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Hesitant to get a new Android phone.

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Pamela Anderson

Newbie
I am at the point where I hate my current Droid X2. Before this I had the Droid X. Both phones started off fine with decent speed, no hang-ups, etc. Then, after a month or so, both phones got slow. Also nothing works on this one. I have to re-start my phone to use the GPS, and sometimes that doesn't work. Youtube never works (just keeps loading and nothing happens). When I turn on App killer, there are about 20 applications on at any time and I didn't install any of them. When I unplug the Aux cable, the phone activation or whatever it's called turns on. The browser is a pain to work with (and I've tried all the other ones on the Google Market).

If there were a 5" iPhone, I'd buy it yesterday. My girlfriend's phone is SO SMOOTH; it's fast, it never crashes, and takes excellent pictures with no lag (Droid has tons of lag when taking pics). I don't like the iTunes integration though, which is one minor thing holding me back as well.

I read quite a few reviews with Galaxy s4 users being dissatisfied and experiencing lag among other things. I was thinking about the Droid Maxx, but I'm not sure if it's going to be more of the same. I don't want to get locked with another 2 year contract with Verizon, with another crappy android phone. I don't want the bloatware. I hate that I have to wait until June of next year to get the iPhone 6. Ughhh so frustrating.

Any objective positivity from the latest Android phone users?
 
Android really has progressed in the past year and a half. The hardware is mindblowing and the OS has matured. What android version is your droid on?
I know youve probably been put off motorollas but the new breed of them seem pretty good. Or wait and see if you like the Nexus5.
i definately wouldnt go iphone. Android is just as smooth now with much more features and a wider range of devices :thumbup:
P.s, im not in the US but even as an outsider id ditch Verizon
 
My Nexus 4 is as smooth as any iPhone I've used.

What really will make the difference is getting an Android that is NOT on Android 2.3 and has at least 1GB of RAM. The update to 4.x really made things smoother.....much smoother.
The S4 does have some slight lag that I attribute to Touchwiz. For best results, get the closest to stock as possible. That usually means the Nexus, the Google Play versions of the S4 or HTC One, or a new Motorola. They got rid of Motoblur and have a near-stock UI.
 
I only ever had real issues like yours on 2.x devices and my $30 4.0.4 device. My Samsung Victory was buttery smooth, even on the stock Touchwiz version, and smoother with cyanogenmod
 
What about the Nokia 2020 (is that the right model?). Its the windows 8 phone. I know this is an android community so forgive me. The picture quality on that one is superb. All I really do on my phone is text, talk, take pics/videos, or use Pandora.


I'm not much of a fan on the galaxy color and back cover. I plan to not even use a phone cover necessarily, so the HTC is good on that; just don't know how good the picture quality is on it.

Btw, yes my phone is getting old. It's running 2.3 so pretty outdated. I have high hopes for the newer os android devices.
 
If you arent so much into apps or customisation then yeah, go for the Nokia Lumia, youll have to learn a new operating system but my dad has one so it cant be that hard. Theyre beautiful well built phones with an excellent camera :thumbup:
Htc One has a decent camera too i think but just judging by what youve written, i think you'd love a Lumia :)
 
My Huawei Mercury runs 2.3 and it's as smooth as can be. I actually like Gingerbread better in some ways. Anyway, the OP mentioned using a task killer which is likely the source of most of his problems. Using one will compound the problems and make things worse and worse over time. A factory reset might be called for at this point, then stay away from the task killers.
 
Gmash said:
My Huawei Mercury runs 2.3 and it's as smooth as can be. I actually like Gingerbread better in some ways. Anyway, the OP mentioned using a task killer which is likely the source of most of his problems. Using one will compound the problems and make things worse and worse over time. A factory reset might be called for at this point, then stay away from the task killers.
Click to expand...

What does the task killer do that slows it down? I didn't know about this.
 
It kills apps that your phone might re-launch in the background because they have associated tasks and such, which slows the phone down. Additionally, it runs in the background before other processes, slowing things down. Its also redundant, as Android 2.2+ (I believe, if not 2.3+) has built-in task managers and automatically closes apps that are no longer in use when it needs the RAM
 
Thanks.

I think I'm down to either the HTC One or the Nokia Lumia 1020. The only problem is I can't get the Nokia on the Verizon network.

As far as specs, the two things that kind of worry me are this:

HTC One: Camera not that great.

Nokia: Call quality (volume) not that great, battery life not that great.

Of course, call quality is more important on a phone than picture quality, but it would be nice to have a phone that takes amazing pictures. I think I'm leaning more towards the HTC at this point... unless someone objects.
 
The HTC One is a beautiful, gorgeous device. Its the first HTC device that if I had one, I wouldn't remove Sense immediately. I've played with demo units and one person's One. Its gorgeous.
 
Id go for the HTC because im an android fan and photography isnt important to me. Both are a good choice for you though :thumbup:
P.s i dont think the htc camera is bad. Its low megapixel but its a big sensor aparently good in low light. Not in the same class as the nokia though.
Call quality is actually the least important thing to me on a smartphone lol :D
 
I'm biased as I do photography with my Canon Rebel on the side, and don't really use my phone's camera that often.
 
I've had a Samsung Galaxy S3 for over a year now. It's been really smooth and stable save for the few months I decided to root it. I've unrooted it for over a month and it is smooth and stable again.

In comparison to iOS devices that my family has, I would say my SGS3 is about as stable. No phone is perfect and with such complex devices these days, it is impossible to have a smartphone that has absolutely no issues. I've seen enough issues with iOS devices that I feel that there is no significant difference between the stability of iOS and high-end Android devices.

If you are considering an HTC One, I think you will find it a pretty solid device.
 
Since you are apparently on Verizon, a lot of the ones you are getting suggestions for are moot if you want to stay on Verizon. Right now, the best options currently available are the HTC One, LG G2, Samsung Galaxy S4,Moto X, iPhone 5s, 5c, and all the Motorola Droid versions. I really don't see any reason to stay with any of the Droid brand since everything they do is better executed in the other options that are available at better prices. I listed all my pros & cons in my own thread where I'm trying to make a decision now too but the long and the short of it is this. All of them, even with their various skins, seem to be blazing fast and super stable. It all comes down to which you like best. If you just want a good working phone with a good feel to it, Moto X seems to be really well put together in build and software/hardware compatibility but it's not a spec beast in any field. HTC One is a fantastic build with great specs and the new "ultra pixel" seems to be great for shots you look at on the screen but if you plan on doing anything else, it's too small. LG G2, Galaxy S4 & Note 3 all use the same camera sensor but the software makes the difference. LG G2 is getting great reviews for it's Optical Image Stabilization. The speakers on the HTC one blow away any of the others since they actually face them TOWARDS you but the sound processing in the LG G2 when plugged into other devices sounds better.

So..... all that said, go in the store and go play with them. If all else fails and you want a rock solid phone that just works without thinking about it and you don't like to tinker, there's always iPhone and the latest one looks to be incredible fast and it's new camera and dual mode flash looks really impressive. You just get limited to doing things one way but if that way works then go for it.
 
I have an S4 on AT&T and love it. On occasion, there is some lag due to touchwize, ADW Launcher, all my 270+ apps and 8 widgets I have on my home screens, having all the S features on at the same time. I turned all the S features off, except Smart Stay, since I don't use the others on a day to day bases. Its going to come down to looks good, feels good in hand and what you need your phone to do on a day to day bases.
 
Pamela Anderson said:
I read quite a few reviews with Galaxy s4 users being dissatisfied and experiencing lag among other things.
Click to expand...

There is no perfect smartphone yet. Every model has some weak point. But Galaxy S4 is one of the best Android phones at the market today.

Just yesterday I have read one interview where the following words were (approximate citing) "People complain about new smartphones forgetting to be amazed by such technologies in general"
 
Thank you everyone, I've read all the responses. It's nice not to see any fanboy-ism here. I do like the Android platform a lot. I wouldn't go iPhone because the screen is too small. One phone I didn't consider until now was the LG G2. I like that it's all in one piece (no phone covers to fall off if I drop it). I also love that 5.2" display. WOW. I also heard it has good battery life.

My other dilemma now is, if I buy the G2, what type of plan to sign up for. I made a new thread in here asking that question in more detail... Thanks everyone. :)
 
Pamela Anderson said:
Any objective positivity from the latest Android phone users?
Click to expand...

I would have to give that a yes and a no...I have a droid razor HD and really like the phone. It does everything I want it to do very well. Now the 'no'...It also comes with a ton of worthless unwanted bloatware I cannot remove which angers me every time I use the phone. The second issue is with the newest series of phones...No SD card slots so one is forced into 'cloud' greed schemes.

I am not sure what phone I will replace this with but it will not be the current series of Droid phones. The SD card decision is a deal breaker for me. I may give Samsung a try.
 
Id say to anyone... find out how well developer supported/hackable a phone is before buying. You may not think you wana mod it but in 6mnth time you might :D
@JIMV its a shame were bein stuck with the choice of Sammy or Sony if we want a high-ender with SD slot :(
 
funkylogik said:
Id say to anyone... find out how well developer supported/hackable a phone is before buying. You may not think you wana mod it but in 6mnth time you might :D
@JIMV its a shame were bein stuck with the choice of Sammy or Sony if we want a high-ender with SD slot :(
Click to expand...

Wasn't my idea....Blame Motorola and Verizon. Fortunately, I can do something about both and vote with my feet. Buy a phone more designed for me and not the carrier and pick a carrier offering the better phone at a better price. I am looking at T-Mobile at the moment. My wife and I place very few actual calls (we use it mostly for emergencies), never text, but do use the WiFi access to the internet, use my phone to control our new Google Chromecast, and use the camera functions. Verizon does not offer a plan that supports such use. They demand large payment for no useage. T-Mobile seem to offer plans where I pay for what I use. I can cut my monthly bill by over $50 by such a change and get two new phones! I suspect I will shift to Sony's newest when my Verizon contract ends.
 
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