Cautious on what phone to get, could you help me pick one? - General Questions and Answers

For months now I've been stuck on MetroPCS with the Huawei Ascend. I'm generally a patient person but I've become so angry with this company it's just unreal to me.
Anyway, I'm stuck on this crappy phone with 256 RAM and not even a fast processor.
I've decided to choose Sprint over AT&T (still in debate) and I've chosen a Sprint smartphone, one that I think offers speed and reliability, because it's what I really want out of a phone.
My options are: HTC EVO or the HTC EVO Shift
Which should I get? Which is faster? Help me please.
And a separate other question, is the Samsung Captivate a fast phone for AT&T?

In my opinion the HTC EVO is for people who like doing non essential things like gaming, internet surfing etc. But the HTC EVO shift is for people who text more and use it for business and I think the HTC EVO shift is speedier. Sorry if this was no help since I don't have any specs
Sent from my Speedy HTC EVO shift on XDA Premium app

Actually, that helped me make my choice. Thanks for the help.

you should check with people on how the service is in your area. Depending on where you are, different carriers may work better than others. Generally though, CDMA networks (such as Sprint and Verizon) work better than GSM networks (T-Mobile and AT&T).
You can typically find a smartphone you will love on any large carrier, so you shouldn't let that determine what carrier you pick

My girlfriends shift is garbage. Id go for the evo. 1ghz vs 806 mhz, more ram, more development, better battery life, pretty much better in every way. Sorry to confuse
ADR6300

I would actually recommend the Epic 4g. I know you asked about the Captivate and while it is a good phone (I previously owned a Vibrant, same model phone but for T-Mobile), the Epic is everything the Captivate is, except its 4g, has a better more sturdy feel, and best of all, a physical keyboard. The Epic is actually the highest rated Samsung Galaxy phone and has comparable specs to the Evo, yet form factor of Evo Shift. Or, hold off another month (I know how hard that can be, I had MetroPCS and could only put up with 4 days before going back to T-Mo) because Samsung IS releasing the Galaxy 2 series of phones. I hope I helped.
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

So anyone know what the OP picked?
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App

Sorry for the long wait. I chose the Evo 4G. I'm very satisfied with it, and thank you for responding.

Nexus S 4G, no bloatware, developer phone, pure android. Smoothest phone on Sprint for sure.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium

Duke4eva said:
Nexus S 4G, no bloatware, developer phone, pure android. Smoothest phone on Sprint for sure.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium
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Haha, sorry for the revive but I think I'm regretting getting my Evo. Should have gotten that Nexus... My friend has it and I'm jelly.

Related

Switch from Captivate --> Which carrier & phone?

hey guys, first post around here and I have a question for the masses. Currently I'm on AT&T with the Captivate but we are going to have to switch off Ma Bell due to coverage issues at our house (we are going cell-only). My decision to get the Captivate earlier was easy: I had to stay with AT&T and it easily the best phone they had. And I actually like the phone now that I've gotten a Froyo build and the GPS works. But now that we are out of contract I'm unsure where to go and what phone to get (or to wait).
I know that T-Mobile and Verizon get the best coverage at our house and those are the two carriers I'm considering. As far as Android phones are concerned, if I'm coming from the Captivate, which phone do you think I would be most satisfied with? Droid 2? G2? MyTouch 4G?
Or should I wait for this Nexus S to come out? Having quick updates is huge and as a former iPhone owner, its nice to not have the carriers put their grubby mitts on them.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
nexus one, droid 2 or vibrant if you like the galaxy s series, but thats my opinion
T-Mobile has WiFi calling as well and that's a great asset to have. If you're 100% positive that T-Mobile has the coverage you need you should go with them and get a G2 or myTouch 4G.. the DEFY is nice but it's more mid-range. I would wait for FroYo before getting the Vibrant. Then you have Windows Phone 7 if you're looking at one of those.
See if T-Mobile is offering "4G" speeds in your area. If they are, you might want to grab the myTouch 4G or the G2. The G2 looks awesome IMO.
BTW, I used the GPS on a G2 and it was flawless
G2
motorola droidx
HTC EVO
Agraceffa said:
hey guys, first post around here and I have a question for the masses. Currently I'm on AT&T with the Captivate but we are going to have to switch off Ma Bell due to coverage issues at our house (we are going cell-only). My decision to get the Captivate earlier was easy: I had to stay with AT&T and it easily the best phone they had. And I actually like the phone now that I've gotten a Froyo build and the GPS works. But now that we are out of contract I'm unsure where to go and what phone to get (or to wait).
I know that T-Mobile and Verizon get the best coverage at our house and those are the two carriers I'm considering. As far as Android phones are concerned, if I'm coming from the Captivate, which phone do you think I would be most satisfied with? Droid 2? G2? MyTouch 4G?
Or should I wait for this Nexus S to come out? Having quick updates is huge and as a former iPhone owner, its nice to not have the carriers put their grubby mitts on them.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
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Click to collapse
I vote for waiting on the Nexus S and at least see what it's about. If you get a phone and discover the Nexus S is a much better phone, you'll be kicking yourself for the next two years.
T-Mobile -G2
Verizon - Droid 2/ Droid X (depending upon the keyboard want/need. I'd go D2)
Sprint - Evo
I personally love Android, and at this point in time, can't imagine using another smartphone OS.
Get a Microcell
If it is just a coverage issue, get an AT&T Microcell. No contract required, just uses your existing minutes and internet connection. I have one at work due to zero signal...works like a champ!
second the microcell.
call ATT and politely tell them that you plan on leaving because the coverage inside your house is not up to par. when they send you to retention services, tell them that you'd stay if the coverage was better IN YOUR HOUSE and most likely they'll offer you a microcell for free
Sprint ---> EVO
Verizon ---> Droid X or 2 depending on your stance on QWERTY
T-Mobile ---> G2 or HD7 depending on your stance on WP7
AT&T ---> Cry
I like this option to start, I never thought of complaining to AT&T as a first step. Since I have other options, whats the worst that could happen, right? That broadband pipe is going to get some serious traffic . . .
For the other phone, I was thinking Droid X or G2. I love the design of the Cappy and in my opinion, the myTouch 4G and the Vibrant/Fascinate seem to be a step down. Most likely it will be the Droid X or waiting until the Nexus S "issue" is resolved. I'm a little skeptical of the G2 hinge after seeing it in store.
If you go with t mobile you can use your captivate until you figure out what phone you want. (if you unlock it)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
sblees said:
If you go with t mobile you can use your captivate until you figure out what phone you want. (if you unlock it)
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
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true but no 3g service, right?
Agraceffa said:
true but no 3g service, right?
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Click to collapse
Well that I'm not sure about.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App
T-Mobile exclusively uses the AWS 1700/2100 MHz frequency-band. Not compatible with other 3g services in the U.S.
mikegy2002 said:
T-Mobile exclusively uses the AWS 1700/2100 MHz frequency-band. Not compatible with other 3g services in the U.S.
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Click to collapse
that's what I thought. Same as using an iPhone on T-mobile. It'll work but you'll just be stuck on Edge like speeds.

Another phone thread: Nexus S or G2?

I'm sure a lot of people on here are considering these two phones.
I'm currently using a Blackberry Bold that's quickly dying. I'm tired of having a limited number of apps, slow browser, etc. For the past year, I've been envying my roommate's Moto Droid (with 2.2). Since then, I've been hooked on Android.
The two phones I'm considering is the Nexus S and the G2. From what I've researched, both of these phones are pretty comparable. The G2's slideout keyboard is a plus, but not necessary.
I'm honestly not turned off by some of Nexus S's missing features (no SD expansion, etc.), and even the missing 4G (I'd like to try it though). Both are pure Android experiences, perfect for my first Android phone.
Any input is appreciated!
G2 because the keyboard and the chance to over clock up to 1.4GHz!!!
Even g2 doesnt have 4G [Not sure ] If it has and you want to use it then choice is pretty clear
Among those two, I belive nexus S should be better provided you are okay with 16GB and no qwerty.
T-Mobile have been a bit naughty and are calling the HSPA+ support (which the Nexus S doesn't seem to have) "4G". But of course it's not 4G at all, just like HSPA wasn't 4G either, EDGE wasn't 3G, etc, etc.
Nexus S, but if your willing to expand your choices Desire HD is nice, but you have to pay full price
steviewevie said:
T-Mobile have been a bit naughty and are calling the HSPA+ support (which the Nexus S doesn't seem to have) "4G". But of course it's not 4G at all, just like HSPA wasn't 4G either, EDGE wasn't 3G, etc, etc.
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Sprint's WiMAX and Verizon's LTE isn't technically 4G so T-Mobile has every right to deem their HSPA+ network 4G as well.
I think you should also consider the Mytouch4G. It is a slate form factor like the Nexus S, a front facing camera like the Nexus S, the "4G" speeds of the G2, and a MicroSD slot like the G2. Only downer here is the MyTouch4G doesn't use Stock Android and from my person experience the battery life isn't very good (I previously owned the G2 and it had better battery lfe)
All 3 devices have their Pros and Cons, I truly don't think you will go wrong with any of them but if I had to choice I would say the Nexus S. It may not have "4G" but it still has HSPA reaching a downlink of 7.2 which is higher than what MOST people normally see on the HSPA+ network (I normally see between 4 and 5mbps on the Mytouch4G, a speed that will also be attainable with the Nexus S)
G2
After you overclock it to 1.4ghz you'll notice that every other phone out there is a lot slower.
HSPA+ isn't exactly 4g but it. Can reach some insane speeds. Depends where you live.
It's easy to root and unroot
Keyboard is amazing, the hinge could be better but honestly it works fine.
Everyphone has it's pro's and cons do some searching and you'll see the g2 doesn't have many cons
Oh and PURE ANDROID!!!
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
whats G2 ?
The G2 anyday! even though it only has 800mhz & the Nexus has the new 1ghz processor. The g2's 800mhz processor can outperform any 1ghz processing phone out there. The physical keyboard & its the second generation snapdragon processor whereas nexus has a first generation hummingbird (I think theres a difference lol)
PLUS! the G2 has alot of development & what not. So its worth the money
Google is your friend
Bashar . said:
whats G2 ?
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derekthejw said:
G2
After you overclock it to 1.4ghz you'll notice that every other phone out there is a lot slower.
HSPA+ isn't exactly 4g but it. Can reach some insane speeds. Depends where you live.
It's easy to root and unroot
Keyboard is amazing, the hinge could be better but honestly it works fine.
Everyphone has it's pro's and cons do some searching and you'll see the g2 doesn't have many cons
Oh and PURE ANDROID!!!
Sent from my T-Mobile G2 using XDA App
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Click to collapse
Can the 1ghz CPU on the Nexus S (and other similar devices) be overclocked? (I'm actually not sure, asking)
G2 is only easy to unroot because when you reboot it, it unroots itself
Keyboard is nice, but not necessary. I thought I needed one which is why I bought a G1. Since using the Fascinate though I have gotten used to an onscreen keyboard and type just as fast.
Nexus S will have pure Android, pure Gingerbread!
tekkitan said:
G2 is only easy to unroot because when you reboot it, it unroots itself
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You're only about a month late.

[Q] Trade Captivate for hTC HD2?

Could I get some opinions on this?
ih4ckback said:
Could I get some opinions on this?
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Click to collapse
Depends on what your looking for bro.
The HD2 is a hacker's dream device though.
Get it if your bored with the captivate i guess?
Does it have AT&T 3G bands? Does it have features you want compared to Captivate? Those are questions I'd ask myself.
My friend has one and its ok. I love how crisp our screen. My friend likes my captivate better. But it only has T-mo 3g bands unless you get the Australian addition for At&t 3g bands. I say stick with the captivate especially since the Gingerbread leak just came out.
pimpnmaxima said:
My friend has one and its ok. I love how crisp our screen. My friend likes my captivate better. But it only has T-mo 3g bands unless you get the Australian addition for At&t 3g bands. I say stick with the captivate especially since the Gingerbread leak just came out.
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Actually the HD2 has full CM7 support which always has the latest gingerbread builds...so I'd just suggest playing around with it and if you like it then get it.
I would get an Inspire. You can't hack it as much, but it has full CM support. The ROM's have such a high quality feel. Plus it's 4G, or at least what AT&T conisders 4G.
Sent from my HTC Desire HD using XDA App

[Q] Going from ATT to Sprint. X10 to Nexus S

I've been on AT&T with an Xperia X10 for sometime now, but my family's broken up and I have to give up this plan. I've looked around for a new service that's cheap but has everything I want, and Sprint seems to be the way to go.
After having an X10 i've learned that I want a phone that will be guaranteed updates, CM7 Support, and massive development, so the Nexus S seems to be the choice, not really wanting an LG or HTC.
I'm curious about pros and con's of this phones. XDA's satisfaction level.
I've read about no SD card slot, simtoolkit, lack of 720p recording, horrible battery life, Spring told me themselves no Tethering, just "mobile hotspots" with their plan, and no 4g toggle, that the 4g always remains on, negating the gift of power control.
So I ask for some input on the Nexus S rooted vs unrooted, stock vs the best roms on this forum, and what the dev's have made this phone able to do, that the Sprint stock models could not.
Is going from AT&T's X10 to Sprints Nexus S a good choice for an XDA junkie?
I'm in the UK, so do not really know much about US networks, but I've owned an X10i for a year, just sold mine this Monday got a Nexus S yesterday, all I can say is, best decision ever.
X10i is a lag fest, a disaster, Nexus S is pretty fast, I'm yet to experience any slow down whatsoever, also the screen is mighty impressive, everything about the phone rocks. My brother has a HTC Sensation and my Nexus S performs better than his, even with the whole dual core business.
Seriously, get a Nexus, you won't be disappointed. In my opinion, the only phone better than the Nexus S right now is the Galaxy S II.
Sprint rep didn't know what he was talking about. Out of the box you get free 3g tether... forever. For 4g tether you'll have to root it. How easy it is to root? I got two words ... fastboot unlock. And no updates will break or unroot your phone.
Its a great phone and battery life is actually very good. You can't go wrong with a Nexus phone whichever you choose.
Also, I may add that Sprint rocks as a company.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA App
Thanks guys, i'm definitely going to make this choice. I'm not satisfied with how Sony has been, even though the x10 is suppose to get 2.3 next month.
Sprint users, how well is the service coverage, over satisfied?
Coverage is on par. But, it isn't phenomenal. The Nexus is well worth another contract to me. I get 1x at my house, but 3g everywhere else. You can download a toggle switch from the market for 4g and I am pretty sure you can adjust it within settings.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using XDA Premium App
Better than clear wireless? I plan to tether in place of my isp
is barnacle the way to go, or does native work?
Sent from my X10i using XDA App

HTC evo 4g lte vs Hox

Which is a better package deal? Sprints data services blows if not in a 4g area or WiFi, but their variant of the one x seems to be what at&ts model should of been, plus it adds goodies we don't have
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
It seems like you should get what works better in your area for coverage. It's all preference. But I can tell you that this phone is the best one on the market as of right now.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA
I love this phone. Blazing fast. And it is gorgeous. I saw the new evo lte and it looks hideous. Sorry but I can't stand having an ugly phone lol. Just my personal preference. Now do I wish we had an sd card? Absolutely.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Sprint's flavor is definitely a better phone. Are you okay with their coverage? Do you prefer the looks of one over the other?
I have been reading this forum for a few weeks now because I'm getting the new evo and the phones are almost a mirror image in specs. The phone looks fine for me. The expandable storage, extra 200 mah in battery, dedicated camera button and kickstands make it very attractive compared to the att version. I do agree that the phone does not look as good though.
Sent from my cm_tenderloin using Tapatalk 2
Lol I do admit the design is no where near as sexy as our hox, I haven't been able to put this thing down lol, coverage is fine in my area, I'm just waiting to see the evo in person, my decision is weighing on what I pay a month, at&t tries to rob u if you let em lol
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
One X pros: overall design, data speeds / coverage (depends on area)
EVO LTE pros: Bigger and removable battery, sd card support, kickstand (yes, its a pro trust me)
Sent from my HTC One X
I left Sprint knowing all of this.
I have a One X now.
The design was a MAJOR turn off. It's a slap in the face compare to the One X.
Bigger battery didnt mean anything because the One X gets incredible life. Removable SD means nothing because I never removed the one from my Evo 4G. Kickstand is a gimmick, I never used mine. HD Voice only works if you have Sprint and Evo 4G LTE (or capable phone). None of my friends have Sprint, I was the only one, lol, smh. All my friends mix up between AT&T, Tmobile and Verizon.
Oh yeah, having 4G LTE up and running > Sprints waiting game
mike21pr said:
One X pros: overall design, data speeds / coverage (depends on area)
EVO LTE pros: Bigger and removable battery, sd card support, kickstand (yes, its a pro trust me)
Sent from my HTC One X
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Dedicated camera button
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Sprint seems to always have a great device...
just no coverage area
sent from a Android device
I'm always on!
it has a bigger battery because it's going to need it on that CDMA network versus GSM. batteries are typically bigger due to fast drain because of that network. i was a Sprint customer for one year... their service is pretty horrid in my area in comparison to AT&T.
Raadius said:
I left Sprint knowing all of this.
I have a One X now.
The design was a MAJOR turn off. It's a slap in the face compare to the One X.
Bigger battery didnt mean anything because the One X gets incredible life. Removable SD means nothing because I never removed the one from my Evo 4G. Kickstand is a gimmick, I never used mine. HD Voice only works if you have Sprint and Evo 4G LTE (or capable phone). None of my friends have Sprint, I was the only one, lol, smh. All my friends mix up between AT&T, Tmobile and Verizon.
Oh yeah, having 4G LTE up and running > Sprints waiting game
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The kickstand is definitely not a gimmick. It depends on how you use your phone. I have a sling box so I used the kickstand ALL the time when streaming TV.
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
Sprint's network is total garbage where I am at. You couldn't pay me to go back. My sub 1mbps speeds with sprint were unacceptable
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
I'm facing the same decision and I'm leaning towards going with AT&T and the One X for reasons already mentioned in this thread. I can't deal with Sprint's network. I'll choose AT&T's HSPA+/LTE combo everyday over what Sprint has (and AT&T's greater coverage area).
I'll voice my support for the kickstand however. It has been quite useful on my EVO 4G.
Its all about coverage, I would consider that the single most important thing. For example Im from South Florida, an area with excellent coverage on all services. That being said, a few months ago I switched from sprint to ATT. Sprint data speeds are so slow compared to ATT, and are much less reliable. Sometimes I would get just as quick speeds, but they would jump all the time depending on the area. Google music was useless for me on sprint, because sprint couldnt even stream my songs quick enough for them to play without buffering. That and the fact that my family plan is cheaper on ATT made it a no brainer.
ATT is a much better service, even when you think you have full service on sprint. I wouldn't switch for such negligible differences between phones, unless the storage is really just unacceptable. Dedicated camera is nice, but this thing takes pictures so quick that shake is rarely an issue. And as was said, the battery difference won't be noticeable.
Sprint is going to roll out LTE and better 3g soon. Hopefully they don't let me down like they did with wimax. If it does go well I will have unlimited LTE data
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
No doubt the one x is sexy!!!! I just wish at&t didn't tamper with it like they did. Lol they gave us less storage space so we'd be force to use cloud and and streaming sources, to go over our data...lol making more money for them
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium
huludical said:
Sprint is going to roll out LTE and better 3g soon. Hopefully they don't let me down like they did with wimax. If it does go well I will have unlimited LTE data
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
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And the end of the world is coming too but no one knows when. I bet sprint won't have their Lte going till mid to end of 2013. I'll switch over then if it's everything they say it will be. Why torture myself so early?
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Honestly. This is the way I see it... I'm not looking at the specs of the phone. Both are great and really comparable.
The biggest issue I think, most people are ignoring, is the LTE. On my EVO I'm getting like 8.5Mbps on WiMax. Not bad! I like it. However. I wouldn't get that speed with the EVO 4G LTE on Sprint (fallback is to 3G not the WiMax). So this phone is actually a downgrade in speed. Personally, I have an issue with this. 2 years later and I'm getting a phone that's going to load web pages slower? Me thinks not.
The real problem is how long it will take Sprint to get the LTE coverage. IF you are in an area with it for the first set of cities they are rolling it out to...Then fine. You're in good shape. Otherwise, unless you're not eligible for an upgrade for a year or something...You're in a bad spot (like me). If you go ahead and upgrade now, the phone you get will be half out of it's life cycle by the time you get LTE. If not completely out. You certainly will be eligible for a new phone upgrade - let's put it that way. That being the case, you didn't get a One X/EVO 4G LTE, you just got a One X/EVO 3G.
IF speed is not a concern for you then you will be looking at differences in the phone...But something tells me that's a very small percentage of users. I love Sprint, but hate to say it... AT&T is likely going to win on this one and again as mentioned, I joined my wife and the family plan is a little cheaper now for me compared to Sprint.
Oh and another gripe I have. $99/mo for unlimited everything....EXCEPT the fine print where it says you also have to pay $10/mo for a "premium" device. I think Sprint should waive this $10/mo fee for the EVO 4G LTE given that you aren't going to be able to use the 4G on it.
edit -- and now I get 25-30Mbps. So 8-10Mbps or whatever to 20-30Mbps is definitely something I would think 2 years worth of technology advances should get me.

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