First of all, apologies for the long absence, I have been busy with summer work ever since holidays started.
I have been abroad for most of the time and during this time my iphone 4's home button has decided not to work, and I am forced to use the "Assisted Touch" function. I've had my iphone for a good 3 or so years and it's been my phone and mp3 player companion since.
Because of the wear and tear, I've decided that perhaps I should get a new phone when I get back to the UK.
Now, the Galaxy S4 has recently caught my eye, I've checked a couple of reviews as well as the phone's website and I must say that it looks hugely appealing for me. I don't really mind the physical looks of a phone, nor the material used to make it, I am more drawn by features and the "interior" of one.
I've checked multiple mobile providers, and guys at O2 seem to have a decent contract going on with the S4; £37.00 per month (for 24 months), free S4, unlimited text, unlimited minutes, 1GB data (I don't use the internet on my phone much anyway).
While this will be my main choice, I've heard good things about other phones such as HTC. I just wanted to ask you guys if you have your suggestions or have any first-hand experiences with the current "new" generation of smartphones, and whether you could advise me? :)
The s4 seems to have a tiny lead in the fashionable stakes (this is a good thing for accessories) and SWMBO likes hers very much.
this article (http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/samsung-galaxy-s4-vs-sony-xperia-z-vs-htc-one-vs-iphone-5-vs-lumia-920-1137666) might help...
If you buy the phone outright and get a sim-only contract then I would say get a nexus4 - far cheaper and it has vanilla android.
If you buy the phone as part of a contract, then the nexus probably won't save you much money and the others probably have better residual value.
If you want vanilla android get a nexus, if you like the manufacturer "extras" get something else.
If you positively care about replaceable batteries and SD cards then don't get an HTC or the nexus.
If you want it to be waterproof get the sony.
or ... if you want the same interface you are used to, get an iPhone 5 :devil:
edit: or, if you're crazy, you could bet on one of these (http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/ubuntu-edge--39)...
For your 'free' £888 Galaxy S4 (£37 x 24 months) I'd use the money to buy a Nexus 4 (https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_8gb) (£239 for 8GB, £279 for 16GB version) and then decide which SIM-only contract I want with the remaining £600+ that you have left. Just as good as an S4, way cheaper and you get 4.3 right now.
Check some of the Three SIM only deals - and do you really need unlimited minutes per month?
£9.90 per month gives 1GB data, 600 minutes and 5000 texts.
£15 per month gives All-you-can-eat data (unlimited and also allows tethered devices which is seriously handy - most others exclude tethering), 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes.
The first deal would save you £360 over the 2 years and I am sure there are plenty of other SIM only deals about. Personally I use Three, it's a decent network for data which is what I use most. Giff-Gaff is popular and there are plenty of others, but don't buy an S4 on contract as you pay through your nose for it!
As an S3 owner, I would also recommend the Nexus.
It's a cracking phone, and is just so much better value for money.
As an s4 owner I can highly recommend the device. However, I pay £47 per month for unlimited contract. But its worked out a cheaper than getting the phone outright and going on a sim only deal. Plus its really spreading the cost over a longer period. Plus I can change phone after 9 months ownership.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
I have only gone and bought myself an S4 and received it only yesterday, got mine new from ebay around £400, unlocked PAYG.
Be warned there are currently 2 versions available, the i9505 and i9500. They are for 2 different markets, the i9505 is for the UK market, there are questions over the warranty for the i9500! The difference is the CPU as well as some other minor hardware bits, the i9505 uses the 'slower' snapdragon 600 (4 cores) and the i9500 has the Exynos 5 Octa (8 cores), sounds like a big difference but it's fairly marginal in reality. I got the I9505 for the warranty and 4G (future proofing) the I9500 is 3G only!
(I hope I got that the right way round, there was a website that stated incorrect info on this which confused the bejebus out of me)
There is talks of another version featuring the snapdragon 800 cpu, but this might only be available to the Korean market.
Not tested all the features but here are some pro's and con's:
Pro's:
Lovely display, full of colour - 1080P 4.99"
They managed to make it pretty much the same size as the S3 but slightly narrower
Light in the hand (lighter than my LG)
Fast
Installed all the apps that I use with plenty of space free
Sensors - air gestures, eye tracking etc
split screen - mutitask (although not tried it and probably too small to make it effective!)
Features - many ways to connect to other devices - but still playing around
Cons:
Plastic flimsy back cover
Expensive for a 'phone'
Samsung apps are all over the place (Google play / Samsung hub wise)
Micro Sim - not bad as per say, but had to get my regular sized Sim exchanged (You could cut it down yourself)
Bare in mind that the replacement S5 may have the curved screen which almost made me skip this generation.
New Nexus is rumored to be released this year, in August September after the LG G2 (Which is said to be VERY quick!)
Quote from: TeaLeaf;373760For your 'free' £888 Galaxy S4 (£37 x 24 months) I'd use the money to buy a Nexus 4 (https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_8gb) (£239 for 8GB, £279 for 16GB version) and then decide which SIM-only contract I want with the remaining £600+ that you have left. Just as good as an S4, way cheaper and you get 4.3 right now.
Check some of the Three SIM only deals - and do you really need unlimited minutes per month?
£9.90 per month gives 1GB data, 600 minutes and 5000 texts.
£15 per month gives All-you-can-eat data (unlimited and also allows tethered devices which is seriously handy - most others exclude tethering), 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes.
The first deal would save you £360 over the 2 years and I am sure there are plenty of other SIM only deals about. Personally I use Three, it's a decent network for data which is what I use most. Giff-Gaff is popular and there are plenty of others, but don't buy an S4 on contract as you pay through your nose for it!
:withstupid: I approve of this message as I did exactly that, I am using three all you can eat deal £12.90 30 day rolling contract, 200 mins, 3000 text and all the data I can eat.
Quote from: Snokio;373799New Nexus is rumored to be released this year, in August September after the LG G2 (Which is said to be VERY quick!)
My current Nexus 4 will be on sale as soon as the new one is released! :thumbsup:
I might jump a version as I don't use the Nexus 4 as much as I could as I have a tablet to watch, listen and game on. Of course it will depend on the spec but I'm wondering what must have compelling features the new phone will have? 5" screen? 4G? That might well tempt me but more horsepower probably won't.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Quote from: BrotherTobious;373805I am using three all you can eat deal £12.90 30 day rolling contract, 200 mins, 3000 text and all the data I can eat.
Be careful with the three contracts to make sure you compare the one that meets your needs against the competition. The details for Toby's state no tethering and will whack you for 35p (hopefully only after using the inclusive 200 but at a glance I wasn't sure) on voicemail :sad: ...only the "One Plan" contracts allow tethering, though they are still pretty cheap: £15 per month if you take a 12 month contract or £18 for monthly rolling. Virgin mobile (uses EE network apparently) seem to have a similar deal at the £15 price point. FWIW, I'm still on some legacy monthly rolling contract O2 once offered, with an unlimited internet bolt-on that allows tethering. The £18 One Plan may be marginally cheaper but I've never had a good experience using 3 :mellow:. YMMV of course :flirty:!
Quote from: TeaLeaf;373760For your 'free' £888 Galaxy S4 (£37 x 24 months) I'd use the money to buy a Nexus 4 (https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_8gb) (£239 for 8GB, £279 for 16GB version) and then decide which SIM-only contract I want with the remaining £600+ that you have left. Just as good as an S4, way cheaper and you get 4.3 right now.
Check some of the Three SIM only deals - and do you really need unlimited minutes per month?
£9.90 per month gives 1GB data, 600 minutes and 5000 texts.
£15 per month gives All-you-can-eat data (unlimited and also allows tethered devices which is seriously handy - most others exclude tethering), 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes.
The first deal would save you £360 over the 2 years and I am sure there are plenty of other SIM only deals about. Personally I use Three, it's a decent network for data which is what I use most. Giff-Gaff is popular and there are plenty of others, but don't buy an S4 on contract as you pay through your nose for it!
I'd agree with TL but S4 nah I'd get a nexus 4 but that's just me, I'm currently on £15 pcm Rolling sim only deal with virgin media (called the VIP deal I think) which gives me unlimited mins,texts and data not much more I can ask for and is far cheaper than getting a contract do you really wanted to be tied into a long contract with an s4 when soon after they'll properly bring the s5 out.
Wow thanks for all the detailed comments, I spent a while reading each one and taking them into heart.
I see there's a lot of people rooting for the Nexus 4.
It might just be enough to win me over in buying it.
As for comments about the new models of the phones coming out, I don't really mind I have an "older version" (I mean stuck with buying an iphone 3 when 4 and 4s came out!).
I just thought that the S4 (with its hefty price tag) had some cool features, especially the large screen.
But now here comes the Nexus with the its new android systems and such!
Oh now I am split between the two phones - and Nexus is winning, I think!
Something that might sway you:
I'm a serial custom ROM user. I've never had a smart phone that did not disappoint me in some way and force me to flash a custom ROM onto it, until I had a Nexus 4. It's the first smartphone that I have owned that just worked right out of the box and did not leave me wanting more or different features.
I know from talking to others (at the BBQ) that I am not alone in this reaction to the Nexus 4. This plain vanilla android just seems to work without the need to flash custom ROMs onto it. When you combine that with the incredibly low price then I think you have a winner.
Is the S4 better than the Nexus 4? Maybe, depending on who you ask.
Is the S4 over £360 better than the Nexus 4? Absolutely positively not.
I was the same way with my previous phones too. Put a custom ROM on my s4 to try and was back to stock shortly afterwards.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Thought the n4 is over £200+?
Google addition S4 (and htc) are being updated with the latest android version now, so wont be long when the std versions being done also.
Quote from: Snokio;373893Thought the n4 is over £200+?
I was comparing the £888 S4 contract cost to the Nexus 4 plus a SIM-only deal using the numbers I had quoted earlier:
Quote from: TeaLeaf;373760For your 'free' £888 Galaxy S4 (£37 x 24 months) I'd use the money to buy a Nexus 4 (https://play.google.com/store/devices/details?id=nexus_4_8gb) (£239 for 8GB, £279 for 16GB version) and then decide which SIM-only contract I want with the remaining £600+ that you have left. Just as good as an S4, way cheaper and you get 4.3 right now.
Check some of the Three SIM only deals - and do you really need unlimited minutes per month?
£9.90 per month gives 1GB data, 600 minutes and 5000 texts.
£15 per month gives All-you-can-eat data (unlimited and also allows tethered devices which is seriously handy - most others exclude tethering), 2000 minutes, 5000 texts, 5000 Three-to-Three minutes.
The first deal would save you £360 over the 2 years and I am sure there are plenty of other SIM only deals about. Personally I use Three, it's a decent network for data which is what I use most. Giff-Gaff is popular and there are plenty of others, but don't buy an S4 on contract as you pay through your nose for it!
Amazon were doing the S4 unlocked SIM free for £438 new (Via Samsung, cheaper on Ebay but some people prefer reliable/reputable stores), you could then calculate the same Three Sim deal on top of that?
The phone price is the difference maker (unless I'm missing something?)
Don't get me wrong, the Nexus is a great phone (having owned it's similar brother) and at a great price :thumb:
Quote from: TeaLeaf;373891Something that might sway you:
I'm a serial custom ROM user. I've never had a smart phone that did not disappoint me in some way and force me to flash a custom ROM onto it, until I had a Nexus 4. It's the first smartphone that I have owned that just worked right out of the box and did not leave me wanting more or different features.
I know from talking to others (at the BBQ) that I am not alone in this reaction to the Nexus 4. This plain vanilla android just seems to work without the need to flash custom ROMs onto it. When you combine that with the incredibly low price then I think you have a winner.
^^^ +1
Quote from: Snokio;373895Amazon were doing the S4 unlocked SIM free for £438 new (Via Samsung, cheaper on Ebay but some people prefer reliable/reputable stores), you could then calculate the same Three Sim deal on top of that?
The phone price is the difference maker (unless I'm missing something?)
Don't get me wrong, the Nexus is a great phone (having owned it's similar brother) and at a great price :thumb:
You're not missing anything, I was suggesting buying a phone was better value than the S4 contract deal he was looking at.
The direct phone:phone comparison is Samsung S4 @ £438 v £239 (or £279) Nexus 4.
Been looking into the S4 myself as my contract is up in Sept, after all the reading etc I may invest in the phone itself and purchase the Sim only contract, will also look into nexus 4 to see what I think of it
Does the the Nexus and S4 have small or normal sized SIM-card slots?
When I mean small, I mean the same size as the iphone 4 sim card slot.
Because if I consider purchasing the standalone phone (non-contract), and just use the O2 SIM card (from iphone 4, cut it myself) I already have, then that might be cheaper?
Small sim, pretty much only the bit with metal contacts left. Same for nexus 4.
I got a new micro sim thing from O2 simply by walking into the local O2shop and asking. The guy swapped it immediately and within 30 minutes I was back on the network. I'm sure other providers do much the same.
Quote from: TommyGuner;373951Does the the Nexus and S4 have small or normal sized SIM-card slots?
When I mean small, I mean the same size as the iphone 4 sim card slot.
Because if I consider purchasing the standalone phone (non-contract), and just use the O2 SIM card (from iphone 4, cut it myself) I already have, then that might be cheaper?
I believe it has the Mini sim card along with any other recent phone (excluding the iPhone 5 which uses the nano format...you know, to be different).
It has a Mirco Sim Slot ONLY do not cut your NORMAL size sim to try to fit it into the MIRCO slot it will not work I have tried it, go in shop or call customer services to get you a MICRO SIM.
Quote from: .DickDastardly.;374012It has a Mirco Sim Slot ONLY do not cut your NORMAL size sim to try to fit it into the MIRCO slot it will not work I have tried it, go in shop or call customer services to get you a MICRO SIM.
+1.
They should provide whatever sized SIM card you need, almost certainly for free.
It's not always free depends who you're with virginmedia wanted me to pay £5 but I refused to pay it so they sent it for free.
Another great customer service form Virgin :sad:
Quote from: .DickDastardly.;374012It has a Mirco Sim Slot ONLY do not cut your NORMAL size sim to try to fit it into the MIRCO slot it will not work I have tried it, go in shop or call customer services to get you a MICRO SIM.
Cutting down a normal sim is simple enough, but there is a chance you might damage the sim and it is done at your own risk, so if your operator will give you a replacement (most well do for free - phone them or check with their online chat advisors) you should definitely get an official replacement!
fwiw, I've successfully cut down two normal sims using kitchen scissors and a Stanley knife. For the first one i used a stick-on template as a guide, for the 2nd i used a ruler and a marker pen to draw a guide on the sim myself... Took an initial cut followed by a bit of trimming but I wasn't exactly surgical! They both work fine, one lives in a nexus 4, the other in an S4. There are certain sim cards that have a larger-than-normal area (rounder, almost circular, as opposed to rectangular) of metal contacts and these probably won't work, but I've not seen them in the UK. YMMV ;)
cutting them down is easy. I used a scalpel. Just score it several times and it'll go.
I don't think it's easy to cut it, tried that, it has to slot perfectly (more or less) into the Sim holder that then slots into the nexus.
Ebay to the rescue. (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Micro-Mini-iPhone-iPad-4G-4S-Mobile-Phone-Sim-Card-Cutter-Maker-2-Free-Adapters-/360648856494?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item53f858d3ae)
nice find.
So been viewing prices and testing phones out last few days (not tryed nexus 4 yet due to not finding an active one in a store as of yet), enjoyed the S4 only thing i found off putting was the plastic feel compared to my current Iphone 4 but hey ho if it works im not overly bothered, as to cost wise, as TL mentioned purchasing the handset and then a contract SIM is cheaper, however due to my finances (of being le student) doing that just wont be possible so back to the contract hunting once more :D
Just to update this one. The Nexus 4 has had a price reduction, so their might be a new one on the way.
Good prices though
£169 for 8GB
£210 for 16GB
Added postage onto the price for you ;)
https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_8GB?id=nexus_4_8gb&hl=en_GB
(https://play.google.com/store/devices/details/Nexus_4_8GB?id=nexus_4_8gb&hl=en_GB)
yup, price has dropped pretty much worldwide
The 8gb Nexus 4 has sold out on the US google play and they are not going replenish stock! They are running all their stock down in preparation of the new version.
So if your thinking about getting one, don't think for too long!
Bah, I might think about waiting around for the new Nexus that you guys were talking about? I'm not in so much of a rush to be honest.
I've been in need of an update for ages, so I've jumped in & gone for a Nexus 4 - given that there is every chance that I'll drop it, would owners recommend I get a case & which one?
The official Google Bumper is excellent as all the buttons are connected through the bumper and feel just like they should.
I've also had experience with a 'gel' wrap cover which was very good but it obviously keeps the phone hotter than normal and it makes the buttons harder to operate and less tactile.
The official Bumper is more expensive but my preferred choice. The gel body cover is way cheaper but probably offers slightly better protection at the cost of more difficult operation and a hotter phone.
Quote from: TeaLeaf;375128The official Google Bumper is excellent ...
Wot `e said :thumb:
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 2
I'm an LG fan but never tried their Nexus hardware. The LG Optimistic G Pro is a beauty.
http://www.gsmarena.com/lg_optimus_g_pro_e985-5254.php
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00DV7O7JY?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
Screen is apparently amazing, it has an SD slot and is 4G.
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