New Android phone

New Android phone - Off in the distance

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May 2016

Date:	2011-03-28 12:29
Subject:	New Android phone
Security:	Public

Oh dear.

The insurance company have come to the conclusion that they cannot do a like-for-like replacement for the Google Nexus One, so they're going to credit me with the amount instead.

So I'm looking for a new Android phone. Initial thoughts are the Google Nexus S, the Samsung Galaxy S (almost the same, but having removable storage is nice), and the LG Optimus 2X. Nice big screen (4" of larger), decent resolution (i.e. 480x800) wanted. Android 2.2 minimum version. Any phone doing SDXC cards yet?

(

timill: I don't the HTC Thunderbolt is an option in the UK.)

Any thoughts on other alternatives?

(

nwhyte: we know you really, really didn't get on with Android. That's fine, there's no one-size-fits-all solution.)

ETA: oh, no hardware keyboard desired.

ETA: also avoiding Sony every since their rootkit malfeasance. I trust Sony corporate ethics pretty much not at all. (This means the PS3 won't get replaced by Sony product, nor will the eReaders. Also and alas, the Sony Ericsson phones were, in my experience, somewhat mechanically unreliable.)

Post A Comment | 16 Comments | | Link

User:	silly_swordsman
Date:	2011-03-28 11:46 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

I'd be tempted to wait a week or two to see how the Sony Ericsson Vivaz 2 performs.

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User:	suricattus
Date:	2011-03-28 11:53 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

Unhelpful, as I'm in the States, but I have a Motorola Cliq, which I picked up after my G1 died the death. It's not perfect, but I've been happy with its performance (I use it as a mini-office).

http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/ci.Motorola-CLIQ-US-EN.alt

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User:	bellinghman
Date:	2011-03-28 12:14 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

Sadly, only Android 1.6 (so no WiFi hotspot), and it's also got a smaller screen than I want.

I don't require the hardware keyboard, which I suspect is something you do require.

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User:	suricattus
Date:	2011-03-28 12:17 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

hah yeah - I use it more for texting and email than I do actual calls. Can't speak to the hotspot issue, as we've got wifi coverage pretty much everywhere here, no stress.

I have to contradict the later comment about updates/reliability, at least in my non-tech-professional-and-therefore-discounted experience. Not equal to my earlier dumbphones for durability, but few smartphones are.

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User:	pir
Date:	2011-03-28 12:11 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

HTC Desire HD or the HTC Incredible S for a bigger screen (most other phones with reasonable screen size are 3.7" like the N1).

There are people claiming to have the N1 in stock, new still; http://www.amazon.co.uk/HTC-Nexus-One-SIM-Free/dp/B0037PTYP2

If you want a hardware keyboard, the HTC Desire Z (AKA T-Mobile G2 with one different 3G frequency and Sense instead of core Android).

I'd only suggest the Nexus S over the Galaxy S because Samsung's UI designers did too much crack when they were working on Samsung's Android changes. The Nexus S also does a more useful 3rd 3G frequency so you'd get 3G on T-Mobile US (though the AT&T/T-Mobile buyout will likely change some of that eventually). If you really want a Galaxy S then play with one first to make sure the interface is ok and it feels right, I find them too light and plasticky.

I'd probably recommend waiting until next month for the HTC Desire S:
http://www.htc.com/www/product/desires/specification.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/HTC-Desire-Free-Mobile-Phone/dp/B004NNU9YM

I specifically don't recommend anything by Motorola, their record on updates sucks and Motoblur is a horror. Miko's Milestone still doesn't have a stable 2.2 (I've lent her my Desire Z while I'm using the G2).

I've not seen any devices supporting SDXC yet.

Something from the Cyanogenmod supported list if you want to make absolutely sure you can put something newer on it if the manufacturer is or becomes an idiot.

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User:	bellinghman
Date:	2011-03-28 12:18 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

No hardware keyboard desired.

As for the Galaxy S,

bellinghwoman loves hers, so I probably need to play with it a bit.

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User:	pir
Date:	2011-03-28 17:06 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)
Keyword:	android

The HTC Desire S will apparently launch with Gingerbread, another point in it's favour.
http://www.slashgear.com/htc-desire-s-review-28142921/

Unless you really want that 4" screen, it's probably what I'd recommend.

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User:	bellinghman
Date:	2011-03-28 17:16 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

My eyes are getting older and the 4" on the Galaxy S really does look nice. It's not an absolute deal breaker (3.7" is certainly usable), but 4" is a definite plus as far as I'm concerned.

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User:	pir
Date:	2011-03-28 17:20 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)
Keyword:	bastard

I can't honestly say I can tell the difference between the 4" display on the Nexus S and the 3.7" display on the Nexus One...

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User:	_nicolai_
Date:	2011-03-28 12:16 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)
Keyword:	Satellite dish

I suggest you go poke at some in phone shops particularly to test how you get on with the screens, they do vary in precision and sensitivity (use an equivalent screen from each manufacturer for phones not available retail).

While she's not really a very demanding phone user, I got

tisiphone an HTC Desire and when using it to set it up, I concluded I wouldn't object to one of them if my Nexus One crapped itself.

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User:	pir
Date:	2011-03-28 12:23 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

The Desire S seems like an improvement, too, and it's out in a couple of weeks.

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User:	tisiphone
Date:	2011-03-28 13:14 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

I'm generally quite pleased with said phone, I was about to recommend going and having a poke at one. I admit I haven't delved too deeply into its media capabilities yet, but it excels at communication, and the screen really is very nice (both graphically and the touchscreen capacity). Also, the rounded edges make it comfortable to use, unlike some other phones I could mention.

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User:	nwhyte
Date:	2011-03-28 13:06 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)
Keyword:	orac

I just activated my new Blackberry Torch, so I hope very much you will hear nothing more about Androids from me!

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User:	bellinghman
Date:	2011-03-28 13:18 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

Whereas I suspect that if I had the Torch, I'd hate it: I don't want a business phone.

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User:	natural20
Date:	2011-03-29 10:34 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

I'm finding the Nexus S, while occasionally slightly irritating, to be a very good phone. There's a bunch of stuff that I really missed when I moved from Symbian to iOS, albeit there's a couple of things that Apple have managed with iOS 4.x that Android 2.x is still behind on. But I reckon if you used and like the Nexus 1, the S should be a direct improvement. I am charging it everyday mind.

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User:	j_lj
Date:	2011-03-29 13:39 (UTC)
Subject:	(no subject)

The HTC Desire HD has a nice large screen and has removable storage, one thing missing from the Samsung Google Nexus S.

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