what android phone should I buy?

[happyisland]

Hey fellow Ubuntu heads.

For a few reasons I'm in the market for a new phone and wanted to give an android smartphone a try. The only feature that is an absolute requirement is GPS.

Otherwise, I would prefer to get the most 'open' phone possible. Does this mean the Nexus One? Are there other phones out there that run Android and let you do whatever you want with them?

Thanks in advance,

HI

[formaldehyde_spoon]

Not all Android phone are created equal when it comes to openess. Some carrier and some manufacturers try to lock stuff up (rarely holds out for long though).

I think Motorola is doing not very nice stuff with the Droid2 or Droid Pro?
And I just read about Tmobile and some manufacturer (who?) who've installed a rootkit on an Android phone that resets it to factory if you mess with it!

So Android itself is open, and Google doesn't care what you do, but there are a few bad apples. HTC are pretty good in this regard, so you might want the Evo. The only real competitor is the Samsung Galaxy S - or even better the Galaxy S with keyboard (I forget its name...)

[Tibuda]

iPhone :lolflag:

[happyisland]

Not all Android phone are created equal when it comes to openess. Some carrier and some manufacturers try to lock stuff up (rarely holds out for long though).

I think Motorola is doing not very nice stuff with the Droid2 or Droid Pro?
And I just read about Tmobile and some manufacturer (who?) who've installed a rootkit on an Android phone that resets it to factory if you mess with it!

So Android itself is open, and Google doesn't care what you do, but there are a few bad apples. HTC are pretty good in this regard, so you might want the Evo. The only real competitor is the Samsung Galaxy S - or even better the Galaxy S with keyboard (I forget its name...)

Yeah I forgot to mention that I live in the caribbean, use the carrier Digicel, and therefore will need a carrier unlocked phone. One thing that is really important to me is being able to use the latest Android release without waiting for the handset company to allow me to. I also would strongly prefer not to have any apps that I can't get rid of... The only phone that I can come up with that fits this bill is the Nexus One. Are any of those alternatives you mentioned still in the running?

[happyisland]

iPhone :lolflag:

Yeah right! Haha!

[formaldehyde_spoon]

Yeah I forgot to mention that I live in the caribbean, use the carrier Digicel, and therefore will need a carrier unlocked phone. One thing that is really important to me is being able to use the latest Android release without waiting for the handset company to allow me to. I also would strongly prefer not to have any apps that I can't get rid of... The only phone that I can come up with that fits this bill is the Nexus One. Are any of those alternatives you mentioned still in the running?

I don't know.
There are no apps that *can't* be gotten rid of, just apps that can 't [edit sorry, missed the t!] easily be gotten rid of...;)

Where are you buying from? I'm not American, but I understand it's difficult to find unlocked phones there. It's easy in Australia, and even easier in Europe.

The Evo is 4G, not 3G, so that might be the end of that idea. I have an N1, and it's good, but the newer phones have pushed it to 2nd tier now.

[happyisland]

I don't know.
There are no apps that *can't* be gotten rid of, just apps that can easily be gotten rid of...;)

Where are you buying from? I'm not American, but I understand it's difficult to find unlocked phones there. It's easy in Australia, and even easier in Europe.

The Evo is 4G, not 3G, so that might be the end of that idea. I have an N1, and it's good, but the newer phones have pushed it to 2nd tier now.

Unfortunately there aren't any worthwhile cell stores here in Aruba.

Fortunately, I'll be traveling to NYC next month, so I'll be trying to buy something then.

Unfortunately, it seems like it might be against the grain in the states to get an unlocked phone.

Fortunately, there are stores in NYC like this one:
http://www.mobilecityonline.com/
that seem to have a decent selection.

The apps-that-can't-be-gotten-rid-of question had to do with a review I recently read which was talking about a Samsung phone with unremovable (using normal means, with Android) apps. That sounds like the most annoying thing ever, like when you buy a windows laptop and it takes nine hours to boot up because of all the garbage software that's pre-installed.

[pwnst*r]

Head to androidcentral.com and search for info there.

[Zzl1xndd]

I would try out as many as you can as they are all a little different.

I have an Acer Liquid E, My Girlfriend has a Sony Xperia x10 and I have two friends with the Samsung Galaxy S. We are all happy with our phones but they all have different UIs.

Although if you are buying it out right the Liquid E is probably the best price (but some have a battery issues).

[KiwiNZ]

I would go for the Samsung Galaxy or the Sony Ericsson Xperia , although the later is quite heavy. They are both impressive devices.

[matthew]

I have a Samsung Galaxy S and am extremely happy with it.

[SonicSteve]

Sorry to disagree Kiwi but I have a galaxy i7500. Samsung refuses to update it and its stuck on android 1.5. With 2.2 stable and 2.3 in the works 1.5 is simply unbearable. Yet samsung has abandoned the phone completely. My only hope is the upgrade the phone myself with the GAOSP project. I'm waiting for the project to mature a bit first.

I will never buy another samsung phone. EVER! They lost me as a customer. My phone works and has very few issues but I expect updates. Look to other manufacturers. Perhaps HTC is better, or Sony.

[KiwiNZ]

Sorry to disagree Kiwi but I have a galaxy i7500. Samsung refuses to update it and its stuck on android 1.5. With 2.2 stable and 2.3 in the works 1.5 is simply unbearable. Yet samsung has abandoned the phone completely. My only hope is the upgrade the phone myself with the GAOSP project. I'm waiting for the project to mature a bit first.

I will never buy another samsung phone. EVER! They lost me as a customer. My phone works and has very few issues but I expect updates. Look to other manufacturers. Perhaps HTC is better, or Sony.

I was referring to the Samsung Galaxy S

[Dustin2128]

HTC Evo all the way.

[sideaway]

HTC Desire/Nexus one is a great device. Desire HD is due for release... Looking mighty impressive so far...

[pwnst*r]

HTC Evo all the way.

Go for the Evo if you want a bigger screen, don't go for the Evo if you want to take GOOD pictures/video.

The Galaxy S has a slightly smaller screen, but is much better at pics/vids and has a better dedicated GPU.

[amitabhishek]

Go for an HTC phone. Don't look at any other manufacturer. Two reasons:

1) HTC phone receive faster updates
2) HTC phones have a solid build quality.

HTC phones are more open in the sense that it is supported more by developer community. This translates to the fact that it is easier to root. Which also means it is easy to remove cr@pware if you want to. HTC phones are available at diff. price points and one should be there for you.

Galaxy S is a phone with good specs. Sadly its firmware is holding it back (lag issues & GPS problems) and Samsung is yet to role out Android 2.2 for it!

[Colonel Kilkenny]

I'd say that wait for few months and forget Android. First MeeGo phone might be arriving during 2010, if not then early 2011.

[Zlatan]

Hey fellow Ubuntu heads.

For a few reasons I'm in the market for a new phone and wanted to give an android smartphone a try. The only feature that is an absolute requirement is GPS.

Otherwise, I would prefer to get the most 'open' phone possible. Does this mean the Nexus One? Are there other phones out there that run Android and let you do whatever you want with them?

Thanks in advance,

HI

what about dell streak (http://www.dell.com/us/p/mobile-streak/pd)? you could sell your netbook then:)
ps. android should be updated in october, as i was told

[samalex]

I can't speak for other phones, but I've had my DroidX for a few weeks now and love it. It satisfies your requirement for GPS, but I'm not sure about openness since I don't plan on rooting my phone. But it's satisfied everything I've needed/wanted to do with it, and honestly it has replaced my laptop for most things.

Another huge pro to the Droidx is the screen size which is the largest of any phones I've seen. It's great for reading books, watching movies, etc.

Sam

[zzzakattack]

I have a Droid Eris, and I love it! One of the main reasons I bought it was for the GPS too, and it works really well (I tested it on a stormy day, and it was still only 1 meter off).
For me, I wanted a newer droid, but the Droid X was much to large for me, and the only difference between the motorola droid and the droid eris, was the slide keyboard and $100. I decided it wasn't worth it to pay the extra $100 for the keyboard, so I went with the Eris!

You can also make the Droids more open if you root them (and give yourself root access). This is what I did with mine, and it was a really good decision. I also hacked a new hacked firmware onto it, so it runs faster, and can do more things.

[happyisland]

Hey everybody. I just wanted to check back in and say thanks for all the good ideas. Here's another question: can anyone come up with a better phone for me to get than the Nexus One, if:

1) I want to receive the newest Android releases ASAP,

2) without having to root the phone, and

3) without any irremovable software that's pre-installed?

[HappinessNow]

Does this mean the Nexus One?


Hey everybody. I just wanted to check back in and say thanks for all the good ideas. Here's another question: can anyone come up with a better phone for me to get than the Nexus One, if:

1) I want to receive the newest Android releases ASAP,

2) without having to root the phone, and

3) without any irremovable software that's pre-installed?

If you want the latest OTA first then, the Nexus One unlocked would be your best bet. If you root and install an alternative ROM then no worries.

[3rdalbum]

I'd say that wait for few months and forget Android. First MeeGo phone might be arriving during 2010, if not then early 2011.

I would not advise anyone to be the early adopter of a new phone with a completely new system. Wait for second generation devices. Besides, what advantages will Meego have over Android for the OP?

[TheNerdAL]

Galaxy S phone. :D

[MisterGaribaldi]

I, too, favor the EVO 4G, but does Sprint have a presence in Aruba?

Your choices are limited (somewhat) by what cell service is available to you.

If you want a "from the trenches" view on this, androidcentral is good, but then again so is xda developers, and sdx developers if you were to go with Sprint.

Basically, once you root one of these phones, you can largely do what you want with it. You can remove any bundled app you want (just about, anyhow) and add in other stuff which might require root access. You can also get wireless tethering apps and use your phone as a hotspot for a computer with a wireless card or via USB or Bluetooth.

Undoubtedly you will want to put your hands on many of these things to decide for yourself what's best. Nobody on here or any other message board can tell you what you'll wind up liking the best. The Galaxy S series, for instance, feature SuperAMOLED displays (all 4" displays). The Droid X, the EVO 4G, and others, are TFT LCD.

Also, the Galaxy S series are based on the Hummingbird version of the ARM CPU, whereas the EVO and others are based on the Snapdragon (which is older) or other related CPUs.

Again, as has been asked up-thread, what's important to you?

[AzharHafiz.com]

get a HTC

go for more spects and most ram

HTC Desire 1Ghz 5XX ram

Iphone only 800Mhz

[durfey]

I bought the LG Ally from verizon. Let it be know that it IS an entry level Android phone. None the less...for the upgrade price that I paid and the upgrade it was from the Blackberry I have had since 2008, it is quite amazing. The hardware works great...a little slow, but it again is an entry level phone. If you are looking to start...its ok...I wish I had got one with a bigger screen...thats my only complaint...I can deal with it being slow...

[Mark Phelps]

Availability of ISPs tends to drive the Android choice.

I have access to Verizon, so that provides me LOTS of choices -- of which I picked the HTC Incredible.

As to upgrades, it really varies by phone model. My Incredible was not one of the first to get upgraded to 2.2 -- but many of the folks that upgraded earlier experience problems. So, not always good to be the first in line for updates.

As to rooting, unless you're very experienced at this sort of thing, I would advise AGAINST it. Once you root it, you "own" it -- in more ways than one. It voids the warranty on your phone, and as with any new device, there are going to be problems down the road -- for which you will NOT be able to get support from your service provider.

[dondiego2]

Both my son and I have the HTC Incredible through Verizon. It is incredible! It has GPS, all the apps you could want and you can do what you want with it. I left mine alone, my son hacked his and now his is different then mine but set up how he wants it.

You really don't need the keyboard. This phone doesn't have one but if it did I would probably never use it anyway once you get used to the video keyboard.

[Lucradia]

The one from Sprint, as their "unlimited" plan for everything costs the least...

Sprint: 99.99 USD/mo for "Unlimited" Everything.

US Cellular: 103.99 USD/mo for "Unlimited" Everything (Except Data, which is 2 GB/mo.) (This is if you choose to go paperless statements/billing. Otherwise, add another 5%.)

Verizon: 139.99 - 159.99 USD/mo for "Unlimited" Everything (the extra 30-40 USD is for their add-on Unlimited Data plan, which has to be bought seperate on top of talk/text/etc.)

These don't include Taxes / extra fees for your area.

[YeOK]

I have the Nexus one. Great phone. I would say anything by HTC.

[helliewm]

I have had the G1, HTC Tattoo, Motorola DEXT or Cliq as it called in the US same phone different name in the US, Sony Ericsson X10 and the Samsung Galaxy S.

The X10 has an issue in that the XDA Developers have not as it been able to hack to the boot loader so no custom roms just yet. It is a nice phone though. You can root it though now.

The Galaxy S is a wonderful phone the best phone I have ever had and its hackable. Take a long at the XDA Developers forum. Cyanogen is working on custom ROM's to for it. You can root the Galaxy S and custom roms are in active development.

I would suggest you read the XDA Developers forum before making a decision for me though its the Galaxy S I just absolutely love the phone.

I am on the XDA Developers forum with the same username as here.

Helen

The official Froyo release for the Galaxy S is being rolled out now. You can get it now via an XDA Developer hack.

[pwnst*r]

I have had the G1, HTC Tattoo, Motorola DEXT or Cliq as it called in the US same phone different name in the US, Sony Ericsson X10 and the Samsung Galaxy S.

The X10 has an issue in that the XDA Developers have not as it been able to hack to the boot loader so no custom roms just yet. It is a nice phone though. You can root it though now.

The Galaxy S is a wonderful phone the best phone I have ever had and its hackable. Take a long at the XDA Developers forum. Cyanogen is working on custom ROM's to for it. You can root the Galaxy S and custom roms are in active development.

I would suggest you read the XDA Developers forum before making a decision for me though its the Galaxy S I just absolutely love the phone.

I am on the XDA Developers forum with the same username as here.

Helen

The official Froyo release for the Galaxy S is being rolled out now. You can get it now via an XDA Developer hack.

Also, has the X10 been updated yet? Wasn't it released with 1.6?

[helliewm]

No at the moment X10 is still on 1.6 it should be updated to 2.1 Eclair in the next few weeks according to Sony Ericsson. Do not know if we will ever get Froyo 2.2.

Hopefully the XDA Developers will hack the bootloader so we can have custom ROMS.

Helen