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Note 2 vs iPhone 5

Shurple

Shurple

Android Enthusiast
Hi everyone!

I haven't been on this forum in quite some time. Long story short, I had an iPhone 4 on one network, hated the network, sold the phone, and got a Samsung Droid Charge. It was glitchy and Verizon swapped it time and time again (screen problems) until finally I got a Droid 3. Loved it for a while... but started to have issues and went back to iPhone.

Well here I am again... my upgrade is in February and I have been keeping my eyes on the S3... until the Note 2 came about. My good friend got a Note 2 after her hubby got one and she, as picky as I am, LOVES it. I told her to tell me of any issues between now and my upgrade date so I can really get a sense of what it's like. She's big into customizing without rooting. Me too. So far she's had ZERO issues and that is promising to me.

I went to Verizon and played with a Note 2. I'm glad I was in Verizon because the "OMG IT'S HUGE" words came spilling out of my mouth and that wouldn't have been taken properly had I been anywhere else.

My friend asked me today if I had an upgrade TODAY which would I choose.... I am definitely leaning in the Note 2 direction WAY more than the iPhone 5.

I was wondering what you guys would tell me, a person who WAS going to get an iPhone 5 and now am looking at the Note 2?
 
I had the iPhone 3G, and when the 3GS came out, I didn't upgrade. It was just slightly better and I don't really feel like it is worth the upgrade. When the iPhone 4 came out, I wanted to upgrade, but the timing wasn't right. I was busy at the time and didn't really go thru with it, so I decided to wait for the iPhone 5. And then they have the 4S... kept waiting... The original Note came out last year and I really liked it. But I must wait for iPhone 5. I waited.. and waited.... and then iPhone 5! I don't know.. it was really a disappointment. It is a longer iPhone 4s! I looked at the screen... and compared it to other Android device.. it still look small even with the 4" long screen. I played it and just wasn't excited about it. There is NOTHING on it that I have not seen before. The Note II is perfect for me. By now I cannot see myself using any other phone.
 
I came from iPhone 4 and a nice stretch of iOS devices. My fiance just recently upgraded to the iPhone 5.

Google is great, the integration between every application is awesome. The screen size is great as is the feel of the phone in your hand.

Being more customizable is a positive change, a lot more freedom with this phone.

Google Cloud services are awesome! (Thankfully I still have grandfathered unlimited data).

On iPhone I do prefer the battery life (I am deff not getting 2 days worth on 1 charge). Also, group messaging on the note 2 sucks. So does MMS. Pictures are always being compressed to shit quality. Also, the size of the Note 2 while a huge selling point is also a disadvantage at times. One-hand operation is not as easy as LeBron makes it seem with his hands that are 3x the size of an average person.

Also, the compatibility of iPhone with so many 3rd party devices was great. My car stereo has a USB port which worked flawlessly with my iPhone in regards to Pandora, stored music, and Google Music. On my Note 2 I am forced to use the auxiliary port which does not charge the device nor allows for control of device via the head-unit.

I will most likely hold on to the Note 2 for 6 months or so, when the S4 and iPhone 5s or 6 comes out I will most likely swap to either device, due to the size of this device.
 
Thanks for the replies!!

To ICNEED: what made you pick the note over the S3?

RICHARDGIL: Luckily my car is Bluetooth audio- there is no plug and play with my car unless I go aftermarket- I recall previous Droid devices working better for my car- the song data doesn't show on the car's stereo screen with iOS.

Regarding group messaging I read a thread here today about that- I literally just posted on Facebook how iOS users need to turn OFF group mms because everyone gets inundated with texts from people they don't know! So I prefer android group messaging by far.

one of my friends WANTS group Mms so she left hers on. Having it separated isn't for everyone :)

The phone size of the Note IS huge- but do the features make up for it? Is it reliable? And like I asked ICNEED, why the Note over the S3?
 
richardgil said:
Also, group messaging on the note 2 sucks. So does MMS. Pictures are always being compressed to shit quality.
Click to expand...

You should try out Go SMS. I downloaded it and the iPhone theme. :p Now it works just like the iPhone SMS and even group SMS works perfectly. Funny that I was testing it with my brother's iPhone 5 and I was so excited group SMS now works. Then he said..."You spent all these time trying to make it looks like an iPhone, you should have gotten the iPhone 5!" :p

richardgil said:
Also, the compatibility of iPhone with so many 3rd party devices was great. My car stereo has a USB port which worked flawlessly with my iPhone in regards to Pandora, stored music, and Google Music. On my Note 2 I am forced to use the auxiliary port which does not charge the device nor allows for control of device via the head-unit.
Click to expand...

I guess it depends on the 3rd party... iPhone doesn't work very well with 2009 BMW ipod control. Every time I plug in an iPhone (3G, 4, or 4S) it would try to play the music on the phone. It would not let me start Pandora or other app (because phone control is disabled while connected). So I tried deleting all music from my phone.. and it will start to play my voice recordings! I am sure the newer car control would work better.
 
Shurple said:
To ICNEED: what made you pick the note over the S3?
Click to expand...

Quad core CPU (in the US) and faster, bigger battery, bigger screen, s-pen. I don't really use the s-pen, but it is nice to have for Draw Something. It seems like the only possible "big" thing about the Note II compares to S3 is the size, but I like the bigger screen, so that turns it into a plus also.

If it was between the S3 and iPhone 5... I actually would have to think about it. But the extras on the Note II won me over so easily.
 
lcneed said:
Quad core CPU (in the US) and faster, bigger battery, bigger screen, s-pen. I don't really use the s-pen, but it is nice to have for Draw Something. It seems like the only possible "big" thing about the Note II compares to S3 is the size, but I like the bigger screen, so that turns it into a plus also.

If it was between the S3 and iPhone 5... I actually would have to think about it. But the extras on the Note II won me over so easily.
Click to expand...

See that is why I went to Verizon to check out the S3- that was the contender with or against the ip5- until my friend told me about the Note. Why stay dual core when there is a quad there? I am all about speed, reliability and battery.

I know the ip5 is reliable- but Apple didnt do anything innovative this time. My boyfriend went from a 3gs to a 5- so he has a wow factor in speed and screen and camera- with familiarity and no learning curve. I have a 4- speed and camera is the only oooh for me.

I just don't want to shut the door on something that is better- what better way to find out than ask you all?! The Note is impressive- especially since the S4 will be larger than the S3 anyway
 
The Note 2 is very powerful and personally I like the larger size, though I did purchase a bluetooth headset at the same time to avoid long conversations holding basically a mini-tab up to my face.

Think about how you would carry the Note 2 out... I had an S2 before which fits easily in any pocket, but with the Note it feels almost too big, but still manageable.

Biggest surprise to me was the increase in battery life - Easily double, probably triple what I was getting out of the galaxy S2. I have to assume the S3 and iphone 5 have decent battery life as well.

It's all personal preference really, I guess I'm just a "go big or go home" guy...
 
"Go big or go home". Haha nice.

Well to answer how I would transport it- I never put my phone in my pocket lol. Too afraid ill crack it- so it is always in my purse or I am using it.
 
I Was in a simular situation as you. I had an iphone 4, (all android before that), and all in all I liked the iPhone! I was disappointed by the 4s and 5, so I looked at going back to android. I wanted the S3, but then read all the signal issues people were having on Verizon. SO I waited for the Note 2. When I looked at it, I thought it was WAY too big. But I decided to pull the trigger anyway. I figured there was a 50% chance I would return it for an iphone 5, and I had 2 weeks to do so. Thursday will be 2 weeks lol and i still have the Note 2. So far, I am very happy, and the size has not been an issue yet! Good luck with your choice.
 
Wow you DO sound like me. And what you said makes me feel good- Thanks!! Feb 1st is my upgrade date! Methinks the Note2 is the right call!
 
Shurple said:
Wow you DO sound like me. And what you said makes me feel good- Thanks!! Feb 1st is my upgrade date! Methinks the Note2 is the right call!
Click to expand...

LOL glad I could help. Look at it this way... they give you 14 days... if you dont like it, return it, pay a $35 re stocking fee, get the iphone 5, and move on! lol That was my plan...
 
Bigger screen, way more customization, sd card, removable battery, smooth os, SPen, Google Voice and S voice. What's not to like??? :)
Oh and quad core with 2 gigs of ram

Shurple said:
Hi everyone!

I haven't been on this forum in quite some time. Long story short, I had an iPhone 4 on one network, hated the network, sold the phone, and got a SamsuBiggng Droid Charge. It was glitchy and Verizon swapped it time and time again (screen problems) until finally I got a Droid 3. Loved it for a while... but started to have issues and went back to iPhone.

Well here I am again... my upgrade is in February and I have been keeping my eyes on the S3... until the Note 2 came about. My good friend got a Note 2 after her hubby got one and she, as picky as I am, LOVES it. I told her to tell me of any issues between now and my upgrade date so I can really get a sense of what it's like. She's big into customizing without rooting. Me too. So far she's had ZERO issues and that is promising to me.

I went to Verizon and played with a Note 2. I'm glad I was in Verizon because the "OMG IT'S HUGE" words came spilling out of my mouth and that wouldn't have been taken properly had I been anywhere else.

My friend asked me today if I had an upgrade TODAY which would I choose.... I am definitely leaning in the Note 2 direction WAY more than the iPhone 5.

I was wondering what you guys would tell me, a person who WAS going to get an iPhone 5 and now am looking at the Note 2?
Click to expand...
 
As a historically big fan of Apple (As I sit here with my 15" MBP, iPad 3 and iPhone 4S on my office table), I'm waiting for my Note II to arrive tomorrow. The Note II is the device I have been waiting for since getting my first Android device, the OG Moto Droid. I cannot find a single fault with it (aside from stuff that is VZW's fault, ie. home button logo and some minor software gimping) and it is the first phone that ticks off every checkbox on my wish list: Powerful (quad core), lots of memory (2GB), amazing camera, huge screen, amazing screen, reliability, good software, SD card slot, extras (SPen, NFC, some software features). It is the first phone that makes me not care what is coming for the next year. It blows my iPhone 4S away (and I LOVE my 4S).

I got my wife the iPhone 5 for her birthday last month and while I think it is a really nice phone, it just doesn't make me want to give up the 4S or spend an upgrade on it. I can say that the screen is better than the 4S because it's cooler and has more saturation and better contrast, but that's not enough and I prefer the Note II screen over either.

I would say that if you have an iPhone 4 or 4S, get the Note II. You can keep the iPhone around as an iPod Touch (as I am) and use your iOS apps.
 
I did pick up the Iphone 5 and had 8 days to play with it until the AT&T Version of the Note II came out. Coming from a 3GS I was impresed by the 5 but after reading and playing with the 5 I too thought there was no REAL big difference besides screen size, camera, and seri. So I was at the door picking up the Note II and have not regreted it. !st time droid user also.
 
I had an Iphone 3GS. Never thought I'd be brave enough to go with an Android. I love, love, love, love the Galaxy Note II. Now when I look at anyone's Iphones they look like the size of a pack of Sweet n Low!! The Note II is fast, fun, and fantastic!!
 
carme4 said:
I had an Iphone 3GS. Never thought I'd be brave enough to go with an Android. I love, love, love, love the Galaxy Note II. Now when I look at anyone's Iphones they look like the size of a pack of Sweet n Low!! The Note II is fast, fun, and fantastic!!
Click to expand...

I am surrounded by iPhones (4S/5) and I think my fam is starting to experience Note 2 envy.
Now all of a sudden the same people who swore their iPhones are better than p'nut butter & jelly are now complaining every time they open their mouths.
The only person not complaining is me and that's because my phone is rarely out of my hand. :D
 
I went from iPhone 3GS to Droid bionic to Galaxy note 2 which I just got this weekend. Saying this is an incredible phone is an understatement. I decided to drain the battery down to 0% before starting with a fresh charge. Took the phone out of my charger at 6:30 pm Saturday at 100% charge. Got to work at 10 am Monday morning and still had 6% battery left. Yes, I went over 39 hrs between charges with light to moderate use. Two phone calls, a few youtube videos and most of Sunday spent customizing, playing with and learning the phone. Even with heavy use this thing will always last at least 24 hrs and longer.

This one's a keeper.
 
Long-time iPhone owner. From day one, in fact. For 6 years I stayed with the brand.

When iPhone 5 came out, I was pissed off that Apple hadn't done anything revolutionary with it. Same tired phone. Same tired OS. And to top it off, they only made it taller, not wider.

Switched to the Galaxy S3. It took some time to get used to Android, but I eventually fell in love with it.

I now own the Galaxy Note 2, and by far, it's the best phone I ever owned. I am an Apple addict (own multiple Apple computers and devices) but I will never go back to the iPhone as long as they continue to make their phones like toys that can't be customized.

I have never played around with my iPhone as much as I do with the Note II. The phone is always in my hand -- I am always fiddling around with it.

Go to the Note 2 and you won't be disappointed. I promise.
 
In some ways this is a pointless question. I mean the note 2 is significanlty larger and runs andriod. Both are very fast (fluid) but if you want a smaller phone the note 2 won't work (though I suppose there are other android options). If you want IOS (apps or ipad integration) then obviously the iphone is the way to go. Both have pretty decent battery life; I suspect (but don't know factually) the iphone has clearer reception (better call quality). The note 2 has an sd slot. Anyways it seems to me that most people wouldn't debate very long between these 2 specific phones; if they were the only option; they would simply fall into one camp or the other. I guess what I'm trying to say is because one person falls into a specific camp it is not clear that would have much influence on the next person because of the radical differences between the phones. This being the note 2 board I suspect most people here would prefer the note 2 (for obvious) reason; and if you were to post this same note on the iphone forum the responses would likely favor the iphone.
-
I personally avoid apple products (even though I admit their products and esp their support are very good) so given only these two choices I would take the note 2; though I'm not sure the note 2 is the perfect phone.
 
Dude youre in the same boat as me, just picked up a note 2 and I cant keep my hands off of it. I just placed my iphone on ebay.
 
True story....

At a party, sitting at the table with a group of friends. Many of them are those I recommended buy the iPhone only a year prior.

They are all sitting around playing with their iPhones. Must have been at least 4 iPhones at that table.

I pull out my Galaxy Note II. Everyone's eyes light up.

The conversation turns to a classic Saturday Night Live clip of "schweady balls" featuring Alec Baldwin. One of the iPhone 5 owners tries to play the clip for everyone on his iPhone. People are now huddled around the table, squinting at the screen and trying to hear the audio. One guy actually has to put the phone up to his ear as he can't hear the dialogue. Of course, he can't watch the video with the phone up to his ear.

I bring it up on my Galaxy Note II. Much easier for everyone to see and hear.

By the end of the night, the entire table is talking about upgrading to the Galaxy Note II.
 
:congrats:Schweddy Balls!!!! HAHAHAHAHHAA

Thank you EVERYONE SO much for the posts!!!! Being someone, like most, who hates change, but can adapt (and I've had android before so I'm familiar with the OS quite well - Even rooted - although I have no plans to root again, and familiar with iOS even Jailbroken), I got past the negative feelings against Android after my friend (who loved her iPhone) told me how great her Note 2 is. Re-opened my eyes to Samsung too.

Most Android users just bash Apple, but I know this forum from being here when I had my droid before, that everyone is pretty objective. I had NO idea how many iPhone users there were though who switched to Droid. That makes me happy.

February cannot come fast enough. I definitely am going to get the Note 2.
 
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