, Samsung Droid Charge, HTC ThunderBolt - Phone Arena

Here is a quick overview of the phones coming relatively soon to Verizon that *might* have LTE:
Compare phones: Samsung Function, Motorola DROID BIONIC - Phone Arena

 

[tehsusenoh]

Yeah, the Function is the one that I am waiting for, as it is the Verizon version of the SGS2. I would like to see how the Bionic does in terms of performance, cause if that preforms better, or is easier to root and ROM, then I may get that instead. I kinda wish the SGS2 had the qHD, but the screen on that phone is amazing.

 

[ArmageddonX]

There is no basis in this, so take it with a grain of salt, but I suspect the SGSII for Verizon will not include a 4G LTE Radio. I could be completely wrong. Edit: Mainly because if they are truly not changing the form-factor I don't know how they would fit the LTE Radio in the phone. Also, Verizon has been releasing the newer dual-core phones without LTE. (Like the Droid X2)

Even if I'm right the SGSII "Function" for Verizon should be amazing. It does have a lower than qHD resolution but the Super AMOLED Plus display has beautiful color and contrast.

The Bionic should have a qHD-4.5" LCD display and looks quite nice as well. Plus it is a known specification that it will launch with LTE. It will probably also have an unlocked bootloader just like the Function however I'd suspect the Bionic might have a PenTile layout LCD.

Most of this is speculation on my part so please don't read into my opinions too deeply.

Personally, I'd get the Bionic as long as it does come with a unlocked bootloader and a non-PenTile qHD-LCD. I really love large Displays on phones. I would guess the Bionic would release this Fall alongside the Photon on Sprint while I think the SGSII is coming probably the end of next month.

 

[tehsusenoh]

I'd love to see that fast phone on LTE, but it's a long shot. I'd even take it twice as thick to have that power on LTE, but that kinda ruins the whole slim selling point.

The reason I like the SGS2 so much is the specs, but the fact that Samsung released the source code is amazing for people making ROMs, plus how they sent a free phone to the Cyanogen mod guy.

One question though: What makes you think that the Bionic will have an unlocked bootloader? The previous phones all had them locked... But I digress.

Also, thank you for being helpful, instead of the sarcastic crap I have gotten on other forums for the same exact question.

 

[DocBeech]

Also keep in mind that site is missing a couple of things on the droid charge (I own one). The first being the droid charge has gorilla glass so its screen is very scratch resitant. Second it doesnt mark that the droid does have control buttons on the side. The droid also does have a 3D graphics accelerator. Just wanted to add those 3 things your comparison missed.

Also that comparisson doesn't give the screen justice. Go to a store and look at how smooth and high def the screen is.

 

[tehsusenoh]

I have been into the store looking, and the screen is amazing. I just hate the shape of the device, I like my devices nice and rectangular, not the shield shape the Charge is.

My big thing is that I won't get a new phone for another 2 years after my contact expires, so I don't want to have a horrible phone at that point that I hate every minute of, like my enV Touch. I hate that phone so much right now. Always restarting, there are no apps that are free, the USB port is mostly broken, the battery needs to be charged twice a day on minimal use.

But I'm willing to live with it to wait for a great phone.

Edit: What's bad about the PenTile layout? I looked it up, but I don't see the problem with it. I'll look more though.

 

[tehsusenoh]

So, now Verizon has their new, terrible data plans coming in just 14 days.

What should I do now? I won't get grandfathered in because I'm upgrading from a feature phone.

And I doubt that the two phones I'm waiting for will be released in the next 14 days.

P.S.
I hate double posting, but I have to.

 

[ninja_reject]

So, now Verizon has their new, terrible data plans coming in just 14 days.

What should I do now? I won't get grandfathered in because I'm upgrading from a feature phone.

And I doubt that the two phones I'm waiting for will be released in the next 14 days.

P.S.
I hate double posting, but I have to.

I would wait as long as possible, then buy another nice phone that is out, like the Charge, and one of those two phones should be out before your thirty day window to return is up.

 

[Deathwish238]

If mobile gaming is high on your priority, consider the Xperia Play. Stock Android, great screen and picture quality(BRAVIA engine is quite nice), fast enough and its controls are great.

If gaming is not a big concern, I'ld wait for a dual core phone. I'ld choose between the SGSII and HTC's offering.

 

[tehsusenoh]

I just looked up my data usage on my phone, 63MB. I do tether for road trips or when the internet goes out at home (like right now).

I don't think that the 2GB should be much of a problem for me, as I'll be on WiFi for 90% of the time.

 

[Deathwish238]

lol 63MB...that's nothing. That's a ROM update.

 

[tehsusenoh]

But will I be installing ROM updates on the road? Probably not. I doubt that the Bionic or GSG2 will be coming in 30 days from the 6th.

 

[maggot_ff]

Even though the screen on the sgs2 isn't qHD, the space between pixels are pretty much not visible to the naked eye, and therefore the screen absolutely looks more than sharp enough. Also, remember that higher resolution = more power used for just looking at the screen.

Just saying that the resolution isn't anything you should worry to much about, and in a comparison (which i have done with a SGS2, HTC Sensation and iPhone 4) the SGS2 easily wins when it comes to the screen, even though the two others have a higher resolution.

 

[B2L]

Even though the screen on the sgs2 isn't qHD, the space between pixels are pretty much not visible to the naked eye, and therefore the screen absolutely looks more than sharp enough. Also, remember that higher resolution = more power used for just looking at the screen.

Just saying that the resolution isn't anything you should worry to much about, and in a comparison (which i have done with a SGS2, HTC Sensation and iPhone 4) the SGS2 easily wins when it comes to the screen, even though the two others have a higher resolution.

I 2nd this. The SGS2 completely dominates.

Also like someone else said above i would buy a phone now before the unlimited plans end, and then return it before within 30 days so then you can still get a better phone such as the SGS2 or the Bionic.

 

[tehsusenoh]

I 2nd this. The SGS2 completely dominates.

Also like someone else said above i would buy a phone now before the unlimited plans end, and then return it before within 30 days so then you can still get a better phone such as the SGS2 or the Bionic.

But are either of those going to be released within the 30 days?

 

[B2L]

It is rumored that the sgs2 will be released sometime in July on Verizon. But that's still not a sure thing yet. It sucks that they had to change to tiered data plans so quickly because currently Verizon is really lacking awesome new devices that run on lte. And in my opinion neither the Thunderbolt or the charge are going to be worth keeping for two years.

With that said it seems like the best option would be the X2. But I have heard that MotoBlur really slows things down and you know it's got a locked bootloader. So basically there aren't many options.

 

[jerofld]

It is rumored that the sgs2 will be released sometime in July on Verizon. But that's still not a sure thing yet. It sucks that they had to change to tiered data plans so quickly because currently Verizon is really lacking awesome new devices that run on lte. And in my opinion neither the Thunderbolt or the charge are going to be worth keeping for two years.

With that said it seems like the best option would be the X2. But I have heard that MotoBlur really slows things down and you know it's got a locked bootloader. So basically there aren't many options.

I kinda think it's the other way around. They may be changing the plans before they release the next generation of LTE phones for a reason.

 

[bytheriver]

Isn't the return policy now 14 days? ....Either way I think I'd wait. Do you have a relative or friend that has a smartphone you could use/borrow? Or find a cheap used Vzw Android phone on Ebay...sign up for unlimited data now and then wait for the phone you want.

 

[tehsusenoh]

I think I'll be waiting for the phones, as I don't want the others for another 2 years.

If the return frame is 14 days, then I really can't take the chance and wait for the phones.

I don't want the Droid X2, it's basically the same phone with dual core, and I'd like to see a better screen with more RAM and better proformance in the phone I'll have for a while.

Samsung is apparently launching the SGS2 into space, returning on July 15th, so that may be an important date, but I won't risk getting a phone now.

I'd rather have a great phone without a okay data plan than an okay phone with a great data plan. I can always upgrade the data, not the phone.

 

[zarem]

Isn't the return policy now 14 days? ....Either way I think I'd wait. Do you have a relative or friend that has a smartphone you could use/borrow? Or find a cheap used Vzw Android phone on Ebay...sign up for unlimited data now and then wait for the phone you want.

You should really do the whole craigslist ebay thing and look for something cheap like the eris , it's really easy to root and rom and then you would be locked into the unlimited data plan, and yu save your upgrade for the phone you want.

 

[tehsusenoh]

You should really do the whole craigslist ebay thing and look for something cheap like the eris , it's really easy to root and rom and then you would be locked into the unlimited data plan, and yu save your upgrade for the phone you want.

My parents won't do that. It's new with a warranty, or nothing else.

EDIT: Which is funny cause I'll immediately void the warranty by rooting and putting a ROM on it.

 

[JoePT]

My parents won't do that. It's new with a warranty, or nothing else.

EDIT: Which is funny cause I'll immediately void the warranty by rooting and putting a ROM on it.

There's a guy selling an eris in the classifieds right now, asking $120. The thing looks mint. Why don't you pick that up and tell your parents its a smarter investment instead of paying out of your rear end when the new data plans come along?

As a side note, as long as you have an unlimited plan (regardless of 3G or 4G), will you be grandfathered in the same? For some reason, I figured that if I didn't have a 4G plan when the new data plans rolled out, I would have to pay more down the road, but now that I think about...that doesn't really make much sense.

 

[Health Hazard]

well i do not have verizon atm but i will say once the bionic comes out that will last you 2 years prob pretty easy. i dont know how much it is but i would wait and get it if i were you. it pretty much owns must all phones that will be coming out. I currently have t-mobile and i cant wait to switch to verizon. lucky for you that your already a customer so that your unlimited data plan is grandfathered in. i just hope verizon keeps the unlimited just long enough for me to get the bioic and unlimited. i already heard that its going to be done with by next month sometime. hope this helps.. oh and fyi the thunderbolt is a battery hog.

 

[tehsusenoh]

well i do not have verizon atm but i will say once the bionic comes out that will last you 2 years prob pretty easy. i dont know how much it is but i would wait and get it if i were you. it pretty much owns must all phones that will be coming out. I currently have t-mobile and i cant wait to switch to verizon. lucky for you that your already a customer so that your unlimited data plan is grandfathered in. i just hope verizon keeps the unlimited just long enough for me to get the bioic and unlimited. i already heard that its going to be done with by next month sometime. hope this helps.. oh and fyi the thunderbolt is a battery hog.

I'm not grandfathered in, I have a feature phone, so I would have to get a smartphone within the next 13 days in order to have the right plan.