Looking for the BEST smartphone (which is not an iPhone, right?)

[Amnesiac1]

I'm really hesitant to get an iPhone. Just as many have argued that there are better tablets out there than the iPad, I have heard similar statements made about the iPhone.

So, if the are better smart phones than the iPhone out there... which is it? Abandon brand loyalty, and out with the truth! Unless the iPhone truly is the best.

 

[jamets515]

You're pitching this question to a horde of Apple fanboys... I think the answer is likely to be consistently not what you're looking for.

 

[ImperialX]

Samsung Galaxy S II.

Engadget gave the device a 9/10, calling it "the best Android smartphone yet" and "possibly the best smartphone, period".

CNET UK gave the device a favorable review of 4.5/5 and described it as "one of the slimmest, lightest mobiles we've ever had the privelege to hold".

TechRadar gave the device 5/5 stars and describes the devices as one that "set a new bar for smartphones in 2011."

SlashGear states that the device "sets the benchmark for smartphones in general".

GSMArena goes further, calling the handset "absurdly powerful" and stating "we just cannot see beyond the new Samsung flagship if we’re to name the ultimate smartphone."

Does anything else need to be said?

 

[SeaChange]

Galaxy SII looks nice, but it is not available in the US yet and I'm not paying $800 for a phone that I will probably replace in year and doesn't have resale value like the iPhones do. I really like the Droid Bionic from what I have read, but no one knows when it will be released.

 

[chrono1081]

I'm really hesitant to get an iPhone. Just as many have argued that there are better tablets out there than the iPad, I have heard similar statements made about the iPhone.

So, if the are better smart phones than the iPhone out there... which is it? Abandon brand loyalty, and out with the truth! Unless the iPhone truly is the best.

There is never such a thing as "The Best". There is only such a thing as "The best for a certain individual". Its all personal preference.

For me and many others the iPhone 4 is simply the best smart phone out there. For others its not. The best advice is to go to a store and play with the phones and see what you like better.

 

[Goldinboy17]

I'm really hesitant to get an iPhone. Just as many have argued that there are better tablets out there than the iPad, I have heard similar statements made about the iPhone.

So, if the are better smart phones than the iPhone out there... which is it? Abandon brand loyalty, and out with the truth! Unless the iPhone truly is the best.

Maybe try giving us a name of the carrier? They don't all carry the same phones, unlock you're on a GSM one and can just use an unlocked one.

I really like the Droid Bionic from what I have read, but no one knows when it will be released.

I'm not sure about the Bionic yet. It seems like they're having quiet a few issues. I'm also not a fan of the Galaxy SII, It has a cheap plastic look and feel to it. Still, I try to maintain a diverse portfolio of phones. Of all of them the G2X has to be my personal favorite. It has a great display, decent battery, sharp design and can access HSPA+ speeds. LG's planning to release Gingerbread for it as well - a complete and utter miracle.

 

[maclaptop]

Galaxy S II Wins Big!

Samsung Galaxy S II is fast, fun, and not tied into the old school wired connection to iTunes. Since iTunes has become bloatware, even though useful, it's antiquated. Having to use a USB cord is a pain. Free from the dependency of a computer, the Galaxy S II is quite impressive. It has raised the bar very high.

I expect to see it offered by all major US carriers just like it's predecessor. Having had the original Galaxy S since its release, I am very satisfied. I've already pre ordered an S II, and was looking forward to buying an iPhone 5 for a companion phone. However that may be too far into the future. It seems as though Apple has been set back due to Verizon.

At the rapid pace of Samsung advancements, Apple may be hard pressed to keep up.

Yet based on what I read on the forum, using an old spec iPhone is good enough for the Apple lovers. I find it amazing that Apple people say they don't care about specs one minute, then the next they claim Apple as the innovator.

The test of time will tell.

The vain people in the US just want to be cool. An iPhone is just the thing to be seen with

 

[chrono1081]

At the rapid pace of Samsung advancements, Apple may be hard pressed to keep up.

Yet based on what I read on the forum, using an old spec iPhone is good enough for the Apple lovers. I find it amazing that Apple people say they don't care about specs one minute, then the next they claim Apple as the innovator.

The test of time will tell.

The vain people in the US just want to be cool. An iPhone is just the thing to be seen with

You claim Apple is not an innovator so please tell me ONE phone that had better specs than the iPhone 4 at release? Oh wait...you can't. What about one tablet out there that had higher specs than the iPad at release? Oh wait...you can't on that one either. What about something as thin and light as the Macbook Air? Hm... Like them or not give credit where credit is due.

Now, as for these "specs" you care about do you not realize specs do not make the phone? The software does. If the software isn't good the phone is no good. If you are happy with your Samsung phone, good for you but don't bash others for the choices they make.

I get annoyed with the "come in and bash people who use Apple products" type posts and think the people who post such drivel should get banned.

 

[JASApplications]

You might be better posting on a non-Apple majority because I and I'm sure the majority will say the iPhone is the best smartphone.

 

[maclaptop]

You claim Apple is not an innovator so please tell me ONE phone that had better specs than the iPhone 4 at release? Oh wait...you can't. What about one tablet out there that had higher specs than the iPad at release? Oh wait...you can't on that one either. What about something as thin and light as the Macbook Air? Hm... Like them or not give credit where credit is due.

Now, as for these "specs" you care about do you not realize specs do not make the phone? The software does. If the software isn't good the phone is no good. If you are happy with your Samsung phone, good for you but don't bash others for the choices they make.

I get annoyed with the "come in and bash people who use Apple products" type posts and think the people who post such drivel should get banned.

I respect your opinion on Apple. You are not respectful.

Too bad you have to put a spin on my post and take it personally. Mutual respect is key to any good conversation. You are attacking me, a rather uncalled for tactic.

Instead of an intelligent exchange of thoughts you want to fight.

I'm a huge Apple enthusiast with tens of thousands of dollars in Mac computers and gear. Somehow you think you know everything.

Good luck finding someone to fight with, I'm not interested.

 

[chrono1081]

I respect your opinion on Apple. You are not respectful.

Too bad you have to put a spin on my post and take it personally. Mutual respect is key to any good conversation. You are attacking me, a rather uncalled for tactic.

Instead of an intelligent exchange of thoughts you want to fight.

I'm a huge Apple enthusiast with tens of thousands of dollars in Mac computers and gear. Somehow you think you know everything.

Good luck finding someone to fight with, I'm not interested.

I made no such spin on your post you made it yourself. You came in, automatically attacked everyone who uses Apple gear by calling them vain and other such things and get angry when someone calls you out on it and then have the nerve to call someone else disrespectful. People post stuff like yours all the time and we simply don't need any more of it. I'm not trying to fight with you, I'm letting you know your name calling and false assumptions about people is unwelcome.

Chill out... It's just a phone!

I don't care about the phone, I have a problem with this line "The vain people in the US just want to be cool. An iPhone is just the thing to be seen with " and this line "I find it amazing that Apple people say they don't care about specs one minute, then the next they claim Apple as the innovator."

Seriously you don't get sick of all the anti-apple user drivel posted on this site? I sure do.

 

[ChazUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.4; en-gb; Nexus S Build/GRJ22) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

Bickering aside, this is a strange choice of forum to ask this question as most of the people that post here will undoubtedly be iPhone owners.

To answer it as others have suggested, the Galaxy S II would be ranked as the best non iPhone smartphone today.

 

[Stealthipad]

I'm really hesitant to get an iPhone. Just as many have argued that there are better tablets out there than the iPad, I have heard similar statements made about the iPhone.

So, if the are better smart phones than the iPhone out there... which is it? Abandon brand loyalty, and out with the truth! Unless the iPhone truly is the best.

Samsung Galaxy S2 is the most powerful and full featured phone on the market. This display makes Apple products look "washed out"!

Been using for two days and I can't see me going back to my iPhone 4.

Android rocks!

Samsung Galaxy S II is fast, fun, and not tied into the old school wired connection to iTunes. Since iTunes has become bloatware, even though useful, it's antiquated. Having to use a USB cord is a pain. Free from the dependency of a computer, the Galaxy S II is quite impressive. It has raised the bar very high.

I expect to see it offered by all major US carriers just like it's predecessor. Having had the original Galaxy S since its release, I am very satisfied. I've already pre ordered an S II, and was looking forward to buying an iPhone 5 for a companion phone. However that may be too far into the future. It seems as though Apple has been set back due to Verizon.

At the rapid pace of Samsung advancements, Apple may be hard pressed to keep up.

Yet based on what I read on the forum, using an old spec iPhone is good enough for the Apple lovers. I find it amazing that Apple people say they don't care about specs one minute, then the next they claim Apple as the innovator.

The test of time will tell.

The vain people in the US just want to be cool. An iPhone is just the thing to be seen with

Totally agree. After using my Galaxy S2 for the last few days I have to agree. Android is so open that it makes even a jail broken iPhone look restricted. The scree and colors on the Galaxy S2 are to kill for and will be setting the new standard for displays on handhelds. I use both Blackberry and iPhone but this new Android phone is awesome!

 

[glossywhite]

Samsung Galaxy S2 is the answer, if you want the best, right now.

I don't think the Apple guys like hearing the truth, but the answer is clear - it's the best one, without even a sliver of a shadow of a doubt.

 

[chrono1081]

Samsung Galaxy S2 is the answer, if you want the best, right now.

I don't think the Apple guys like hearing the truth, but the answer is clear - it's the best one, without even a sliver of a shadow of a doubt.

Like I said above, there is no such thing as "the best" there is only "the best for a particular user".

For me, the Samsung Galaxy 2 doesn't come close. It can't do what I need it to and doesn't have the apps I want/need available for it. For you, it may be the best, for others, its not.

 

[ChazUK]

Like I said above, there is no such thing as "the best" there is only "the best for a particular user".

For me, the Samsung Galaxy 2 doesn't come close. It can't do what I need it to and doesn't have the apps I want/need available for it. For you, it may be the best, for others, its not.

What exactly is it missing out of interest?

 

[glossywhite]

Like I said above, there is no such thing as "the best" there is only "the best for a particular user".

For me, the Samsung Galaxy 2 doesn't come close. It can't do what I need it to and doesn't have the apps I want/need available for it. For you, it may be the best, for others, its not.

Fair enough. How can you speak for "others", however, when "others" means the other 6 billion inhabitants of planet earth?

 

[Darthdingo]

Right now the top phones in the U.S. are the EVO 4G, Nexus-S, Samsung Galaxy 4G, and a few other phones.

If you can wait, the top of the line phone for 2011, will be out in like 3 weeks, the HTC EVO-3D, on the Sprint network, which has excellent service, and the best family pricing in the U.S.

The new EVO will be running the the newest version of Sense 3.0, has dual core 1.2ghz processors, 1gb memory, a bigger battery to allow this beast of a phone to last a full day +, running the newest Android OS Gingerbread 2.3

VIDEO;
HTC Sense 3.0 - A Closer Look
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN_ch48mGac&feature=player_embedded

 

[Darthdingo]

Hands on real world test;
Samsung Galaxy S2 vs iPhone4 - part1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t78KfESnFE0

 

[QuarterSwede]

Fair enough. How can you speak for "others", however, when "others" means the other 6 billion inhabitants of planet earth?

It's obvious he meant, others who don't think the SG2 is best.

 

[Satori]

I'm really hesitant to get an iPhone. Just as many have argued that there are better tablets out there than the iPad, I have heard similar statements made about the iPhone.

So, if the are better smart phones than the iPhone out there... which is it? Abandon brand loyalty, and out with the truth! Unless the iPhone truly is the best.

try these places to ask your question:

androidforums.com
www.everythingwm.com/forum/
www.blackberryforums.com

 

[VulchR]

@OP: Just be aware that there is a lot of discussion about hardware here, but really one cannot consider the hardware without the software. My personal preference is for iOS over Android (actually WP7 seems to me to have more potential than Android). I also believe it is likely that if Apple does 'delay' the release of the next iPhone until September that we'll see a new version of iOS over the summer. Thus, I am waiting to see what happens over the next few months.

 

[Gathomblipoob]

Samsung Galaxy S II is fast, fun, and not tied into the old school wired connection to iTunes. Since iTunes has become bloatware, even though useful, it's antiquated. Having to use a USB cord is a pain. Free from the dependency of a computer, the Galaxy S II is quite impressive. It has raised the bar very high.

http://www.popherald.com/samsung-galaxy-s2-updates-not-ota-droid-charge-release-date-announced/7014

 

[glossywhite]

http://www.popherald.com/samsung-galaxy-s2-updates-not-ota-droid-charge-release-date-announced/7014

Your reply is irrelevant. They're saying you'll need to tether the SGS2 to update the firmware... so, that'll be a one-off every now and again, not every day.

No different to updating iOS devices, then (none of which update OTA!). Did you read it thoroughly before posting?

 

[Alaerian]

For me, an iPhone is the best smartphone out there. I don't give two craps what you think is the best, nor should you give two craps what I think is the best.

What is so flipping hard about using what you like and not worrying so much about what everyone else uses?