Phone Advice Please?

I posted this to the tested forums but these ones are filled with some pretty tech-savvy individuals as well, so I figured I'd ask you all for advice too:

I've had an iPhone since it launched, and am currently sitting with a 3GS that's more or less falling apart and cracked all over (no fault of my own of course), and am in the market for a new smartphone. I know with this kind of tech playing the waiting game for the best phone would be a never-ending endeavor, so I come to you. What with college being so pricey nowadays and grad school looming on the horizon, I can afford $200 for a phone, and that's it for the next 3 years most likely. I enjoy iOS, but I've tinkered with the Android OS' and appreciate the features on those as well (I'm capable enough to take advantage of what Android phones offer, so the "simplicity" of iOS isn't a huge selling point). I have AT&T and think the best options available to me are the newly announced iPhone 4S, the Samsung Galaxy S II, or the (rumored) Google Nexus Prime which is also rumored to be released within the next month or so. So, I ask you, which of these options do you think would be best?

A little about my preferences, I enjoy a well designed phone from a physical standpoint (obviously), and I also don't mind a larger phone. I don't mind the iPhone's smaller size, but the screen real-estate on some Android devices today I find to be really appealing. Anyhoo...I was wondering if you all could help me out and take a vote, and, if you're feeling super nice, I'd appreciate it if you guys could give me some reasons as to why you voted the way you did.

Thanks All.

I know nothing about phones, but my hatred of all things apple will make my vote A or C.

Galaxy S 2 is the best phone overall. But if you're an idiot and you want everything simple and easy and lacking in any sort of customisation, just go for the iPhone.

There was a Samsung sale at Rogers and they had a deal where any Android Samsung phone was 0 dollars on contract.... Fuck my iPhone

@AlexW00d said:

Galaxy S 2 is the best phone overall. But if you're an idiot and you want everything simple and easy and lacking in any sort of customisation, just go for the iPhone.

Do you think it will beat the Nexus prime? I heard that things specs are pretty nuts.

@SpartyOn said:

@AlexW00d said:

Galaxy S 2 is the best phone overall. But if you're an idiot and you want everything simple and easy and lacking in any sort of customisation, just go for the iPhone.

Do you think it will beat the Nexus prime? I heard that things specs are pretty nuts.

I've always been under the assumption the Nexus phone were just American re-brands of Samsung hardware? Considering it is using Samsung's 1280*720 screen. But it's up to you, from the quick Google I just did they seem like the same phone, but one has a much too large screen.

Do NOT get the 4s. Chances are Apple will come out with the 5 next summer.

I was in exactly your position a few months back - had a 3gs, then I moved to an SGS2. I've voted that you do the same, because good damn the SGS2 is awesome.

In terms of physical features, it's fantastic. The screen is second-to-none in terms of colour quality and is huge - 4.3 inches gets you a lot more than the 3gs. A screen that big might be a little *too* big, if it weren't for the fact that the SGS2 is crazy-thin and super-light. It feels great, though I can't deny that the lightness does lead to it feeling a little fragile at times (a fact that I have more than got used to a few months in). The size makes a huge difference - the phone fits well in any pocket, and doesn't weigh it down and distort it to the same degree that a heavier phone would.

In terms of Android vs iOS, it's no contest for me because I grew to dislike iOS over time. There are too many stupid restrictions (I had to break the law to set my own text alerts, and couldn't get anything onto the lock screen that could tell me my upcoming appointments) that it just feels like you are paying Apple a huge wad of cash to have the privelege of using their software. This really grinded on me for a while, so i ditched them. Obviously, you may well feel differently so it's far more a matter of your personal taste. Android takes a little bit longer to set up - you will need to put in a few hours researching good apps and fiddling with your settings if you want anything beyond stock - but it is all worth it (IMO) to have a phone that does everything you want it to, how you want it to.

There is a reason why almost every review site has the SGS2 at the top of the pile, and why Apple has recently been incredibly litigious against Samsung - their products are genuinely a threat to the iPhone due to their quality.

So yes, that's my opinion. I am, of course, quite biased as should be obvious from my post, but hopefully I have given you some information to go on at least.

@AlexW00d: The Galaxy S2 does not have a 1280x720 screen - it's only 800x480, but uses a gorgeous "SAMOLED+" screen, which'll give you awesome colors... but can't really replicate the sharpness of the "Retina display".

The Nexus phones are a bit more than just rebranded models from various producers (remember, HTC did the first Nexus), but, yes... not really, without having read up on the rumors on the Nexus Prime, I'd guess that the Galaxy S 2 stands somewhere halfway between the Nexus S and the rumored Nexus Prime.

Personally, I'd probably at least wait and see what the new Nexus is about before I dropped any cash. Though, take in mind that I already have a Galaxy S 2 (European).

A significant benefit to the Nexus series phones is that you get vanilla Android - none of the manufacturer non-sense, and you'll get future updates much faster. That's something I wish I had - especially as I don't like the hoops Samsung has you jump through for updates...

Personally, I think Android makes much better phones, while iOS devices make much better toys. And for what it's worth, The Galaxy S 2 fixes some of the things that are bad with Android - choppy UI and slow browsers, etc - by throwing an abundance of CPU at the issues. The greatest drawback to the Galaxy S 2 is battery life... especially when you turn on the backlight (which makes the screen even more gorgeous),

Hope that helps :)

@Mnemoidian: Couple of bits of advice for you as a fellow SGS2 user:

1) You can install custom ROMs including vanilla Android. It's pretty low-risk if you do the research. Best place to look is XDA Developers. I am running Cyanogenmod 7 on mine. It took a few hours of research and a few hours of tinkering, but it's fantastic. Well worth the time investment if you feel up to it, IMO. It may be daunting at first, but it's pretty easy once you've got past the initial 'I don't understand any of these terms' stage.

2) For battery life, I found that JuiceDefender Ultimate (which is a paid-for app) can work wonders - the main drains on battery tend to be data connections, and JD is very good at managing them. For low-use days, I maybe lose 30% from morning to night (listening to 1-2 hours of podcasts, making a couple of calls and texts, not much else), and I rarely drop below 50% even on heavy days (gaming, browsing, using GPS). The main things are that it can learn when to switch on WiFi to connect to specific networks based on your location (without using GPS, it triangulates your approximate location from signal towers) and that it can switch off your data whent he phone is locked. Might want to give it to go.

Hope this helps.

I'd say go for a Samsung Galaxy S2 or the latest HTC phone.

@Duncs: 1) Well, I'm aware of the Cyanogen (and XDA) stuff, but I've elected not to mess around with custom ROMs. I may reconsider this in the future, but at the moment, it's not something I want to put time into getting right.

2) I'll check it out. I've been using Watchdog, which catches misbehaving apps. I've got an unlimited data-plan, so I don't actually use Wifi... but instead I'm pretty much constantly connected... and as a result, I go through about 75% of my battery per 24h monday-friday (I tend to use the phone less during weekends).

On the other hand... I browse a lot, and normally have Spotify running quite often... so it's not a huge surprise that I drain the battery as fast as I do - though my old HTC Hero lasted about 2-3 times longer :)

But thanks, I'll check out JuiceDefender.

The main differences as I see them are apps (iPhone) and customizability (Android). Personally I find the Android has enough apps to keep me covered and I prefer its interface. I also find the lack of dedicated menu and back buttons are a huge screen space waste on the iPhone.

I've had a Nexus One since it came out. When it dies I'd like to get an iPhone just to see how it is for a couple of years. But I like using my phone and haven't regretted the purchase. Backing up is easy and my phone is tied in to my google email and contacts. My address book is easy to sync to another Droid phone if I upgrade. The main thing I like about my phone is the size. Its small and slim. An easy fit in my pocket. You've had the iPhone and experienced it. I say go for a Droid phone.

@Mnemoidian said:

@AlexW00d: The Galaxy S2 does not have a 1280x720 screen - it's only 800x480, but uses a gorgeous "SAMOLED+" screen, which'll give you awesome colors... but can't really replicate the sharpness of the "Retina display".

I know, that's why I didn't say it did. I was referring to the Nexus.

@Vodun said:

I also find the lack of dedicated menu and back buttons are a huge screen space waste on the iPhone.

/agree.

I used to like the iPhone look, but now that I have used a phone which uses the vast majority of its front surface area for screen space I find it extremely restrictive when I use a friend's iPhone from time to time. Thisseems to be an unscaled side-by-side comparison of the SGS2 vs the iPhone 4, and the difference in screen real estate is pretty noticable.

I hate to say it but since Steve Jobs passed away I've been all sentimental about Apple, and now I may be leaning towards the iPhone 4s....

Get the iPhone 4S and then jail break it. Best of both worlds.

@Andorski said:

Get the iPhone 4S and then jail break it. Best of both worlds.

Oh shit I didn't even think about that!

....although I've technically never jail-broken anything before

@SpartyOn said:

@Andorski said:

Get the iPhone 4S and then jail break it. Best of both worlds.

Oh shit I didn't even think about that!

....although I've technically never jail-broken anything before

It's pretty easy on the iPhone 4 with the current iOS. With iOS 5 rolling out with the iPhone 4S, you should probably wait a few weeks for a reliable jailbreak program to use.

@Andorski said:

@SpartyOn said:

@Andorski said:

Get the iPhone 4S and then jail break it. Best of both worlds.

Oh shit I didn't even think about that!

....although I've technically never jail-broken anything before

It's pretty easy on the iPhone 4 with the current iOS. With iOS 5 rolling out with the iPhone 4S, you should probably wait a few weeks for a reliable jailbreak program to use.

Doesn't doing that like void the warranty? And is it possible to screw the phone up doing it?

If i'm completely off base with that it's because I am totally ignorant with that kind of stuff.