Android vs iPhone

[tcat075]

Specifically, I'm choosing between the Droid Razr and the iPhone 4S. I'm leaning towards the Razr just because it seems like its just the better phone, but the iPhone is the veteran here. Brenden Wright seems to be the more athletic, more talented backup PF, but Carlisle keeps playing Cardinal because he just knows how to play the game because he's done it for so long.

I know there are iPhone users out there, but has anyone used the Razr? Thoughts?

[LonghornDub]

Among the people I know who have owned both, which is several, I'm not sure there's even one who preferred Android over iOs, phone hardware aside.

[jthig32]

There's a couple of factors whenever someone asks me this:

1. Do you use iTunes. I don't, I hate it, and it's reason #1 that I don't use any iOS devices. If you already use iTunes, or are fine with using it, that's a big argument for the iPhone.

2. Are you a tinkerer? If you like to play around with your gadgets, to find out all the different random things you can do with it, then you might want to think about Android. If you just want your phone to work and you're fine with whatever apps you can find on the marketplace, then the iPhone is probably your best bet.

3. If you do decide to go with Android, I personally recommend that you go with something in the Nexus line. Nexus phones are shipped with pure Android and always get the latest software before any of the other Android handsets. The Razr is a phone getting really positive buzz, but I personally would get the Galaxy Nexus if I were getting an Android phone right now.

4. How important is screen size? Let's face it, the iPhone is a little behind the times when it comes to screen size. I don't think I could ever go back to a 3.5 display after using a 4.3 for 4 months. But it obviously works for a lot of people.

Ultimately, the iPhone is the safe choice, unless you hate iTunes or your a bit of a techie nerd.

[chumdawg]

What sort of "tinker" things does a tech nerd do with a phone?

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

What sort of "tinker" things does a tech nerd do with a phone?

Well Android is open source, meaning anyone can download the source code and mess around with it. So within the Android community, there are many groups that have taken Android and put their own spin on it. So with an Android phone you can really change the phone significantly by loading different custom version of Android onto it. Each of these different "roms", as they're called, will come with their own version of User Interface, and their own extra features.

There are other ways to "tinker", but that's the most obvious and mainstream.

BTW, one other point I often forget to mention during a discussion like this is that you'll spend a lot less money on apps with an Android phone. Android being based in an open source community has created a much different market experience where most users expect to be able to find the best apps for free or very cheap.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Well Android is open source, meaning anyone can download the source code and mess around with it. So within the Android community, there are many groups that have taken Android and put their own spin on it. So with an Android phone you can really change the phone significantly by loading different custom version of Android onto it. Each of these different "roms", as they're called, will come with their own version of User Interface, and their own extra features.

There are other ways to "tinker", but that's the most obvious and mainstream.

BTW, one other point I often forget to mention during a discussion like this is that you'll spend a lot less money on apps with an Android phone. Android being based in an open source community has created a much different market experience where most users expect to be able to find the best apps for free or very cheap.

Could you provide an example of a useful improvement someone has made by tweaking the source code? I'm having a hard time imagining this.

[tcat075]

Originally Posted by jthig32

There's a couple of factors whenever someone asks me this:

1. Do you use iTunes. I don't, I hate it, and it's reason #1 that I don't use any iOS devices. If you already use iTunes, or are fine with using it, that's a big argument for the iPhone.

2. Are you a tinkerer? If you like to play around with your gadgets, to find out all the different random things you can do with it, then you might want to think about Android. If you just want your phone to work and you're fine with whatever apps you can find on the marketplace, then the iPhone is probably your best bet.

3. If you do decide to go with Android, I personally recommend that you go with something in the Nexus line. Nexus phones are shipped with pure Android and always get the latest software before any of the other Android handsets. The Razr is a phone getting really positive buzz, but I personally would get the Galaxy Nexus if I were getting an Android phone right now.

4. How important is screen size? Let's face it, the iPhone is a little behind the times when it comes to screen size. I don't think I could ever go back to a 3.5 display after using a 4.3 for 4 months. But it obviously works for a lot of people.

Ultimately, the iPhone is the safe choice, unless you hate iTunes or your a bit of a techie nerd.

I do use iTunes, but I'm not a fan. It just doesn't seem to work that well, and so while it would take a little work I'd be more than happy to switch to an Android supported music program.

This is going to be my first smartphone, so screen size and the tinkering are both things I don't really know. That's the main reason right there why I think the iPhone might be the better choice...it's easier, simpler, and will get my feet wet. By the time I start wanting more freedom to make my phone do this or that, or start wanting a bigger screen, my two years should be close to up, and I can move onto the Androids if they continue to improve at the rate they are, or stick with the iOS if it re-tightens its stranglehold.

I've heard not so great things about the Nexus for Verizon, including the one Verizon employee I talked too. Not that it's a massive fail or anything, but just that people were disappointed and/or expected more. The Razr is suppose to be getting Ice Cream Sandwich soon. That's why I'm considering the Razr over the Nexus.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by chumdawg

Could you provide an example of a useful improvement someone has made by tweaking the source code? I'm having a hard time imagining this.

Off the top of my head, the Cyanogen mod I had on my Nexus One had the following features that were not natively in Android:

1. FM radio
2. Theme support
3. Lockscreen gestures
4. Programmable behavior to hardware buttons
5. LED notifications (LED trackball blinked different colors depending on what application had a notification)
6. Display battery life in percents (one of my favorites)
7. Significantly improved battery life and performance.

There's quite a bit of other stuff that I can't remember, and there are of course dozens of other mods with other features, although Cyanogen mods are the most well known.

[jthig32]

Originally Posted by tcat075

I do use iTunes, but I'm not a fan. It just doesn't seem to work that well, and so while it would take a little work I'd be more than happy to switch to an Android supported music program.

This is going to be my first smartphone, so screen size and the tinkering are both things I don't really know. That's the main reason right there why I think the iPhone might be the better choice...it's easier, simpler, and will get my feet wet. By the time I start wanting more freedom to make my phone do this or that, or start wanting a bigger screen, my two years should be close to up, and I can move onto the Androids if they continue to improve at the rate they are, or stick with the iOS if it re-tightens its stranglehold.

I've heard not so great things about the Nexus for Verizon, including the one Verizon employee I talked too. Not that it's a massive fail or anything, but just that people were disappointed and/or expected more. The Razr is suppose to be getting Ice Cream Sandwich soon. That's why I'm considering the Razr over the Nexus.

I think you are right to go with the iPhone for your first smart phone if you're not a techie.

Just for future reference, the Razr may be getting ICS "soon", but the Nexus S got it a few weeks ago and the Galaxy Nexus was released with it. Android will release another major update in the next six months to a year, and the Nexus phones will get it weeks to months before any of the other devices. That's the major reason I always recommend the Nexus phones. If you don't care about having the latest update, or you're going to install custom roms then it's not a huge deal.

[chumdawg]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Off the top of my head, the Cyanogen mod I had on my Nexus One had the following features that were not natively in Android:

1. FM radio
2. Theme support
3. Lockscreen gestures
4. Programmable behavior to hardware buttons
5. LED notifications (LED trackball blinked different colors depending on what application had a notification)
6. Display battery life in percents (one of my favorites)
7. Significantly improved battery life and performance.

There's quite a bit of other stuff that I can't remember, and there are of course dozens of other mods with other features, although Cyanogen mods are the most well known.

Interesting. Makes you wonder why certain of them weren't included already.

[Ninkobei]

Razr Maxx sounds cool. Good battery life and 4G wireless. If your provider has 4g you will definitely want it. That's the main reason to go with android over iPhone IMO.