Well, for some that's a potential drawback. Standardization isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Thank you guys.

I'm not too knowledgable on android and iPhone app stuff. What is the difference between the two if any at all? Do they have the same apps, etc?

This is INCREDIBLY stupid. 81% of all Android devices are on version 4. Yes they are split between versions 4.0,4.1,4.2, etc but they are all pretty similar. Saying only 3.5% are on the current version is misleading as ****. (btw it is 5.3% not 3.5%) I notice you don't mention the stats for iOS 7.1 but instead lump it in with iOS 7.0

As someone who develops for both platforms I can tell you that it makes almost no difference if someone is on Android 4.1 or 4.4. Just like iOS 7.0 and 7.1

EDIT: Oh and the 19% of the Android users on old versions are cheap knock off tablets and such. It's damn hard to find anyone in the US with a phone that isn't on version 4

The "fragmentation" argument is all sorts of stupid these days.

Almost any app you can find on one platform you'll be able to find on the other (or a similar one that functions the same). The biggest difference these days is that Android apps tend to be free while iOS are pay. Of course there is always a trade off there as well.

Just to re-emphasize how old my phone is: Android 2.3.3

I'm getting the brand new HTC one, probably today.

yeah, like you said your phone is over 3 years old now. Very few people hold onto a phone that long. 2 years is usually the longest (with 18 months the average) that a person keeps a phone.

What do you think, Kyle? HTC One or Samsung S5? Or should I wait for iPhone 6?

I am waiting to see what LG is going to roll out. But I have to buy my phones outright to maintain my unlimited data plan. It will be so boss on 4G.

I don't think you can go wrong with the HTC One or S5. The HTC One is a much better looking phone (IMHO) but it doesn't have a removable battery.

Your best bet is to go to your local carrier store or BestBuy and play around with both and see which you like best. Sorry to be so wishy washy but I honestly haven't decided which of those two to get myself.

I will say that I am tempted to get the HTC One just so I can get the HTC Mini+ to play around with.

http://www.htc.com/managed-assets/sh...s-slide-01.png

Bluetooth accessory that can act as a phone while you use your phone to do other things (games, music, video, etc) and even better it is a TV remote and can be used as a camera remote for your phone. Oh and it's a laser pointer!

Although the S5 has wireless charging and a bunch of fitness accessories that I hear are pretty sweet.

The LG G3 is rumored to have an 8 core processor, 2k resolution, 3 gb of RAM... the hawtness.

So you're deciding between the HTC One and SS5? What's the purpose or significant in having a removable battery? Is that a big deal? Thank you

If you get a lemon of a battery you can replace it or have the option to buy a bigger battery. Also with the removeable battery comes the capability to add a memory card.

The removable battery is really only a big deal if you want to carry a spare in situations where you will need to use the phone for 8+ hours and not have an opportunity to charge up during that time.

I like the idea but in reality I have never found myself needing it.

While that sounds funny and I thought so at first as well, I actually have been in situations where I was using my phone for something and it would be REALLY nice to not have to stop that just to take a call. I don't think it holds a great deal of use for most people but if you do a ton of presentations the bluetooth, IR blaster and laser pointer are pretty sweet.

True but the HTC One also has a microsd card slot but just doesn't have a removable battery. It's actually slightly better in that it can go all the way to 128GB while I think the S5 only goes to 64GB... but of course no one really needs more than 64GB.

I'm in nearly the same position as you: I've got 2.3.6. I need an upgrade so badly. I've basically talked myself into buying a Galaxy S5 in a few weeks (mostly I want a good camera and because I'm already very familiar with Samsung's UI and I'm a man of technological habit).

My phone is running 2.2.2, so suck it!

Another phone to look at is the Oppo Find 7, which also comes with a removable battery. Not sure how much support you would get if you bought one in the US, though. But there is a model that specifically supports US LTE.

Anyone know the size difference between HTC ONE and S5? Anything bigger than S3 is a deal breaker.

Galaxy S3 = 5.38 x 2.78 x 0.34 in
Galaxy S4 = 5.38 x 2.75 x 0.31 in
Galaxy S5 = 5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 in
HTC One (M8) = 5.76 x 2.78 x 0.37 in

Less than half an inch taller and virtually identical width and depth.

So basically S3 size (except slightly taller for the HTC One)

Ok this thread drew me in.

Just bought a samsung galaxy note 3 off ebay.

Hope I like it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281309610154...84.m1439.l2649

rate my purchase.

The HTC One M8 is probably the biggest 5" phone on the market. This is because it has the 2 speakers on the front and then they still have that terribly useless htc logo on the front that does not a damn thing. If it weren't for the "OOOOOOOOOO Shiny!" feeling people get from the metal body a lot more people would be bitching about the size compared to the other phones with the same size screen.

Even Sony, who have some of the biggest bezels in the industry, managed to fit their 5.2" Z2 in the same body size as the M8.

Not bad, brand new one retails for about 7

I'd have to give that purchase a 0/10.

Great phone, great price, but that model doesn't support US frequencies.

I just don't see the purpose of spending that much money on a phone to be stuck in the world of 3G. If I'm spending that much coin on a phone I want to be able to use the best currently available, otherwise I'd save the money and get a Moto G or something.

The **** are you talking about? That phone is for Verizon.

Read the "item specifics" and the model number, bud. That is the N9000. The N9005 is the model that supports US frequencies.

In the description he puts carrier Verizon. Verizon phones are unlocked. So either A: he doesn't know what he's talking about and just pulled some template eBay unlocked bullshit or B: he's lying. I'm gonna go with A

Maybe, but considering 99% of what that user sells is phones and that on ebay.ca there's this...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Mint-Samsung-...-/281289865723

That item description of theirs looks awfully familiar. Except this time they actually use a SM-9005 template.

I'd find it hard to believe that they just pulled some random eBay template

I wouldn't go that far. There's far more apps on Android IMO. Of course, there's more shit too.

And there's a metric ton of apps on iOS that are free, although the best apps are usually pay (or IAP).

Since almost every phone now has a reset sequence, there's really no reason for a removable battery anymore. Back in the old days, having a removable battery was almost required.

I've got a Nexus 7 and an assortment of iOS things around, and find the Android world to be full of a whole bunch of crap. Outside those large apps that are on both platforms (Pocket, Tumblr, FlipBoard) I struggle to find apps that are of the quality and finish that's on iOS. Apps that I use all the time with no real android equal?

- Editorial
- OmniFocus
- Reeder
- Drafts
- Chunky Comic Reader
- Day One

To say nothing about the games that are amazing that don't do IAP or ads:

- Monument
- Device 6
- Threes
- Letterpress

Conversely, I have yet to find something in the Android world that there is no equal or superior app on iOS.

LMAO

I have a Note 3. Best phone I've had so far...

Yep, this is exactly how I feel about it now.

Anyone looking for a phone needs to be looking at the OnePlus One. It's so damn amazing that you have to be invited by the company to actually purchase one...

http://www.phonedog.com/2014/04/17/o...tation-system/

LMAO

ROFL WTF?

Just activated my LG g2 last night and loving it, big improvement from my motorola razr, and still working on customizing it to my needs.

The G3 looks like it's going to be a badass phone.

I just picked up the HTC one m8 love it

Yeah I still haven't decided if I wanna change from an iPhone to a Samsung Galaxy S5. I played with the S5 the other day and it didn't really awe me. Maybe I'm afraid to change lol. I just don't see an overall huge difference. I'll probably play with it some more soon.

Just got my Nexus 5 today. It's glorious.

Yeah, it does look awesome.

It's just so fast with everything, no more waiting for apps to pop up.

The great thing about Nexus is the stock Android UI.

Yeah, that's why I bought it. I upgraded from a Galaxy Nexus, so I was primarily looking for the hardware upgrade. It's WAY more "buttery", and they've done some nice things with KitKat. I'm rooted of course, but I'm even holding off on installing Cyanogenmod for now - there just aren't a ton of things I'm missing.

I really wish Samsung would give an option for stock Android and TouchWiz. It's better now than it used to be, but I still like the functionality of Stock.

Haven't tried Cyanogen on this. Probably won't unless there are features for the stylus.

i want that one it looks so slick! My contract isnt up for a while, i forgot they changed their ****ing policy bastards. Im not about to drop 700 for a phone.

When does the iPhone 6 release?

Couldn't find anything remotely close to official but this article says May or June.

http://m.digitaltrends.com/mobile/ip...rumors/#!E3g67

Also gives some interesting changes/updates. Unfortunately it also says it's going to be expensive as shit.

I wonder how accurate that is...

I've heard the small screen iPhone 6 comes out in September and the big screen comes out in December.

Went and got the Galaxy S4 last night.

I've got (and love) an S4... why not go S5 if it's available?!?

S4 $50
S5 $150

From what I can tell the S5 is larger, offers a little more battery life (2800 vs 2600 mAh), and has the heart rate monitor thing.

For the price, not worth it IMO.

I got the S4 plus a 2yr warranty through squaretrade for less than the cost of the S5.

anyone try republic wireless?

https://republicwireless.com/

They are offering a Moto G for $150 (no contract). Then pricing plans from $10-40.


I am cheap, and a late adopter, and have never owned a smart phone. I currently use Net 10. The trick with their pricing is that their service uses wireless connections for calls.

At this point it's pretty easy to read into the tea leaves for the iPhone because of the huge number of them that they've got to prep for launch. You'll see things start to leak out of the supply chain well in advance and we're already seeing that.

Based on the timing of things relative to last year's release an announcement and launch in late september/early october is what I would predict for this year too.

I've got an iPhone 4s with a broken lock button and a mute switch that mostly works some of the time so I'm watching this intently. I also have no hope whatsoever that they would put out a new phone around WWDC in June.

You'll probably see a major update to the Apple TV, maybe a new product category and maybe Retina class desktop displays in June. Early betas of the next version of OS X and iOS are a lock for WWDC.

My mother lost her old Razr flip phone so I bought her a Moto X.

She designed it...

http://i.imgur.com/BoBmsN6.png?1

When I first heard about the whole wood back shit I thought it was pretty cheesy. But, I'm not gonna lie... that's a sexy phone.

That looks nice. You wouldn't think...

That's pretty sexy right there. Hope it looks that nice in person.

7 inch smartphone anyone?

http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_to_m...-news-8355.php

The size war gets more reeruned by the hour.

1) I'm not sure what's really new about this; the Note 8 can be used as a phone.

2) I don't think there's really a "size war" - put a chip in a tablet and it becomes a phone. The only question is what the market is for large-screen phones that are essentially tablets that can make phone calls.

Can be, but the Note 8 is marketed as a tablet and I doubt anyone bought it to be used as a phone.

This is supposedly going to be a smartphone. Unless the author is simply being ignorant and calling it what it isn't.

I would have to imagine that a "smartphone" that size would have a very limited market because there's just no easy way to carry that around. They are already pushing the boundaries of what you can fit in your pocket.

I work with a few asians at my workplace (trying to be as non racist as possible here) and they all have the Note 3's. They love these huge ****ing phones it seems so there definitely is a market.

It's really not a race thing.

I have one. A lot of drivers have these large phones.

Too big. 5.5 to 5.7 is perfect, IMO.

You can always bash Samsung for making large smart phones, BUT at least they give consumers a choice, and at a variety of sizes to

Yep

Being a driver, having a large screen phone for navigation is extremely useful.

I just wish that Samsung, HTC, and LG followed the Sony model of making a flagship mini. I hate that all of their mini's are dumbed down mid range phones. I really like the LG G2 and when I heard about the mini I thought that was gonna be my next phone and the rumors were it was going to be a Sonyesque mini. Then it released and its damn near the same ****ing phone as their L90 just with the G2 buttons on the back. Stupid.

http://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3...&idPhone2=6077

Just look at that. Virtually identical inside. The L90 even has a slightly bigger battery.

Mine arrived yesterday. I won't have time to swap out to a micro-SIM until this weekend though, so I haven't even turned it on. It looks nice though.

Apparently the Moto X+1 is going to be unveiled in 11 days.

I should give thanks for the Republic wireless suggestion, we switched to that, Good phones and cheap prices can't beat that.

Does anybody know anything about the Galaxy Gear? It's the stupid little watch that you can sync to your phone. I have a Note 2, and I can get a good deal on one of these things. Are they compatible with Note 2's or just Note 3 etc? Is there anything to worry about them if you buy used, such as with phones if they are unlocked or clean ESN or whatever?

S5 Prime should be getting released pretty soon.

Isn't that a korean only model?

As of now, yes. Rumors suggest otherwise.

If the rumored specs are true, Samsung would be wise to release it in the US.

It'll be coming I have little doubt.