Not another "which droid" thread

[Malfeasant]

So its that time again. My lifetime contract has finally expired and I'm finally free to scrap the old cell and get me a new one!

Unfortunately for me, I'm really out of the loop (seems to be a trend round here nya?). The last time I've delved into the mobile phone scene was when Nokias were still good. Fast-forward to today and I suddenly find myself in this weird world where, when I say "Iphone is teh bestest!", someone actually disagrees with me (and even more scary, they can come up with a convincing argument why). The result is that all these options available to me have left me utterly distraught.
However, luckily I happen to have joined a caring, patient and knowledgeable community to help me with this pressing dilemma. (yay me!)

On to business:

As I'm sure you can tell from the Title, I've ultimately decided that I want a droid. For now they seem to hold the best phones price-vs-performance-wise and tbh I'm bored of Symbian, don't want a BB and can't afford an Iphone ( a new one in any case).


Through a bit of searching, I've come across a few options I have in mind:

HTC Desire - Don't really know what to say about it. Has gotten good reviews around the board, and the general vibe I've gotten from this forum is that It's a really good phone. Though nothing spectacular stands out that makes me want it. Maybe I'm missing something?

Moto Defy - I won't lie to you guys, I was really leaning towards this phone. At first, upon hearing its a "rugged" phone, I didn't really give it much thought. But spending some time on these forums has kinda changed my mind. Looks and feels like a really sturdy phone and features look really nice. Only thing that bothers me is no 720p recording. I like my home videos and 720p woulda been really great.

Galaxy S - I see Cell-C has this for 145pm. When I started out I'd made up my mind not to pay more than 130pm if I take out a contract, but this is the Galaxy S we're talking about. Reviews I've read all glorify this puppy. Any feedback from you guys? Do you reckon the extra $$$ is worth it to choose in place of the Defy?

Optimus Black - Saw today that this is due to replace Defy on RBM contract. At a recommended retail price of R3999, there might be a few good contract deals up ahead no? What do you guys think? The specs look REALLY great. And that Nova display looks SCHWEET! However, reviews tout the battery as relatively weak. This could be a problem. I normally use my phone ALOT, so I'd need it to go a day on one charge.

So there they are folks. Please feel free to add to this paltry list. Are there any other phones in this range with a good price vs performance ratio? How is your SGS/Defy/Desire/Black treating ya atm?

And thanks in advance. Hopefully its just a matter of time before I join the Droid family.

 

[bullzeye.za]

Loving my Galaxy S, so can give a strong suggestion for that.

Don't know about the others first hand, though the NOVA display is apparently not a match for the AMOLED of the Galaxy S and S2

 

[Malfeasant]

Loving my Galaxy S, so can give a strong suggestion for that.

Don't know about the others first hand, though the NOVA display is apparently not a match for the AMOLED of the Galaxy S and S2

Ty lots for your input. Hmm. If what you say about nova is true, then the black might not be worth it depending on the contract price its going for. The features are more or less same as the sgs iirc, but then theres always the case of continued support... Damn this is hard. See why i need ur help guys?

 

[Elimentals]

HTC Desire - Don't really know what to say about it. Has gotten good reviews around the board, and the general vibe I've gotten from this forum is that It's a really good phone. Though nothing spectacular stands out that makes me want it. Maybe I'm missing something?

I personally think this is one of the most hacked(Not cracked) phones out there, I even see more ROM support for this than the Nexus One that is suppose to be the Google flagship when it comes to hacking. Personally I love my Desire as it was my 1st intro into the Android world.

I have a DHD now for my day to day phone and still use my old Desire to test all kinds of crap on, from Themes to ROMs and apps. Its really a great device as it takes everything I chuck at it, expect for the high end FPS Gameloft games.

 

[HapticSimian]

I personally think this is one of the most hacked(Not cracked) phones out there, I even see more ROM support for this than the Nexus One that is suppose to be the Google flagship when it comes to hacking. Personally I love my Desire as it was my 1st intro into the Android world.

True that, but be aware that to get the most out of it you'll need to be willing to mod it to the ends of the Earth from day one. Otherwise you're just going to end up frustrated with the measly internal memory - you'll run out of space to install apps in no time flat.

Modded as mine is, it's going to be the first phone since my N95 to see me to the end of my contract period without me wanting to flush it down the crapper. But do keep in mind that it's now really starting to get a bit long in the tooth. But then, none of the phones you're considering are exactly cutting edge...

 

[permanentmarker]

I am loving my Galaxy S.

It has official updates all the way to Gingerbread which means you dont have to load a custom rom. And then when you feel the need to try out a custom rom there are tons made specifically for the sgs.

The screen is exceptional too.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using MyBroadband Android App

 

[Vulk]

Wait, the Optimus Black is now available on RMB 200? Where did you read this? It looks like the RBM website hasn't been updated yet.

Anyway, I read the Engadget review of the Optimus Black, and my impression is that it sounds like a stylish, thin phone with nice industrial design and decent mid-range specs, that would be good to run with a custom ROM.

The disadvantages they mentioned - UI sluggishness and battery life, mostly - are also problems that affected my Desire until I installed an AOSP ROM.

 

[Malfeasant]

I personally think this is one of the most hacked(Not cracked) phones out there, I even see more ROM support for this than the Nexus One that is suppose to be the Google flagship when it comes to hacking. Personally I love my Desire as it was my 1st intro into the Android world.

I have a DHD now for my day to day phone and still use my old Desire to test all kinds of crap on, from Themes to ROMs and apps. Its really a great device as it takes everything I chuck at it, expect for the high end FPS Gameloft games.

Too bad about the Games. can anyone comment on the gaming capabilities of the other phones? How do they handle em?

True that, but be aware that to get the most out of it you'll need to be willing to mod it to the ends of the Earth from day one. Otherwise you're just going to end up frustrated with the measly internal memory - you'll run out of space to install apps in no time flat.

Modded as mine is, it's going to be the first phone since my N95 to see me to the end of my contract period without me wanting to flush it down the crapper. But do keep in mind that it's now really starting to get a bit long in the tooth. But then, none of the phones you're considering are exactly cutting edge...

Yep. Unfortunately I can't afford a "cutting edge" phone at this time. But I think that a mid-range one will be sufficient for my first droid no? Ofc I'd prefer a SGS2 but hey...

I am loving my Galaxy S.

It has official updates all the way to Gingerbread which means you dont have to load a custom rom. And then when you feel the need to try out a custom rom there are tons made specifically for the sgs.

The screen is exceptional too.

Hmm, another +1 for SGS then. Good to hear. Though, I was in cell c today, and boy.. I didn't realise the SGS was such a large phone. The optimus black too. Guess that's the price one has to pay for a 4" screen. How's day-to-day usage for you SGS owners? Doesn't the size make it uncomfortable? Or is it just me?

Wait, the Optimus Black is now available on RMB 200? Where did you read this? It looks like the RBM website hasn't been updated yet.

Anyway, I read the Engadget review of the Optimus Black, and my impression is that it sounds like a stylish, thin phone with nice industrial design and decent mid-range specs, that would be good to run with a custom ROM.

The disadvantages they mentioned - UI sluggishness and battery life, mostly - are also problems that affected my Desire until I installed an AOSP ROM.

Yep, it sure is. I have a Cell C pamphlet here somewhere with the Optimus Black advertised on RBM 200. Also, I vaguely remember seeing a thread about it here somewhere with the Cell C rep stating it'll arrive somewhere in August. SO you think a simple ROM install will fix the above mentioned issues with the Optimus Black? I read a similar review, where they highlighted the same problems.

 

[permanentmarker]

I find it to be pretty easy in the pocket, it's really slim which is a plus. I recall my 5800 XM as more uncomfortable in the pocket.

On the plus side, the 4" screen makes browsing and typing much easier - especially for someone with gorilla hands like me.

For a mid-range phone its doing everything I need really well and you don't have to worry about the internal memory problem of the desire. There's plenty of space here.

 

[Ancalagon]

I'd avoid LG phones unless you want to load a custom rom on them.

Moto Defy is good. SGS is better, but more expensive and less rugged. Depends on what you want/need.

 

[Vulk]

SO you think a simple ROM install will fix the above mentioned issues with the Optimus Black? I read a similar review, where they highlighted the same problems.

The speed issue, definitely. Stock Android will run fast and smooth on 1ghz cpu, where as manufacturer overlays are notorious for slowing down the phone. If you run a homescreen replacement app like LauncherPro or Zeam on top of a custom ROM, it will feel even faster.

The battery issue, somewhat. I've definitely seen an improvement in battery life on my phone since I installed a custom ROM. In its stock configuration, the phone seemed to die somewhere in the late afternoon regardless of what I did with it. These days, if usage is normal, it can make it to the evening and still be on 50% or more. On the other hand, there are certain heavy-usage scenarios (playing games, watching video, browsing the internet for extended periods, anything that keeps the screen on for a long time really) that still destroy the battery, so I keep spare USB cable to recharge the phone at work just in case.

 

[Elimentals]

Too bad about the Games. can anyone comment on the gaming capabilities of the other phones? How do they handle em?

The Games I was refering to wont run on any of those phones listed.

Example
http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/rainbow-6-shadow-vanguard/ or
http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/dungeon-hunter-2-for-android/

The normal games on the Android Market have no issues. Only reason I mentioned the games is that was one of the reasons I bought a DHD.

 

[FarligOpptreden]

+1 to SGS. Still loving mine. Screen is awesome and the phone is surprisingly rugged.

 

[phoneJunky]

Out of those choices, I would choose the SGS. I have one, and it fits nicely into my jean pocket. Really have no issue with it being to large. When I had to make the decision I compared the SGS directly to the iPhone and the SGS won that battle for me. There is already lots of phones better than the iPhone 4 out, so I can't justify buying a iPhone at this point of time when it is so much more expensive than lets say the SGS.

Just make sure you are up to date with your OS, the SGS didn't feel so good when it had eclair on it. I currently get loads of battery life out of it but I turn of my data network when I am not using it.

 

[Malfeasant]

The Games I was refering to wont run on any of those phones listed.

Example
http://www.gameloft.com/android-game...adow-vanguard/ or
http://www.gameloft.com/android-game...2-for-android/

The normal games on the Android Market have no issues. Only reason I mentioned the games is that was one of the reasons I bought a DHD.

Ah sorry. Must've misunderstood you then. Lol . Man I wish I could afford a higher end phone. Those games look AWESOME!

I'd avoid LG phones unless you want to load a custom rom on them.

Moto Defy is good. SGS is better, but more expensive and less rugged. Depends on what you want/need.

Just as you say there. Only problem is, going by the feature sets, all of them would suit my needs pretty well. Hence the difficulty :/

The speed issue, definitely. Stock Android will run fast and smooth on 1ghz cpu, where as manufacturer overlays are notorious for slowing down the phone. If you run a homescreen replacement app like LauncherPro or Zeam on top of a custom ROM, it will feel even faster.

The battery issue, somewhat. I've definitely seen an improvement in battery life on my phone since I installed a custom ROM. In its stock configuration, the phone seemed to die somewhere in the late afternoon regardless of what I did with it. These days, if usage is normal, it can make it to the evening and still be on 50% or more. On the other hand, there are certain heavy-usage scenarios (playing games, watching video, browsing the internet for extended periods, anything that keeps the screen on for a long time really) that still destroy the battery, so I keep spare USB cable to recharge the phone at work just in case.

Going by what you're saying, my battery would probably die everyday then...hehe


So far the galaxy s really looks like the way to go then. That screen really is tempting. And I guess I take care of my phone well enough, so a rugged phone isn't really necessary. Specs all look great, and price is reasonable I guess. I'll see if I can make a turn by Cell C this weekend. Just hope they have stock. Ofc anyone who thinks another option would be better, please do tell. You have till the end of the week. Lol.

 

[Synaesthesia]

My only recommendation is to try and avoid a contract, and buy the phone outright. Much less hassle, more flexibility and Cell C have ridiculously awesome prepaid data rates. I've seen Galaxy S phones for sale for R2000-R2500.

 

[Malfeasant]

My only recommendation is to try and avoid a contract, and buy the phone outright. Much less hassle, more flexibility and Cell C have ridiculously awesome prepaid data rates. I've seen Galaxy S phones for sale for R2000-R2500.

Galaxy s for 2.5k? New? Are you serious? I wasn't aware they were so cheap on prepaid. Do you have a link or ref to a store that sells it for that price? Coz prepaid would DEFINITELY be preferable to contract.

 

[Synaesthesia]

It wasn't new. It was 2nd hand. But maybe you can find a good deal, especially one with a warranty.

 

[Malfeasant]

It wasn't new. It was 2nd hand. But maybe you can find a good deal, especially one with a warranty.

I guess the warranty wouldn't make much difference if I plan on installing roms and rooting it no? Then again, a NEW phone just gives one a certain peace of mind that a second hand one can't compare to. Or at least for me it does. But thanks for the heads up. A second hand phone is definitely an option, though one I would have to give a bit of thought to.