Newbie question

[Surfer Joe]

I recently had my old iphone 3g stolen and got my insurance claim a few days ago and am looking for a new smartphone.
I was at the store and saw the s2 and was very impressed. Compared to it, the iphone 4 looks tiny and cramped.
I realize that people tend to post problems on forums, but I would like to know how people who own one think about the s2 and android in general.
Is the os upgradeable when newer versions are released or are you stuck with the version that comes on the phone?
I was upset that the newer os versions of the iphone stopped applying to my iphone last year and didn't appreciate this tactic very much.
Is it a robust phone? It looks a little thin and delicate, but I would probably keep it in a case with a front flap anyway.
Would it be possible to get my music which is currently in itunes on my computer loaded into an android phone?
Does it play Flash sites?
I guess that I'm not really sure what questions to ask but I am hoping to get a sense of whether this phone is for me.
I was also impressed by the samsung note, but it's not available for a few months and I can't really wait too long to get a replacement.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[japester]

Hi Joe,
In response to your questions:

Is the os upgradeable when newer versions are released or are you stuck with the version that comes on the phone?
I was upset that the newer os versions of the iphone stopped applying to my iphone last year and didn't appreciate this tactic very much.

Yes - generally Android phonse are OS upgradeable - depending on the manufacturer and carrier the length of official upgrades and time to release can vary wildly. HOWEVER there is a huge dev community and upgrading firmware and software versions to non official versions is generally very straightforward. (I've just upgraded from official os v2.3.3 > non official 2.3.5 with no headache.)

Is it a robust phone? It looks a little thin and delicate, but I would probably keep it in a case with a front flap anyway.

I keep my SGS2 in a slip case - i've dropped it on a couple of occasions and it is still working fine and is unmarked - it is as sturdy as any other high end smartphone in my opinion.

Would it be possible to get my music which is currently in itunes on my computer loaded into an android phone?

I believe there are 3rd party apps to allow itunes to android conversion and sync - I dont use iTunes so am not best placed to advise.

Does it play Flash sites?

Flash?! Absolutely


Hope this helps - Come over to Android - Its a lovely place

 

[Remeniz]

Well i've had my SGS2 for nearly 2 months now and I haven't got bored of it at all. It's just an amazing piece of kit.

The SGS2 might feel a little insignificant compared to the chunkier phones but it's build quality is as good as the other premium phones: It's been designed to be small and light but the strength is still there.

As far as I know i'll be able to upgrade the Android OS for a while yet and probably would have upgraded a few times before I would've needed to think of OS compatibility issues.

Oh and it deals with flash with ease. Seriously, the browsing experience is amazing.

The OS is reliable. The phone is tough but slim and light. The screen is amazing and it's fast!

 

[Surfer Joe]

Hi Joe,
In response to your questions:

Yes - generally Android phonse are OS upgradeable - depending on the manufacturer and carrier the length of official upgrades and time to release can vary wildly. HOWEVER there is a huge dev community and upgrading firmware and software versions to non official versions is generally very straightforward. (I've just upgraded from official os v2.3.3 > non official 2.3.5 with no headache.)

I keep my SGS2 in a slip case - i've dropped it on a couple of occasions and it is still working fine and is unmarked - it is as sturdy as any other high end smartphone in my opinion.

I believe there are 3rd party apps to allow itunes to android conversion and sync - I dont use iTunes so am not best placed to advise.

Flash?! Absolutely


Hope this helps - Come over to Android - Its a lovely place

thanks. I did get a chance to try out the xoom this summer and was pleased with android honeycomb, but I eventually returned it because it was too limiting for me.
I also rejected the ipad for the same reason because what I really wanted was a tablet pc, so I finally got an asus ep121 running win 7.
I do drawing and animation and I needed to be able to install software.
But I don't expect to have this on a phone, although I was impressed and tempted by the samsung note because of its stylus.

 

[semus]

You can expect all the best positive answers for what you asked.
im very happy with my s2, i had alot of research done before i got mine, and it seemed the best out there, and im enjoying it alot.

it feels like there's nothing you cant do with it - anything you don't like, there's a way to change.

 

[Surfer Joe]

You can expect all the best positive answers for what you asked.
im very happy with my s2, i had alot of research done before i got mine, and it seemed the best out there, and im enjoying it alot.

it feels like there's nothing you cant do with it - anything you don't like, there's a way to change.

Thanks. I did enjoy the customability of the android os when I used it on a tablet for a while. I prefer to make my own choices rather than have to wait and accept what a company decides to let me do or buy.