I bought and iPhone and a Pre.. Currently Comparing Both

[kdarling]

what is the screen of the pre made of? I have searched and none of the reviews mentioned it.

Plastic, I think.

Not sure why it matters, since most people put a plastic shield over their screen anyway 🙂

I'm more interested in the common usage each phone can take. That is, the accidental drop test and the oops it's raining outside test.

 

[Scott6666]

Well, it will be easier for Apple to build in some sort of multi-tasking that the Pre change out the crappy keyboard, small storage and build quality.

I think there are some dimensions that Apple might have to do some catch up with the Pre but that's why we like competition. Without it, Apple would be more likely to sit on its laurels and not add the features.

To me that's the beauty of the hardware being rather minimalist on the iPhone (at least externally). The changes are largely software. The iPhone is a very adaptable product. Very cool and a very major advantage.

I don't think I need true multi-tasking. What I want is some quick context switching. It would be nice to instantaneously move between a few recent apps. For instance, I'm at the browser, I want to change the screen brightness and return back. Right now it's button out. Click settings. Change settings. Button out. Click safari. Would like swipe and go between applications. Doesn't mean they both have to run simultaneously but I do like the way the Pre seems to swipe between cards.

 

[MBHockey]

quick question,

how many of you apple apologists actually used a Pre to the extend like OP did? before you throw out sore grapes all over the place?

big LOL 😛

invent something new, people, beside the same old cap like

i mean, com' on, aren't you guys tired of doing the same old trick again and again?

That's a good way to avoid a rational argument; use emoticons and middle school girl AOL speak.

 

[timberga]

But don't they use extra memory? Otherwise, they're really not sitting there waiting any more than an iPhone app is...

I haven't used a Pre for more than a few minutes, but I do have a 3GS. I've heard that switching between apps (even already open apps) on a Pre takes about as much time as switching between apps on an iPhone 3GS. The time taken switching apps on an iPhone 3GS is almost inconsequential.

There are however, still a few benefits to multiple emails open, etc. But that could be handled the same as Mobile Safari's card switching.

- Wrong, it's very fast to switch between open active applications. It definitely doesn't take as much time as the iphone 3g or 3gs. There are multiple ways to do it that all are faster. I had an iphone 3g (since release day) and played with an iphone 3gs for over 2 hours and am testing out a PRE on Sprint as well....the amount of false and incorrect information in this thread is sad.

 

[timberga]

Sprint may work well in a few cities but it is a joke here in the south east. That alone kills the product.

South east like what? You'd better not say the metro Atlanta area.....

 

[timberga]

No you can not. If you have wifi the phone will use wifi during a call, but CDMA can not do both voice and data. If the iPhone ever came to Verizon, it wouldn't be able to do voice and data at the same time. When the GSM version of the Pre is released as long as it can do 3G it will be able to do voice and data at the same time.

If you try to use data while on the phone on the Pre you will get a notification telling you there is not an active data connection. It'll give you the option to find a wifi signal and attempt to use that or you can just ignore it.

The iPhone 3G will not do voice/data at the same time if you have 3G turned off, you don't live in a 3G coverage area, or when you placed the call there was no 3G signal available and your phone had to use edge.

- You are correct, with the caveat that you can still send txt messages while talking on the phone. (if you have wifi enabled you can use wifi and talk at the same time as well)

 

[timberga]

I didn't want to cut and paste all of the arguments regarding multitasking but the OP failed to provide a compelling reason that multitasking on a phone is a huge benefit. As other had stated, I can easily cut and paste the phone number with a number of gestures.

I don't think anyone is arguing about the advantages of multitasking on a computer but on a phone, I've not heard about a compelling reason why its actually needed.

As for the other items in the this thread, its interesting how PRE apologists makes excuses about the horrendous keyboard, especially when its one of the major marking points that palm was pushing.

The plastic touch screen is definitely a step back and again apple clearly has a better product.

Overall if you like the PRE, go for it, though I've never once heard anything good about sprint. I think you're missing out on a lot by going there but different strokes for different folks

- Reason for multitasking: You are surfing the web, have multiple web pages open, swapping between them in mobile safari and you get a text message! Since its an important message and you need to reply, you hit the reply button. The web browser is now closed and messaging is now open. You type your text message in hit send. You then click the home button again, find safari, tap on it, and your web browser comes back up. Sometimes it will come back up without refreshing, other times it will refresh (when I didn't ask [or want] it to). Oh, and when your friend replies to your text message, please repeat this process as long as your txt conversation.

I think thats the easiest and best example I've been able to identify since testing the PRE. You could add streaming pandora, browsing the web, and having a text conversation for the pre, but hopefully this gets the point across.

- The keyboard is small, but everyone knew that going into the release of the pre. It's between a centro and a 800w, and my typing right now is only 4 - 8 wpm less than the iphone. I used iphonetypingtest.com to test myself on both devices, and did it 10 times and took the average. I think palm can improve their predictive text to make the experience better. Apple really does a good job about correcting what you are typing automatically. If you want proof, turn that feature off and see what garbage you type on your iphone.

- The screen: I'll just say I disagree. Glass screen's aren't all that and a bag of chips! The screen on the pre is definitely crisper than the 3g or 3gs, mainly because its the same resolution of the 3g/3gs but a smaller area, so the pixels are packed in tighter.

 

[Jayden0606]

I currently have and use both... well not anymore. The Pre has been in the box since Friday. It's not even close.

The touch? No they aren't the same. The iPhone's is better as it recognizes the softest of touches which enables me to type faster than any mobile phone I've ever used (qwerty physical kbs included).

Applications... no it will not get there. I don't care about "when the SDK is released, it will be better" or "more apps are coming" as the iPhone had a lot more apps when they opened up. It's been almost three weeks. Also, you can d/l from the device or computer and then sync them. It's a lot easier to browse the PC and then sync the ones you want.

Browser... Similar, but still faster on the iPhone. I've run a lot of tests and still find the loading circle on the bottom right sometimes not even being half way done on the Pre when the iPhone is done loading.

How about all the things that the iPhone has now that everyone complained about before? Video recording, Copy & Paste (editable and non-editable text) and Forwarding of Messages.

How about something that the Pre will never be able to do using the carrier's network only? Voice and Data at the same time. You asked for real multitasking... well try and do that with the Pre. I know I can talk on the iPhone and still send/receive IMs, browser the web, check Facebook or even Tweet! Heck, I can even check Movie showtimes while I'm on the phone with the person I'm going to see it with.

Just saying...

 

[timberga]

Yes if it's using memory then it's using battery power. The poster you quoted is blissfully ignorant.

- Someone already posted that you were wrong, but I'll agree that this statement isn't quite correct. You would be correct if the app running was using an active internet connection and was left open as a card. But apps like Messaging, Phone, and E-Mail (depending on your settings) won't take up more juice being "open" while the phone isn't in use (screen off).

 

[mohanshankar]

My contract with another carrier is about to expire

🙂

 

[timberga]

Goona, the Pre can play Pandora in the background, duh.

I don't understand the whole multitasking thing. People love comparing it to a computer, "What if your computer could only run one program at a time?" and that's a terrible analogy. On a computer the screen is much bigger than a single application, and multitasking is much more purposive.

It seems the main argument is that it makes switching between applications faster, which I think is untrue. Switching between apps on the iPhone is extremely fast, especially with the 3GS. So what's the difference between switching cards in WebOS or hitting home and picking the next app to run on an iPhone? Is it the number of actions it takes to accomplish this? The perceived length of time this requires?

- Ways to switch between apps on the pre:

o hit the home button, touch the app that you have open in card view (I'm assuming we are trying to multitask)
o swipe up from the gesture area, touch the app that you have open in card view (same assumption as before)
o swipe left to right (or right to left) across the gesture area, and you switch between the active cards without going into card view [this is INSANELY fast]

 

[timberga]

LOL that's the only benefit we've been hearing. Before they added IM apps but now that Push has fixed that, they've now turned to Pandora like that's all we so on our phones all day, stream Pandora in the background.

- Push Notifications has absolutely NOT fixed that! It's another annoying pop up message that forces you to read and ignore, or read and reply (which closes the app you are in and opens another app....which when you are done with the 2nd app, you need to close down and reopen the original app)

 

[timberga]

Hey has the screen of your Pre scratched yet?

- 2 words....screen protector
- I had a screen protector on my iphone 3g as well.

 

[aristotle]

The Pre multi-tasks until you get a phone call. It's a "phone" so you would expect to be able get a phone call regardless of what you are doing and you would expect a smart phone to allow you to search on the net while talking to someone at the same time right?

The iPhone, only other hand, continues to multitask in Safari, Mail app and the rest of the first party apps while you are on a call. That's right, it multitasks.

The decision to not allow background third-party apps was a deliberate decision rather than a technical limitation. Preventing background processes in third-party apps avoids the possibility of a runaway process eating away at the processor and finite memory in the device. Would you want your phone to crash while you were on an important call? No.

 

[timberga]

How about something that the Pre will never be able to do using the carrier's network only? Voice and Data at the same time. You asked for real multitasking... well try and do that with the Pre. I know I can talk on the iPhone and still send/receive IMs, browser the web, check Facebook or even Tweet! Heck, I can even check Movie showtimes while I'm on the phone with the person I'm going to see it with.

Just saying...

- I do like having the option of talking and using data at the same time....but I only used it a few times (< 5) in over a year. You can't pay attention to the phone converstaion enough and read web pages at the same time. I don't see how this can be a huge deal.

 

[timberga]

The Pre multi-tasks until you get a phone call. It's a "phone" so you would expect to be able get a phone call regardless of what you are doing and you would expect a smart phone to allow you to search on the net while talking to someone at the same time right?

The iPhone, only other hand, continues to multitask in Safari, Mail app and the rest of the first party apps while you are on a call. That's right, it multitasks.

The decision to not allow background third-party apps was a deliberate decision rather than a technical limitation. Preventing background processes in third-party apps avoids the possibility of a runaway process eating away at the processor and finite memory in the device. Would you want your phone to crash while you were on an important call? No.

- It's a function of the network, not the phone aristotle. Anyone that says they do this all the time is most likely lying, or they don't care about the conversation they are having on the phone. Oh yeah, and if you are always doing this, your battery will deplete very very very quickly on the iphone. (voice + data)

 

[timberga]

- Like a few other people on this thread, I'm testing out the PRE and will be picking up a 3GS for myself to use (instead of borrow)....competition is good for everyone in the end.

- I really like WebOS overall, the gesture area is very nice, and multitasking is great as well.

- I really like the speed of the iphone 3gs out of the box mainly. I'm disappointed they didn't really improve battery life (3g talk / 3g data). I guess once ATT rolls out their 7.2 HSDPA network upgrade you could get slightly better battery life since you would be getting your data faster which means you would be pressing the power button to put the phone to sleep faster. right?

- Here in Atlanta, GA, I would drop calls on my iPhone 3G on an almost daily basis (sometimes multiple times per day)....with the PRE, I have dropped 0. In my testing I'm doing all the normal things I do, making lots of phone calls to test the network here in Atlanta.

- Price is another factor, as with ATT my family plan with 2 iphone 3g's came out to ~ 165 per month and with Sprint it will be $97 + tax per month. I do get discounts on both carriers through my work.

- I hope this thread can be useful to people that are in my situation, where they are still unsure which device they will end up keeping.

 

[Goona]

- I do like having the option of talking and using data at the same time....but I only used it a few times (< 5) in over a year. You can't pay attention to the phone converstaion enough and read web pages at the same time. I don't see how this can be a huge deal.

Well it's a big deal to a lot of us who like to talk on speakerphone while browsing the web. Well that's just us. It may not be a big deal to you, just like running 10 apps on a 3 inch screen isn't that big of deal to some of us.

 

[timberga]

Well it's a big deal to a lot of us who like to talk on speakerphone while browsing the web. Well that's just us. It may not be a big deal to you, just like running 10 apps on a 3 inch screen isn't that big of deal to some of us.

The typical user of an iphone is not going to have that many conversations while using data. It's only a big deal because the pre exists, otherwise its something that wasn't talked about much when the 3g was released but all of the sudden is a huge feature...ironic timing, I must say.

Remember, I had an iPhone 3G since launch, and I consider myself a heavy user of the phone....both in making phone calls, traveling across the US, and using data throughout the day. I did use the feature a few times, but I HIGHLY doubt anyone used it THAT often.

I never said running 10 apps on a 3 inch screen is a huge deal. Not attacking you, and I'm not going to respond to your bait, which is incorrect.

 

[GfPQqmcRKUvP]

The Pre multi-tasks until you get a phone call. It's a "phone" so you would expect to be able get a phone call regardless of what you are doing and you would expect a smart phone to allow you to search on the net while talking to someone at the same time right?

Carrier limitation. The GSM Pre does not have this problem.

The iPhone, only other hand, continues to multitask in Safari, Mail app and the rest of the first party apps while you are on a call. That's right, it multitasks.

No one ever said the iPhone doesn't multi-task. It doesn't allow full user control of the multi-tasking process.

The decision to not allow background third-party apps was a deliberate decision rather than a technical limitation.

We know.

Preventing background processes in third-party apps avoids the possibility of a runaway process eating away at the processor and finite memory in the device.

How about on a PC? Would you say the same thing if someone was trying to defend a PC that wouldn't allow user-control over multi-tasking?

The multi-tasking on the Pre works extremely well, you should try it.

Would you want your phone to crash while you were on an important call? No.

Have you heard widespread reports on people's Pre's crashing while they are on phone calls? I haven't, and I frequent Pre forums. What I have heard of, and experienced, are dropped calls by the iPhone.


(Posted by a happy 3GS user)

 

[Ntombi]

- I do like having the option of talking and using data at the same time....but I only used it a few times (< 5) in over a year. You can't pay attention to the phone converstaion enough and read web pages at the same time. I don't see how this can be a huge deal.

I do it all the time. I'll give you a recent example.

I was planning to hang out with a friend and we were deciding on where to eat and what movie to see. First, we looked up movies that we wanted to see and read some thumbnail reviews. We decided on a movie, then looked up showtimes and places, and compared that to our top restaurant choices, and ended up making our plans.

I was on my iPhone at the dog park, and she was on her cell and home computer.

Another example: talking to my mother about driving her to a new doctor kind of far away. I had to look up the distance so I could plan to pick her up in time. It's easier to do it all at once than to get the address and hang up to use the map + traffic feature, then call back.

I use voice & data together all the time, and would feel very constrained without the ability.

 

[alFR]

The typical user of an iphone is not going to have that many conversations while using data.

Depends what you mean by data. If you mean Safari, then you're probably right. If you mean email, IM etc. then not so much: IMO it is useful to have those services running in the background even when you are on a call.

 

[Eso]

First of all, while you can't use data and voice at the same time, if someone calls you while you are using data, the call still goes through.

Secondly, the iPhone does not multi-task. Some processes continue in the background (iPod, Safari) as others have mentioned, but that isn't multi-tasking. There is a difference between a task and a process - if you don't understand the difference, don't bother commenting on it until you have educated yourself.

The multi-tasking on the Pre works extremely well, you should try it.

Thirdly, why do you think it is that anyone who has actually utilized the card system for multi-tasking has mentioned how nice it is? No one cares about how unnecessary you (hypothetically) think having 5+ apps open at all times is; that isn't even what multi-tasking is about.

Finally, I'll just refer to one of my previous posts explaining multi-tasking. This topic has already been discussed to death several times over - don't resurrect that thread. With or without explanation, however, the bottom line is the card system for multi-tasking is just excellent in use. I don't care how great the iPhone is right now, with the card and notification system of the Pre, it would only be better.

P.S.

Yes if it's using memory then it's using battery power. The poster you quoted is blissfully ignorant.

LOL @ calling kdarling "blissfully ignorant".

 

[Goona]

Again using data and talking is important to a lot of people so making excuses is not going to help. Your becoming like people who make excuses for iphone's shortcomings. Seems we have Fanboys everywhere.

 

[maflynn]

I think thats the easiest and best example I've been able to identify since testing the PRE. You could add streaming pandora, browsing the web, and having a text conversation for the pre, but hopefully this gets the point across.

Meh, I can play my music and surf the web, I can also jump out of safari and text someone. I cannot and you cannot text and surf at the same time because of the form factor we're dealing with - a phone. So again I'm not seeing a compelling reason for multitasking. What you state is pretty close to what I can do now w/o multitasking.

- The screen: I'll just say I disagree. Glass screen's aren't all that and a bag of chips! The screen on the pre is definitely crisper than the 3g or 3gs, mainly because its the same resolution of the 3g/3gs but a smaller area, so the pixels are packed in tighter.

They are compared to the PRE's and the for me the biggest advantage is scratch resistant. I've used enough palm pilots and other PDAs that if no protective covering was used they'd be scratched up in no time - I know, I found out the hard way 🙁

I've said this before, the PRE isn't a bad phone but I don't believe its features make it a better phone then the iPhone. If it fits your need great, but unfortunately its on sprint, where they've been bleeding customers at an incredible rate.