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[Closed] Smart phone to replace my iPhone 3G?

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£26. That's a better price. Ta 😀

That website seems to be a little undecided if it is waterproof or just "weatherproof" though. Coming into winter I want something that will happily ride out torrential rain on the commute!


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 12:11 pm
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When you've decided what phone you want check out:

http://www.comparemobiledeals.com/

It'll show you the best deals (and automatically calculates the cost/mth after any offers or redemption deals etc.)

Don't click through to buy from this site though.

Instead, go to www.topcashback.co.uk etc and click through to the retailer from there and you could get another £30 cashback.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 12:18 pm
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Quick question, how is the iPhone4 as a satnav? Get the feeling not having turn by turn is going to be really really annoying. Unless I get the TomTom app, which is around £60 :/

Was tempted by a Desire HD as someone is selling one cheap, but they have terrible battery life so that's out.

The Galaxy S2 is still kinda tempting (if I'm spending iPhone4 money rather than Defy money), although the screen is pretty big, and the camera would be a bit of a waste (I just bought a nice new compact last week).

Will I have issues copying music from iTunes onto a Defy?

Ta, Duane.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 1:34 pm
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Oh, and whats the deal with updating Android OS? Can you?


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 1:38 pm
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Quick question, how is the iPhone4 as a satnav? Get the feeling not having turn by turn is going to be really really annoying.

I use [url= http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/navfree-gps-uk-roi/id391334793?mt=8 ]navfree[/url].

It's free, does turn-by-turn navigation, and (unlike Google Maps) the map is preloaded so it doesn't eat your data allowance and still works when you have no reception.

It uses [url= http://www.openstreetmap.org/ ]the OpenStreetMap data[/url], which is how they can do it for free. So it depends how good OSM coverage is near you. Generally OSM is pretty good these days but there are a few black spots left.

There are obviously several paid sat navs that use commercial maps too, such as Copilot, TomTom and NavMii.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 1:43 pm
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OK thanks. How update is it? Edinburgh has tons of diversions etc at the moment so using satnav is often a nightmare.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 1:48 pm
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Take a look at [url= http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=55.9426&lon=-3.1877&zoom=13&layers=M ]the OSM map for Edinburgh[/url] and see what you think.

I think it was June that NavFree last took a copy of the OSM data, so it will be out of date from then. They tend to release an update every six months or so.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 1:53 pm
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Oh, and whats the deal with updating Android OS? Can you?

It depends on updates being available, but generally you just check for system updates on the handset itself. If there's a new version it does it over the air.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 2:07 pm
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Duane, I use CoPilot Live, which works very well for something like £20, or it might be even cheaper.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 4:12 pm
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It's free, does turn-by-turn navigation, and (unlike Google Maps) the map is preloaded so it doesn't eat your data allowance and still works when you have no reception

You can precache in google maps now, just click a spot and everything in 10 mile radius is loaded.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 5:00 pm
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Excellent, unless of course you plan to drive further than 10 miles 😀


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 5:29 pm
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Duane, like your GF I'm going for a cheap Orange San Francisco, but stripping out all the Orange stuff, unlocking it, CyanogenMod 7.1 upgraded from Gen1 to Gen2 (if it isn't Gen2 already) in order to support the very latest Android Gingerbread 2.3.4, GPU accelerated, CPU can be overclocked using setCPU, should achieve almost 1000 on Quadrant Standard, APK installation files. Probably going with GiffGaff network (02).

At some point beforehand, I'll try and understand what I've just written ^ 🙂


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 5:45 pm
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Oh, and whats the deal with updating Android OS? Can you?

Dependent on the handset manufacturer and/or network making it available to you. In some cases you can get unofficial ROMs to run on older devices.

I can't think of any Android devices that have had new software updates for as long as iPhones have - typically over 18 months from first release to last software update. 3GS is still getting updates 26 months after release. Most Android handset manufacturers are too busy churning out new models every other month to worry too much about supporting older ones. Typically it seems that getting new versions becomes sketchy a year after release, and then it seems to be pot luck depending on country/region as to when (and even if) you'll get it.


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 9:32 pm
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I can't think of any Android devices that have had new software updates for as long as iPhones have - typically over 18 months from first release to last software update. 3GS is still getting updates 26 months after release. Most Android handset manufacturers are too busy churning out new models every other month to worry too much about supporting older ones. Typically it seems that getting new versions becomes sketchy a year after release, and then it seems to be pot luck depending on country/region as to when (and even if) you'll get it.

what he just said is the reason you should buy another iphone....

imagine buying a lovely new set of manitou forks then finding out 12 months later you couldnt get new seals for it .... oh wait - that situation did actually happen - maybe its not that stupid after all

for me apple stuff seems to be replaced by technological want rather than planned obscelecence and non supported software like other phone companies ....


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 9:53 pm
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Cheers again.

Kinda told myself I won't pay the extra for an iPhone 4/Galaxy S2, if I can get a decent phone (Defy) for half the price (£150).

However, if the whole Android not being update-able thing is really that bad... =/

On a related note, any other phones in the £150-200 (second hand) that I should consider? Ideally ones newer than the Defy if the updates are an issue on older phones...


 
Posted : 13/10/2011 11:04 pm
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Wot trail_rat sed.


 
Posted : 14/10/2011 2:03 am
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However, if the whole Android not being update-able thing is really that bad... =/

It isn't.


 
Posted : 14/10/2011 6:33 am
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Oh, and this is what TrailRat posted yesterday about the slick and easy nature of the Apple update:

well i tried last night and i tried tonight to update my ipad 2 - no dice ...

neither could i get my iphone to update ....

itunes keeps hanging up - updated itunes and still its no better ....

bugger !

All of my Android updates have been fine btw, apart from the final one to an old phone where it appeared to me as if they'd tried their best to make the newest OS run on older hardware and it was just a bit too slow. Still worked fine, just slower than before whic his not an upgrade in my eyes.


 
Posted : 14/10/2011 6:42 am
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Think I'm kind of set on a Defy, just waiting to find one for a decent price.

Re: the Androids not being supported for long, is that problem gone if I whack Cynogenmod on? (www.cyanogenmod.com)

Ta, Duane.


 
Posted : 17/10/2011 9:50 pm
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I had 4 defys before sending the last one back to orange and cancelling the contract. All had the same issue of freezing and random rebooting particularly annoying as it tended to happen during calls. They said it was caused by a rouge app but the last 2 I didn't put any apps onto and still had the issue. I did a bit of research and that problem was pretty common along with a problem with poor quality of sound from the earpiece.
It's possible these were from a dodgy batch but it's certainly put me off Motorola mobiles. I now have an iPhone 4 and IMO it's worth the extra £10 per month for the better build quality and reliability.


 
Posted : 17/10/2011 10:33 pm
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Went from iPhone 4 to galaxy s2, other than apps not being as good is is every bit as good, and for browsing, which I use the phone for mostly, a good deal better.


 
Posted : 17/10/2011 11:03 pm
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other than apps not being as good

That is a fairly major failing for a smartphone in my book! 😀


 
Posted : 17/10/2011 11:12 pm
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I can't think of any Android devices that have had new software updates for as long as iPhones have - typically over 18 months from first release to last software update.

HTC Desire? Came out May 2010, got Gingerbread officially a couple of weeks back (and unofficially months ago). There's probably plenty of others, it just depends on manufacturer (and why I avoid Samsung handsets).

3GS is still getting updates 26 months after release.

... which is a bit of a misleading claim, when those updates make it run like a dog.


 
Posted : 18/10/2011 8:56 am
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See I'd say that android apps vs iphone ones is a classic 6/half dozen. Some apps I had on my iPhone I haven't been able to find anything as good for my Desire S but other apps I have got now are better than the iPhone equivalent if available.

The only real noticeable advantage of the appstore I noticed overall was that there are more free, good games but I can't say that it's a real issue unless you're a really avid gamer.


 
Posted : 18/10/2011 9:05 am
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Cheers for all the replies, ended up getting a Motorola Defy (on Android 2.2) in excellent condition for £150 😀

Of course, have already been testing it... 🙂

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 23/10/2011 10:46 pm
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well i tried last night and i tried tonight to update my ipad 2 - no dice ...

neither could i get my iphone to update ....

itunes keeps hanging up - updated itunes and still its no better ....

bugger !

yep it did seem like i was fighting with the millions of others trying to update - the next day at work it updated fine - just plugged it in and left it came back and i had ios5 on both 😀

haha duane - i mind a mate had a nokia that claimed to be waterproof and threw it in a pint - it started ringing and wouldnt stop till he smashed it off the floor into bits 😀


 
Posted : 23/10/2011 10:55 pm
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