New phone time!!

[Kavalree]

So it is time to get a new phone, only problem is the list of candidates is long-ish, and it is hard to choose which to get.

Here is the list:

Samsung Galaxy S
iPhone 4
HTC Desire
Nokia X9 (when it gets here)

Help me choose guys please.

 

[Robbo]

Not the Nokia for starters.

It really depends on what you want from your phone, the iPhone is very simple and basic, but well polised and backed up by a good app store. Its downsides are the fact that it has a pretty big signal problem (you've probably heard about this).

The HTC Desire and Samsung Galaxy S are both quite a lot cheaper, and backed up by a more advanced (and imo, better) operating system, Android. Build quality is slightly worse, but spec wise they are just about on-par.

Its difficult to recommend one with such little information, how do you use your phone exactly, what is the most important thing for you that it needs to do well?

 

[Kavalree]

I like my gadgets, but as I already own an iPod Touch 3rd gen, I see no real reason to buy the iPhone 4, other than E-Peen value, and bragging rights.

I have never actually dabbled in Android at all, past few phones have been 'meh' by anyones standards (Tocco Ultra, S.E C905). Just want a new phone, as I'm fed up of this phone, as its breaking and falling apart.

 

[Robbo]

Well, I think you'll like Android then

You need to see how much you like the Sense UI (that comes on HTC phones), and compare that with TouchWIZ that is on the Galaxy S.

The Samsung is slightly more powerful and has a slightly bigger and better quality screen, nothing that is much of an issue if you like the Sense UI (as many people do).

There is also far better developer support for the HTC Desire at the moment, if you like rooting and modding your phone software

I suppose the only real way to compare is to try them both.

 

[Kavalree]

Well, I think you'll like Android then

You need to see how much you like the Sense UI (that comes on HTC phones), and compare that with TouchWIZ that is on the Galaxy S.

The Samsung is slightly more powerful and has a slightly bigger and better quality screen, nothing that is much of an issue if you like the Sense UI (as many people do).

There is also far better developer support for the HTC Desire at the moment, if you like rooting and modding your phone software

I suppose the only real way to compare is to try them both.

I did have a quick 5 minute fiddle with the Desire in O2 other day, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but I think time will make me love it. My local O2 did not have the Galaxy S in-store, but I shall travel to London some-time next week to look in the big stores, and to shop at some markets for bits and bobs.

Personally, which would you go for?

 

[Robbo]

I did have a quick 5 minute fiddle with the Desire in O2 other day, I couldn't make heads or tails of it, but I think time will make me love it. My local O2 did not have the Galaxy S in-store, but I shall travel to London some-time next week to look in the big stores, and to shop at some markets for bits and bobs.

Personally, which would you go for?

Well, I have the Desire at the moment and it is a fantastic phone.

I've yet to try a Galaxy S but I dont think its quite as polished a phone as the Desire, the Sense UI is very innovative and I doubt the TouchWiz offering on the Samsung can compare to it (From what I have seen in reviews etc)

Also I should mention the Galaxy S has a slightly better camera and supports HD video recording, but the Desire is in line for an update soon that will add that capability to it as well!

 

[chaparral]

Here is the list:

Samsung Galaxy S
iPhone 4
HTC Desire
Nokia X9 (when it gets here)

Help me choose guys please.

I have a good look at the galaxy s before buying the HTC desire...

due to the galaxy s having 8GB/16GB built in storage memory ,bigger & better screen (much easyer to see in bright sun light) and much longer battery life compared to the HTC desire...

I myself find the small amount of built in memory (576mb) and very short battery life are the worst things about the HTC desire...

 

[mcompute]

I'd go with anything android based.

 

[sean]

Personally, which would you go for?

Chucking in my 2p as a recent android convert. As said, the Galaxy's got the better hardware but, someone correct me if I'm wrong, Samsung don't have the best track record for updating and supporting their handsets. In this respect HTC are usually a safe bet but either way there seems to be a very active hacking community for both phones.

I'd personally avoid the X9. Poor Nokia simply can't currently compete with the Android and iOS upstarts . They sure make great hardware but they're hampered by an aging UI that's currently going through phases of planned obsolescence until the release of S^4 sometime next year.

 

[Kavalree]

There is 1 other phone I forgot to list, the Driod X. How does this make the standings now?

 

[70th]

I've had the Desire, i now have the iPhone 4, i personally prefer the iPhone, the Desire still felt slightly choppy to me, not as smooth when scrolling or when on the internet. Also rooting doesn't really allow you to do that much to be honest, whereas on the iPhone jailbreaking unlocks a whole host of things.

One of the main reasons for me to sell my Desire was because of the lack of useful apps, there maybe loads of free ones but most of them, to me, were quite useless, and apples app store has many more which gives you a wider selection, sure they have useless ones as well but to me there is more useful ones also.

Also regarding the apps, most developers and big companies bring out apps for the iPhone first, or in some cases don't develop them for android or other platforms at all, such as if your with orange, the Your Orange app, which allows you to monitor your minutes, texts and internet data is only available for the iPhone, which was very annoying.

If you need any more information just ask.

 

[Nocky24]

I've had the Desire, i now have the iPhone 4, i personally prefer the iPhone, the Desire still felt slightly choppy to me, not as smooth when scrolling or when on the internet

Exactly the same experience here. The Desire is potentially great, but the UI isn't polished. Also it's video camera and amr audio recording is appauling. If you want to take videos on your phone consider the Desire as having no video camera whatsoever- its that bad in my experience. I really wanted to like the Desire, but its just let down by inferior media hardware, lack of apps and lack of polish. Don't get me wrong it has many many good features, but it were those points above that lead me to selling it.

I can't comment on the new Samsung, but the iPhone 4 is worth a play with if you can get your hands on one. Bar the annoying signal issue (which is ok when you get a case) its a great phone, particularly for multimedia. It also of course, has plenty of polish and is very simplistic. I do really miss the emulators from the Desire though.

Best thing to do is try them and see

 

[Nocky24]

Deleted

 

[V4NT0M]

In my experience the video camera is pretty good, better than any 320x240 phone camera I've seen, I was watching a video taken in a car the other day on a 32" TV, I really could barely tell the difference between my 640x480 digi cam's video and the Desire video. There's no way on any of the video's I saw that it could be called appalling. Possible to post a sample video for balance?

The Desire does not lack apps, there are around ~80,000 apps on the market iirc, maybe there aren't a few that you specifically want but 80,000 is by no means a shortage of apps. Care to tell us what apps are missing, because I think it would be more insightful than a wildly inaccurate "it lacks apps".

Also not sure what you mean by unpolished UI? Never seen a phone UI that can stand up to Android's.

 

[CreAtiv3]

I recommend you take a look at the Samsung.
I too went from an iPhone 3G and will not be going back to Apple anytime soon.

If you prefer Sense UI to TouchWiz you could install LauncherPro which is basically Sense UI for non HTC devices.

The Samsung has already been rooted too if you plan to use your own roms.
Did mine at the weekend in a matter of minutes.

 

[Oxide™]

My upgrade is soon too (August) and I'm in the same boat, researching mobiles now so I know which to focus on.

My list so far in order is:
Samsung Galaxy S (mainly hardware keyboard pro version if it's released in time)
HTC Desire (getting dated now)
Iphone 4 (never had an Iphone before and kinda feel left out but loads of people who have had apple before say it's nothing great besides the 'apps')

Buddy has just mentioned the new HTC EVO 4G. This seems to be ok, anyone else have any opinions on this phone please?

 

[Cuchulain]

I'd still go for the Desire, better build quality than the Samsung and it's in no way dated (not sure how you came to that conclusion), you can't have an Evo, it won't work in this country as they don't use sim cards (they're CDMA phones), and the iPhone would be great if you don't actually want to use it as a phone, however, no denying the apps are far superior to anything on android currently.

 

[N19h7m4r3]

I'm in the same boat as the OP.

Really interested in a new phone, specially a smart phone.
I've used an iPhone 3GS, was good and smooth. But I didn't really like it because it was so dated hardware wise compared to the other phones.

The iphone 4 really got my interest, but with it's current problems I doubt I'll go near it.

I've used HTC before and my farther owns a Touch Diamond.

I like the Desire, but I'm afraid it's just getting a bit dated at the moment. ( New phone could be out at anytime I feel ) While the EVO 4G looks good, it's just a bit too big for me.

I need to get a new phone before the 25'th of July since my current phone wouldn't work in South Africa well. Been there with the old Nokia 2323 and it's driving me up the wall.

 

[V4NT0M]

Desire, dated? How so?

 

[Robbo]

There is 1 other phone I forgot to list, the Driod X. How does this make the standings now?

It doesn't, as its not coming out over here (or at least not yet).