I switched from the iPHone to a note II and don't use my tablet anymore.

My wife (who isn't good with technology) switched from the iPhone 4 to S4 and is loving it. Pictures are great, very easy to upload to The Facebook or whatever else.

This is why I hate Samsung phones. They're just too freaking big. If they made a smaller phone, I'd probably buy it.

http://www.androidbeat.com/2013/10/v.../#.UkyoKZm9LCQ

Luv, how important is music playback to you on your phone?

You mean that's really a thing? I thought it was some kind of joke.

Not very. The only time I listen to music is when I workout, and I usually just put on my Salt-n-Pepa radio on Pandora. I want a decent camera, easily accessible internet, and, well, that's about it. I have Siri on the 4s, but I hardly ever use her.

I would go with one of the androids then.

Not quite sure why you are not into the 5s if camera and internet are all you care about.

Whatever you end up deciding on your 4s is worth a fair amount to sell depending on your carrier and may cover your upgrade charge

I do a lot of online research, but am very interested in some of your opinions here on CP. Currently looking to get back into the smartphone world. Been using a basic for two years. On T-Mobile, so will be paying for the phone monthly.

Right now it's between the note 3, g2, or the upcoming nexus. I would consider the new Sony z1, if it was available. Really liking the note 3 reviews, but I haven't held one yet. I like the specs and it should last a few years, especially with the ability to swap batteries. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

Well the G2 software has gotten awful reviews. The hardware has gotten good remarks, but that skin...ouch.

I'm a big believer in the Nexus program. Dealing directly with Google and avoiding the carriers and manufacturer skins...it's just great. And being GSM and unlocked, for me perfect.

But everyone has different tastes and different needs. I don't care about removable batteries or storage. If you do, no Nexus. I also think Samsung has some of the worst design language of any mobile company. Every time I see one of their products it makes me cry. So, you know, try before you buy. :)

Happy with the 5c I got. Plastic body's no big deal, and aside from that I think the 5s has some extra camera flashes and a slightly faster chip. For the $100 upgrade (vs. the $200 upgrade for the 5s) it's fine.

I'm also a fan of the Nexus family. I'm an Android purist, and it's great to get updates so quickly compared to a lot of the third-party devices.

I've been using a nexus 7 since they came out, which got my wife to upgrade her phone to a nexus 4 earlier in the year. Love stock android and quick updates. I have heard very little good about the G2 skin. The only thing worrying me about the nexus 5 is the small battery. I really don't want to be tethered to a charger. I'm not a power user, but I want to use my phone. These big beast phones like the note 3 and g2 have good reviews on battery life.

I would consider an iPhone, if I wasn't already set up with a lot of android apps. I love android and it's openness. Don't want to deal with iTunes to set a ringtone. BTW, I am really intrigued with the note because... This is going to sound funny.... I like to eat messy stuff. My fingers get messy. Make my screen messy. Most styli suck. Note has the s pen which seems to be amazing. Sounds crazy, I'm sure.

This isn't a solution to battery issues per se, but as someone with a phone with limited battery life, this thing is awesome:

http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Exter...dp/B005K7192G/

I keep it charged up at home and take it along any time I'm running low. It's a little clunky, but charges my phone three times.

Love my charging brick

I picked up this one when it was on Sale for $29

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Damn, that's a lot of juice! I went with the smaller one just because it fits in my pocket easily, but it would be nice to be able to carry around enough power to charge my phone and four of my friends'. :)