Which phone should I choose?

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I'm on Verizon, I won't be getting 4G in my area for at least a year. I have an upgrade available at this point. Here are my choices in no particular order:

1. iPhone 4 -- $199, can't tether and IMO this is a big deal to me. I also will not jailbreak the phone, I'm too scared to do it. Doesn't do 4G of course. I'm not exactly sure why I'm including this phone on the list, maybe because I really like my iPad.

2. Samsung Fascinate -- free. This phone runs on Android 2.2 and I don't think it can update to 2.3 at any time in the future. I may consider rooting this phone at some point. This phone is a bit dated, will not run 4G but it has a fantastic display and the price is certainly right.

3. Samsung Droid Charge -- $299. This phone does 4G and has a great battery. But it's pricey and it doesn't have a dual processor like the Motorola Droid X2. Basically, the presence of this phone means I won't be including the HTC Thunderbolt on this list, the battery is significantly better and the prices are close.

4. Motorola Droid X2 -- $199. This phone does not do 4G, but it has a dual processor. It's the first dual processor phone that's been released on Verizon. I'm not sure how huge of a difference this is but I've read reviews where some people say it's a big deal. This is the phone I'm leaning towards. With the exception of the lack of 4G, this is the phone with the best overall specs IMO-- and it's cheaper than the HTC Thunderbolt and Droid Charge.

[falafel]

Go with the Charge. You can get it from Wirefly for $250 right now. When 4G comes, you're going to want it. I'm not sure how much of a difference the dual core processor is. If you want to do some serious work that might benefit from the dual core, you can do that on your ipad.

[Uncle Ted]

1. iPhone 4 -- $199, can't tether and IMO this is a big deal to me. I also will not jailbreak the phone, I'm too scared to do it. Doesn't do 4G of course. I'm not exactly sure why I'm including this phone on the list, maybe because I really like my iPad.

Go with the iPhone 4 because deep down you know that you want it. It is like an iPad that fits into your pocket that you can talk on. Jailbreaking is legal (Libertarians: 1 Apple: 0) and it's very easy to do. Visit Uncle Ted's official jailbreaking thread and we'll hold your hand...

http://www.cougaruteforum.com/showthread.php?t=26768

Edit: If you are still a little uneasy about jailbreaking even after visiting Uncle Ted's jailbreaking thread then please note you can still tether to your Verizon iPhone without jailbreaking.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I decided on a phone and I went with none of the above. It actually came down to two different phones that weren't on my initial list: the HTC Thunderbolt and the HTC Droid Incredible 2. I went with the Droid incredible 2.

First, the iPhone doesn't do Google Navigation and it doesn't tether for free. I could maybe have gotten past the tethering thing but not the lack of Google Navigation. Additionally, if there's an app that I want, I always have the iPad. True, it doesn't fit in my pocket but the iPhone doesn't do navigation and it doesn't tether for free. The extra abilities of the Droid phone outweighs any marginal benefit I would get with iPhone apps -- especially when I already have an iPad.

As for the Samsung phones, i didn't go for either because Samsung seems to be getting Android OS updates last. It's doubtful whether the Fascinate will ever get Gingerbread and the Droid Charge will probably get it last. Also, I don't like the look and feel of the Samsung phones. The Charge was also ridiculously huge. Finally, I kept on hearing that the Fascinate was buggy and supposedly the Charge freezes up when you go to a website running flash.

I have a built in prejudice for Motorola products and I had heard the Motorola overlay was not good. Despite this, the Droid x2 looked enticing. But again I didnt like the heft.

So that left the two HTC phones. Despite the size of the Thunderbolt, I heavily considered it. I think it's the best Verizon 4G phone. The better screen on the Samsungs carries little weight with me. What matters more to me is the fact the HTCs have more RAM, the Android overlay is more polished, and HTC gets Android updates sooner than Samsung.

So the decision came down to either going with 4g and dealing with the size of the Thunderbolt along with the additional cost, or going for the less expensive and slimmer Incredible 2. The Thunderbolt was $250. The Incredible 2 was $80. I went for the Incredible 2. As I mentioned previously, 4g is not going to be available in my area for at least another year. By that time, I can just use the extra $170 I saved and buy a 2nd or 3rd generation Verizon 4g phone and get an early upgrade.

[old_gregg]

I'm thinking about dumping AT&T... tired of their bullshit. They aren't as evil as Comcast, but pretty darn close. For the past 6 or 7 years, I've been using this silver-haired beauty:



The Nokia 3120. Great phone.

Anyone here a customer of Virgin Wireless? I'm thinking about switching to their all-you-can-eat data plan + 1200 voice minutes for $40/month. The LG Optimus V looks nice:



Yes, no, maybe so?

(Thanks in advance for input, recommendations, sob stories, mockery and insults, etc.)

cheers.

I've thought about something like virgin or boost mobile. Honestly they seem like good options but I really don't want to tell people I have boost mobile.

[Surfah]

I've thought about something like virgin or boost mobile. Honestly they seem like good options but I really don't want to tell people I have boost mobile.

I miss the where you at commercials.

That Nokia 3120 is one of the best phones ever. Gidget used it for years before getting the Evo. I really wish Nokia would have gone Android. IMO they're the best cell phone maker out there. I dig the old candy bar designs. The N series phones are fantastic.

[old_gregg]

I've thought about something like virgin or boost mobile. Honestly they seem like good options but I really don't want to tell people I have boost mobile.

ok, virgin has a $25 unlimited messaging/data plan with 300 minutes... that is so tempting. and the site says they run off sprint's network?

[Surfah]

ok, virgin has a $25 unlimited messaging/data plan with 300 minutes... that is so tempting. and the site says they run off sprint's network?

I just wish Virgin had decent phones.

[old_gregg]

I just wish Virgin had decent phones.

the optimus v looks ok. it's no evo or other power user phone by any means, but i think this is just what we were looking for for my wife whose t-mobile contract just ended. for her we would go with the $40 1200 minute plan.

[FMCoug]

For those who have 4G, how much do you use it? I find it drains the battery so badly that the only time I ever use it is to tether if I happen to be in a hotel that charges for WiFi and is in a Sprint 4G area.

[Surfah]

the optimus v looks ok. it's no evo or other power user phone by any means, but i think this is just what we were looking for for my wife whose t-mobile contract just ended. for her we would go with the $40 1200 minute plan.

Yeah looking back I probably should have done something similar for Gidget.

[falafel]

For those who have 4G, how much do you use it? I find it drains the battery so badly that the only time I ever use it is to tether if I happen to be in a hotel that charges for WiFi and is in a Sprint 4G area.

I usually keep it on all day, but that's because I have my phone plugged in while I'm at work. On the weekends, my phone is dead by noon.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I usually keep it on all day, but that's because I have my phone plugged in while I'm at work. On the weekends, my phone is dead by noon.

I know a guy who has an Evo and he bought an upgraded battery for about $50.

[FMCoug]

I know a guy who has an Evo and he bought an upgraded battery for about $50.

I have that battery. 4G will still suck it dry.

[falafel]

I know a guy who has an Evo and he bought an upgraded battery for about $50.

Yeah, me too. But that battery is huge.