[iop890]

So my girlfriends bag was stolen with my phone and passport in it last weekend. Now I'm in the market for a new phone.

1. Whats the best overall phone for any price, that's out, or that will be out in the next couple months?

2. Whats the best value phone out there?

3. Is there anything the NSA can't fuck around with? I've heard good things about Blackberry but I've also heard the NSA can access them too.

[Avarence]

Galaxy S5 on April 11.
If you're on a budget, the Nexus 5 from Google. $349 unlocked

Also, the NSA can fuck with anything.

[svenski7]

(03-26-2014 11:19 PM)iop890 Wrote:  

3. Is there anything the NSA can't fuck around with? I've heard good things about Blackberry but I've also heard the NSA can access them too.

No, but this sounds neat: Boeing Black Smartphone

Honestly, Boeing worked with US Gov't to hack competitors (Airbus) and steal blueprints so if you buy this phone thinking there isn't a built-in back door, I have beach-front property to sell you in Chicago.

[Avon Barksdale]

(03-26-2014 11:21 PM)Avarence Wrote:  

Galaxy S5 on April 11.
If you're on a budget, the Nexus 5 from Google. $349 unlocked

Also, the NSA can fuck with anything.

So would you say an I phone 4S is a bad ideas?

[Drazen]

I hear really good things about the Sony Z2 phone. Camera is supposed to be incredible on it. It may not be available in the US though yet. I have a few relatives who have it and they were iphone junkies and switched over.

[mental]

Galaxy S3 with ArchiDroid installed is one of the best smartphones for the price - very cheap, while having software features most current smartphones don't; ArchiDroid uses Kitkat (Android 4.4.2) which is VERY fast and yet has every software feature you may need.

Galaxy S4 if you like MicroSD slots, but still want the newest phone, and you don't need an FM radio.

Current Nexus if you don't really need MicroSD and removable battery (if money is tight for you, but you still want cutting-edge tech, since it's cheap yet very advanced). Since this is a Google phone, I wouldn't buy it - while even normal androids can be tracked by Google, nobody knows what they do with Nexuses. However, you can at least prevent them from getting your location without your consent if you dig a little bit.

If you are willing to wait for a month or few, new androids will come out, which will greatly reduce the price of current androids, while new androids will cost as much as current phones. I like Galaxy S5 most out of all that will come out; Sony Z2, like the poster above suggested, is also very interesting.

-----------------------------------------------------

As for NSA, NO current technology is safe from them. You can only take a calculated risk by using Orbot (Tor Proxy) and startpage.com - you just have to do it, otherwise you may as well lock yourself to prevent any danger coming to you. If you aren't doing something illegal that can bring you a lot of money, I wouldn't worry about it too much since they have a lot bigger fish to fry and, besides, it would be a waste of their time and resources.

[funkyzeit]

Xperia Z1. That phone is insane.

Of course, it all depends on what you want in a phone. Most optimized OS? iPhone or Nexus. Strongest hardware? HTC or Samsung. Indestructible design, excellent functionality? Sony. Insane camera? Nokia or Sony.

[kosko]

(03-27-2014 12:56 AM)Avon Barksdale Wrote:  

(03-26-2014 11:21 PM)Avarence Wrote:  

Galaxy S5 on April 11.
If you're on a budget, the Nexus 5 from Google. $349 unlocked

Also, the NSA can fuck with anything.

So would you say an I phone 4S is a bad ideas?

New one comes in October. Just wait. Apple is ride or die for that money now and will be pushing out completely new units yearly.

[Brisey]

The new HTC One was announced this week and it looks pretty good.
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-...ne-1202748

Reviews are very positive so far. I have the last model and easily the best phone i've ever owned.

[big poppa]

I like HTC's.. Best thing about them is you can drop them over and over and they still look like new. Not like the iPhone where you drop it once and the screen gets all smashed up

[Blackwell]

I just picked up the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 last month. It's pretty big so it might not be to everyone's taste but I love it so far. The screen is so large and crisp I use this instead of my pc for everything casual.

Although seeing Avarence post the release date for the S5 has bummed me out a bit seeing as I just locked myself into a 2 year deal for this bad boy.

One thing I would say is abandon the iPhone. I couldn't go back now I've handled a Samsung.

[michaelm]

What this is about is "mine is bigger/cooler than yours".

But anyway, any bottom-end smartphone does what a topnotcher does. Get the right portable battery packs and you're set. If it's stolen/damaged so what.

However, I'm all for blow-your-mind technology which upon sensing a dumb-ass on his/her phone, that phone would be permanently disabled.

[DJ-Matt]

I had two HTC phones back in the Windows Mobile days and they were pretty good (considering iPhones and such didn't exist yet), however the last two HTC android devices I had were COMPLETE GARBAGE. The first one was a slow piece of crap that ran slow as shit right out of the box. Second one was an engineering disaster: bluetooth range of about 4 feet, cell signal sucked, and it was pokey and had a tiny battery which couldn't be upgraded due to the design of the case (all metal).

No HTC, NEVER!

If you want a Nexus 5 I'd wait a few months, I believe Google is going to drop the 6 shortly after I/O and then the 5 will be cheaper. While the battery isn't removable, there is an inexpensive case that is also rugged which will probably be my route:
http://zerolemon.com/product/zerolemon-l...tery-pack/

My current "phone" is a Samsung Galaxy Note SGH-i717 (that's the special AT&T LTE version, international has different hardware) which is a solid device considering how old it is. However like all smartphones the battery life blows and it won't make it through the day without sitting on the charger.

When are the manufacturers going to wise up and start putting decent batteries in these things?

[rlongo924]

iphone 5s gets it done for me.

[NY Digital]

I must say I've always had no problems with LG phones. They're sturdy, and are good quality.

My HTC dropped one time and everything broke, even the WIFI adapter.

I've dropped all my LG's countless times and they're still doing fine.

[heavy]

A review I wrote in November on LG G2 vs S4

Note this is not comparing to the iPhone, because...well, why compare to such an obviously deficient device. So Samsung markets the S4 like crazy spending $$ marketing (just like Apple) and copying iPhone aesthetics (credit where credit is due). Whereas LG hardly markets at all, which is why the G2 is less recongnized...but the G2 is a better phone all around. I used the S4 for 10 days and exchanged it for the G2 yesterday.

#1 Reason: It's incredibly comfortable to hold and actually feels smaller in your hands despite a noticeably larger screen.
#2 Reason: a noticeably bigger screen. #3 Reason: Way better sound plus the speaker is at the bottom (much louder), which matters for me bc I watch Netflix on it.
#4 Reason: No physical home button (why the h311 do I want to have to *push* something).
#5 Reason: Power and volume buttons on the back. I don't miss the side controls, much better on the back. Plus the screen double tap to turn on...this will be on phones in the future.
#6 Reason: Camera is better (optical image stabilization), as are the software features. This thing blows me away the things the camera can do.
#7 Reason: Better (read: bigger) battery.

What do I miss? The white "style" of the S4...you'll get over this in about 10 minutes. Why did I exchange? History with 4G LTE still had me concerned with battery life, and the S4 had a removable battery I could potentially swap for an extended. So despite wanting the G2, I bought the S4 originally. After using the S4 I realized battery life on these phones are fine, so I thought about exchanging for the G2. When I found out the G2 cost $50 right now at Verizon vs $200+ for the S4, it was an easy decision. So yeah, in the exchange, after paying $35 restock fee, I had $130 returned to my card.

Oh, and it's the fastest phone on the market, surprisingly noticeable over the S4

[Avon Barksdale]

(03-27-2014 03:57 AM)kosko Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 12:56 AM)Avon Barksdale Wrote:  

(03-26-2014 11:21 PM)Avarence Wrote:  

Galaxy S5 on April 11.
If you're on a budget, the Nexus 5 from Google. $349 unlocked

Also, the NSA can fuck with anything.

So would you say an I phone 4S is a bad ideas?

New one comes in October. Just wait. Apple is ride or die for that money now and will be pushing out completely new units yearly.

Yea the thing is though I lost my old crappy basic phone, so I need a new one asap is the 4S that bad?

[Avarence]

Don't get the 4S... it's about to be three years old.

I wouldn't suggest an iPhone anyway. One area where they can come in useful though is during travel. Girls (blinded by materialism and the need to have a device they think is sophisticated but in reality is built for idiots) will generally all have iPhones. iMessage comes in handy in this case, as you can text her over wifi at no charge. Me - I rather get the better product, and always choose Android devices.

If you have T-Mobile in the U.S., select Android phones (all the popular ones) will allow you to call and text over wi-fi.
I've gone to Canada before, set the phone in airplane mode, then turned on wi-fi and I can call and text using my US number at no extra cost.

[FrenchCanadian]

Im thinking of getting a BlackBerry Z30. Im in love with that OS

[KC4]

How's the nexus 5 I've heard good things about iy but need a second opinion

[Wreckingball]

(03-28-2014 06:16 PM)KC4 Wrote:  

How's the nexus 5 I've heard good things about iy but need a second opinion

It's very good for the price. Good screen, "seems strong", good battery life, and fast. also, since it's a "google phone" it is updated frequently
Also very good for the price is the Moto-G, however it's not a high end phone.

[YossariansRight]

I had a Nexus 5 for about 2 weeks; I didn't keep it primarily because:

1. Battery life sucked (and I'm not someone that streams 'x' 24/7 or plays games).

2. The sound quality was bad. Google goes cheap on their hardware (to keep the price down). I have a Galaxy Nexus and as bad as the sound quality is for that phone, I thought it was better than the Nexus 5.

I'll second the nomination for the LG G2 (which the Nexus 5 is based on, albeit with cheaper hardware to keep the price down) if you want an Android phone. It's a high quality device.

FWIW, my everyday phone is an iPhone 5S.

Typically, Apple products hold their value much better than Android devices, so if price is a determining factor, you should be able to buy an Android phone/tablet/phablet for a lot less $ than an Apple iPhone/iPad/iPod.

Also, the iPhone 4S, although older, is a solid phone. I have one, unlocked, that I use as my back up phone/phone for when I travel internationally. Plus, like someone above mentioned, chicks are into iPhones. I was just in Europe ~2 months ago and I'd estimate 90+% of the women with smartphones had an iPhone.

iOS or Android - both have positives and negatives.

[YossariansRight]

(03-27-2014 11:28 AM)Avon Barksdale Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 03:57 AM)kosko Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 12:56 AM)Avon Barksdale Wrote:  

(03-26-2014 11:21 PM)Avarence Wrote:  

Galaxy S5 on April 11.
If you're on a budget, the Nexus 5 from Google. $349 unlocked

Also, the NSA can fuck with anything.

So would you say an I phone 4S is a bad ideas?

New one comes in October. Just wait. Apple is ride or die for that money now and will be pushing out completely new units yearly.

Yea the thing is though I lost my old crappy basic phone, so I need a new one asap is the 4S that bad?

Not at all. Like I just posted, I use an unlocked 4S as my backup phone/international travel phone.

It is an older model, but they're solid. Apple still sells them new, so they're still "supported". You should be able to score a used one (CL or eBay) at a very good price point.

[Avon Barksdale]

(03-28-2014 07:18 PM)YossariansRight Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 11:28 AM)Avon Barksdale Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 03:57 AM)kosko Wrote:  

(03-27-2014 12:56 AM)Avon Barksdale Wrote:  

(03-26-2014 11:21 PM)Avarence Wrote:  

Galaxy S5 on April 11.
If you're on a budget, the Nexus 5 from Google. $349 unlocked

Also, the NSA can fuck with anything.

So would you say an I phone 4S is a bad ideas?

New one comes in October. Just wait. Apple is ride or die for that money now and will be pushing out completely new units yearly.

Yea the thing is though I lost my old crappy basic phone, so I need a new one asap is the 4S that bad?

Not at all. Like I just posted, I use an unlocked 4S as my backup phone/international travel phone.

It is an older model, but they're solid. Apple still sells them new, so they're still "supported". You should be able to score a used one (CL or eBay) at a very good price point.

Yea I might just pull the trigger on it. Verizon has it for free with a plan in my area

[Cr33pin]