Hellobee Boards

What kind of things do you want to do with it? How do you normally use your phone? Mostly phone calls? Texting? Do you like to watch videos on it? Do you surf the net on it a lot?

I just got the Note 3 and imo it's specs and features make it the top phone out there right now, second maybe to the Nexus 5 (depending somewhat on what you like). I picked the Note for the nice big screen since I do a lot of watching videos, viewing pictures and surfing the internet on it.

I'm surprised your DH isn't recommending the S4, since that is the newest version. Also a great phone.

I have the note 2 but I'm getting the note 3 soon. I love love love the one I have! An iphone is tempting but the notes are amazing!

The Galaxy out-performs the iPhone like crazy. I'd definitely take the Galaxy if it were between the two.

The Notes are really nice but HUGE. Definitely go hold one and test it out in your hand before you buy that one.

@loveisstrange: they are huuuuuuuuuge but you get used to it

@loveisstrange: I drop it a lot cuz of the size.

@pui: I one hand it a lot - like I am right now - which causes the drops. still love it though!

i have an iphone 5. i love it. this is my first smart phone b/c before now we were just too cheap to upgrade to a smart phone! we have an iPad and iMac so it just makes sense. we just got apple tv on black friday and all the devices can be synced up. it's fun!

Bumping this because DH and I are looking to upgrade!

The iPhone still trumps the Galaxy for several reasons:

1. Apps - they are always available first for the iPhone (may never be available on Galaxy)

2. Better videos/music selection - iTunes versus Samsung Hub

3. Better design and build quality - metal/glass versus plastic

4. Free tech support from Apple (who supports the Galaxy? Do you call Samsung or your service provider?)

5. Better--more consistent/reliable--software upgrades

6. Can use it with one hand

And that's just for starters!

I love my iPhone 5s but I do wish it had Swype. It does make texting easier.

@MsLipGloss:

1) Almost all apps are available for both. And there are plenty of apps available for Android not available for iPhone. Android now makes up more than half the market, you think developers are not going to try and target both to make the most money?

2) Who uses Samsung Hub lmao? Google Play store is where it is at. You can even torrent things on an Android phone.

3) That's debatable if you ask me. I see way more broken screens on iPhones than on Samsung ones. Never had a phone casing or screen break on me or my DH and DH drops his phone constantly.

4) Support depends on where you buy the phone from.

5) How? Android updates have no issues I have seen and most popular Android phones have updates very soon after they are released. If you want even faster updates, get the Nexus 5.

6) I use my DH's Samsung S4 with one hand all the time, and I have small hands.

The dealbreaker? Price. Each has their pros and cons, but considering Android has as many pros as iPhones do and costs less, it's a no brainer. Also spec wise, Android wins by a landslide.

@MsLipGloss: Aggressive? How? Your list isn't aggressive but somehow mine is? o_O

Also, everything I said above does apply to the Samsung phones.

@MsLipGloss: ... "Android is stuck with Windows"... I'm sorry, but it is clearly you who doesn't know what you are talking about.

iPhone for lyfe *holds up some sort of gang sign*

Aside from what @MsLipGloss: said - I find the other phones too big for my hands comfort wise.. and we already have everything Apple.

@pui: Yeah - I totally didn't complete my thought with that one - sorry!

I should have written . . . With Android, just as with Windows, the code must be more generic and abstracted for a wide range of component choices and form factors.

@MsLipGloss: That is actually a bit of a fallacy... the only real difference between Android Phones and Apple phones is hardware. Apple controls all their hardware, while virtually anyone can make an Android phone with various hardware specs.

Think of it like a desktop machine. Some desktop computers have poor hardware specs and will have a lot of trouble running software, but upgrade that computer with new hardware and it will handle the software with no issues. Apps are really just programs run by your phone, which is a mini computer.

No software for a computer is made for a specific computer, only specific specs, yet people manage to get computers that run the software without buying a computer made specifically for that software. If your specs meet or exceed the specs the software needs, it will work. The specs do not need to match the software perfectly, they just need to be as good or better.

So you're part right. An app in iTunes will always run well on your iPhone, because Apple always makes sure that the specs of their phones meet the requirements of the apps, because they also control the apps. It also means the apps are limited... but that probably doesn't matter for you.

On the other hand, it is very possible to buy a bad Android device and it can't run anything well. However, if you buy a phone with good specs, it will run fine. If you buy a top of the line phone (Like the Nexus 5, Samsung S4 or Note 3) it will run perfectly because the specs meet and exceed the apps' requirements.

The difference is... Android apps keep being developed for better and better specs as things are constantly improving, but they may improve before the last generation of phones has been retired. Apple never lets the apps exceed the ability of their devices, so even though the specs of their devices are worse, they make up for it by not innovating too quickly with their apps too.

@Mrs. J: I read through this thread and a lot of it is like a foreign language to me (I am not a techie!), but if you have an iPad I think it makes sense for you to have an iPhone. I have both as well and it's really convenient to be able to sync everything up. I also have Dropbox on both so it automatically saves my pics/videos from both devices.

Love my iPhone specifically for the photos--DH has a samsung S4 and the camera is nowhere near as good--it's much slower and the pics come out blurrier on average--although comparing an ideal pic from my phone to his, his is nicer! But it's easier to get a good pic on my phone (and I only have the 4, so I imagine the newer ones are even better).