# Delving into the world of smartphones



## xotoxi (Jan 11, 2011)

In the next few months, I'm goingt to be making some life changes...one of which will be getting a smartphone.

I use Verizon.  I have always used Verizon.  I love Verizon.  I will not change from Verizon.

Therefore, these are my following choices of phones:

DROID
Blackberry

And starting in Feb...iPhone

There are also other phones such as LG and Samsung that they offer, but I have heard more about the above.

Can anyone compare and contrast the above three phones/systems?

Besides telephony, I plan to use texting in a limited fashion, while I plan to use wireless internet and apps more.

For the benefit of PixieStix...DISCUSS.


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## uscitizen (Jan 11, 2011)

DON'T do it!
Once you experience the dark side you will never return.


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## xotoxi (Jan 11, 2011)

uscitizen said:


> DON'T do it!
> Once you experience the dark side you will never return.



I'm already on the dark side...I just don't have the appropriate phone.


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## California Girl (Jan 11, 2011)

BlackBerry


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## goldcatt (Jan 11, 2011)

I just got my first one as my Xmas present to myself. 

I also have Verizon, I went with a droid and other than getting used to typing on that tiny little touch screen  it's been a breeze. It's also already proven to be durable. 

I had several people tell me not to go with the iphone, for reasons ranging from it being more fragile (not a good idea in a house with little kiddos) to it being more complicated to use to it being more of a toy for texting, facebooking and e-mailing, not something useful for business applications. But I haven't used one myself.


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## kwc57 (Jan 11, 2011)

xotoxi said:


> In the next few months, I'm goingt to be making some life changes...one of which will be getting a smartphone.
> 
> I use Verizon.  I have always used Verizon.  I love Verizon.  I will not change from Verizon.
> 
> ...



My wife is an avid Blackberry user, but hated the Torch wheen she got it.  She finally joined me on the iPhone bandwagon.  She seems to like it.  I love it.  My son was leaning towards Droid, but recently went with the new Windows 7 OS and really likes it.  I had the old Windows mobile and it pretty much worked like Windows on a desktop.  It sucked.

iPhone!


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## California Girl (Jan 11, 2011)

goldcatt said:


> I just got my first one as my Xmas present to myself.
> 
> I also have Verizon, I went with a droid and other than getting used to typing on that tiny little touch screen  it's been a breeze. It's also already proven to be durable.
> 
> I had several people tell me not to go with the iphone, for reasons ranging from it being more fragile (not a good idea in a house with little kiddos) to it being more complicated to use to it being more of a toy for texting, facebooking and e-mailing, not something useful for business applications. But I haven't used one myself.



Couple of friends have had problems with the seemingly delicate iphone. My BlackBerry, otoh, seems indestructible! And I have dropped on a tiled floor, slammed it in a car door (don't ask), and my horse trod on it! Friend of mine left his BB on the roof of his car, it fell off and got run over... still worked!


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## goldcatt (Jan 11, 2011)

California Girl said:


> goldcatt said:
> 
> 
> > I just got my first one as my Xmas present to myself.
> ...



I don't know anybody who has a blackberry, I'll have to remember that. Sounds about perfect for my house. Constant multitasking plus two little heathens equals, er, the occasional oopsie.


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## del (Jan 11, 2011)

both my kids (22 and 16) have droids and really like them.

i plan on getting one when they incorporate a dial as god intended.


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## kwc57 (Jan 11, 2011)

California Girl said:


> goldcatt said:
> 
> 
> > I just got my first one as my Xmas present to myself.
> ...



If you buy an Otter Box for your iPhone, you can sit and throw it at the wall all day long.  I bought one after having it demonstrated to me by a friend.


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## Ravi (Jan 11, 2011)

del said:


> both my kids (22 and 16) have droids and really like them.
> 
> i plan on getting one when they incorporate a dial as god intended.


There is probably an app for that. 


I just downloaded a bar code reader. You can go to Best Buy, scan the barcode into your phone of that big screen tv you've been drooling over and voila! You get a list of how much money everyone else is selling it for.


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## California Girl (Jan 11, 2011)

goldcatt said:


> California Girl said:
> 
> 
> > goldcatt said:
> ...



If your a fan of touch screens, the new Torch is fantastic, it's touch with a slide out keyboard... best of both worlds. Don't be put off by the initial size of the keypad.... you get used to it real fast. It's truly a great cell.


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## del (Jan 11, 2011)

Ravi said:


> del said:
> 
> 
> > both my kids (22 and 16) have droids and really like them.
> ...



you're right, there probably is. we were talking about all the apps you can get for a droid the other day, and that bar code reader came up in conversation. 

i'm something of a luddite, i still use my phone to, gulp, talk to people.

whew, that's a load off my mind


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## California Girl (Jan 11, 2011)

del said:


> both my kids (22 and 16) have droids and really like them.
> 
> i plan on getting one when they incorporate a dial as god intended.



BlackBerry Torch. Touch phone, with slide out keypad for 'dialing'... as God intended. LOL


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## del (Jan 11, 2011)

California Girl said:


> del said:
> 
> 
> > both my kids (22 and 16) have droids and really like them.
> ...



where do you put the *dime* in?


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## L.K.Eder (Jan 11, 2011)

my phone is quite dumb.


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## Big Black Dog (Jan 11, 2011)

xotoxi said:


> In the next few months, I'm goingt to be making some life changes...one of which will be getting a smartphone.
> 
> I use Verizon.  I have always used Verizon.  I love Verizon.  I will not change from Verizon.
> 
> ...



I don't use a cell phone much so I have a Tracphone.  it works just fine for my needs.  I also have a cell phone established in the truck for emergency use.  I rarely use that too.  If I want to make a phone call, I stay at home to make it.  The only thing that irritates me more than people talking loudly on cell phones in public is going to Wal-mart and hearing 90% of the people there talking in Spanish.

Now, if I was a high-profile doctor like you, I might have two or three cell phones.  All of them loaded up for bear.


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## goldcatt (Jan 11, 2011)

California Girl said:


> goldcatt said:
> 
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> > California Girl said:
> ...



I actually wanted one with the slide out keyboard. But hey, the day my old phone finally bit the dust and I called in the only droid they were giving away free with a new data plan had all the other features I'd been looking for but was a touch screen.

Free is a great feature, and worth making the adjustment for. 

I liked that a smartphone newb like me could take it out of the box, charge it, turn it on and it made perfect sense.


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## xotoxi (Jan 11, 2011)

I read that the Verizon iPhone will have a feature where it will act as a wireless router for up to 5 other "things" (I'm blanking on the term for "things" attached to a network)

That would be a nice feature.


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## Ringel05 (Jan 11, 2011)

My smart phone can do fractions, sing "I'm a little tea pot" and win an argument with Shaganuts.  
(Wait a minute, a slug can win an argument with Shaganuts.  Never mind.)


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## Ravi (Jan 11, 2011)

xotoxi said:


> I read that the Verizon iPhone will have a feature where it will act as a wireless router for up to 5 other "things" (I'm blanking on the term for "things" attached to a network)
> 
> That would be a nice feature.


The Samsung Epic already does that...but it is a major power drain and not worth it.

It is nice to be able to use your phone as a router for your netbook, though.

You should explore CNET and read reviews and stuff for different phones.


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## Mini 14 (Jan 11, 2011)

Blackberry is the most stable platform out there. You'll be able to use the service where other phones will not have enough signal. For that reason, I've always kept a Blackberry for the past 10 years.

That said, the iphone, though delicate, is the ultimate phone. You'll be able to do much more with it than other phones. When it gets to the stability of the Blackberry, we're all done (now that it is on Verizon's network).

I will wind up with both. The Blackberry will still serve as my workhorse, and the iphone will be my "play phone."


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## masquerade (Jan 11, 2011)

I have a Samsung Vibrant smahtphone through TMobile.

I use TMobile. I have always used TMobile. I love TMobile. I will not change from TMobile.  Well ... one day I may.


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## Jer (Jan 11, 2011)

Stay away from Droid Intercept.

If anything go with BB. I used to have one (which is why I got the dreaded Intercept...QWERTY.) They are definitely robust, and it fits your world in your pocket. The BB keeps you connected to everything. It's great.


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## California Girl (Jan 11, 2011)

goldcatt said:


> California Girl said:
> 
> 
> > goldcatt said:
> ...



I like free too. I stole my brother's and just swapped the SIMs. He wasn't overly thrilled but, I do that 'doe eyed baby sister' thing and he's putty in my hands.   All my family - and most friends - have BlackBerry's. It has it's own IM system too so its a great little feature.


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## Ropey (Jan 11, 2011)

California Girl said:


> goldcatt said:
> 
> 
> > I just got my first one as my Xmas present to myself.
> ...



I need two hands with the iPhone as well. I can type and use the BB with one hand and I text a lot. I've dropped it at least five times. No problems.

No choice for me.


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## kwc57 (Jan 11, 2011)

Ringel05 said:


> My smart phone can do fractions, sing "I'm a little tea pot" and win an argument with Shaganuts.
> (Wait a minute, a slug can win an argument with Shaganuts.  Never mind.)



I hear you can get porn on them too.......is that true?


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## Paulie (Jan 11, 2011)

If you get a blackberry I will pary for you and be truley sorry for your lots.


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## random3434 (Jan 11, 2011)

*I &#9829; My Crackberry! *


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## ekrem (Jan 11, 2011)

HTC
HTC - Mobile Phones, Smartphones, Cell Phones, PDAs

The last 3 smartphones I bought, where manufactured by them.
I can recommend them.


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## waltky (Sep 13, 2014)

Emoticons no substitute for real emotions...

*Are smartphones making young people emotionally stunted?*
_Sat, Sep 13, 2014 - It is the generation that can understand exactly how you are feeling through a few simple emoticons._


> But now researchers claim that children are so engrossed in their phones, they are unable to accurately read how people are feeling in real life.  This is the result of less face-to-face time interaction, according to the study, which found young kids are glued to electronic devices for nearly five hours each day.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Mr. H. (Sep 13, 2014)

This is fine.


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## Abishai100 (Sep 18, 2014)

*LG Optimus 7*

Blackberry was making terrific phones some years back (i.e., the Pearl).

However, I would say that LG and the iPhone now have the social edge.

I have to say that the real landmark in the mobile/smartphone universe was the Windows Mobile operating system (another nod to the modern era King Kong, Bill Gates).

Windows Mobile is now simply called Windows Phone, and the LG Optimus 7 is a great Windows Phone operated smartphone.

You don't want to end up in Red Lobster by yourself waiting for your date to show up, and you're sitting there without a handy-dandy cell phone which you could have used to receive the right text/call so you could plan your next perfect move.





LG Optimus 7 - Wikipedia the free encyclopedia


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## Goddess_Ashtara (Sep 23, 2014)

​


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## Politico (Sep 23, 2014)

Umm why was this dug up? It is a three year old thread started by a banned guy who thought buying a smartphone was smart much less a life changing event.


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## Goddess_Ashtara (Sep 24, 2014)

Why does it matter​


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## Ringel05 (Sep 26, 2014)

Politico said:


> Umm why was this dug up? It is a three year old thread started by a banned guy *who thought buying a smartphone was smart much less a life changing event.*


Yeah, sure thing there Sparky........


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## Politico (Sep 27, 2014)

Is everyone off their meds today? Do tell. How is buying a cellphone a life changing event?


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## Ringel05 (Sep 27, 2014)

Politico said:


> Is everyone off their meds today? Do tell. *How is buying a cellphone a life changing event?*


Try taking yours....... 

Can you say comedic value?  I knew you could......


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## iamwhatiseem (Sep 27, 2014)

I have an iPhone, and like all smartphones, they have never heard of the word privacy. They all assume that you of course want to share everything about you to everyone you know - and you of course want to know everything about everyone you know.
 My first introduction to that, was a little known feature that happens when you install the facebook app on your phone. Suddenly my contact list was filled with a whole bunch of contacts/phone numbers that I didn't want. And, if it wasn't for the fact I have my facebook locked down, MY cellphone number would have been available to everyone I know. 
 Two..."push"...it is something almost every app wants to do...if you see this question "allow pushes" - the choice is "Yes or No". When in fact there should be an option for "Hell No".
 Unwittingly, and alarmingly easily you can accidently share your GPS location to everyone in your contact list. That is bad.
  It goes on. A smart phone can be a very good thing. It can also make you a zombie, have a car accident, alienate your family and invite everyone you know to know alot about you.


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## Abishai100 (Aug 10, 2015)

*Utility Antenna*

Suddenly, the iPhone is all the rage even though Windows Mobile phones were dominating the market last decade.

Certainly, this crazy change in the market warrants rehashing a thread on USMB about cell phone mania.

I know a certain college professor who hated cell phones but bought one anyway since the college he taught at was heavily involved in computers.  He thought that Windows Mobile would finally put Microsoft ahead of Apple in the consumer market.

But hey let's face it, the biggest boons of mobile phones (especially those equipped with Internet browsers) are those obvious utilitarian features:

1. easy-to-access roadside convenience
2. cell phone cameras for accident insurance snapshots
3. call-ahead restaurant ordering for on-the-go take-out
4. stay in touch with your kids no matter where they are
5. GSM enabled business networking
6. instant in-hand check of Facebook and email accounts

If you want a giant iPhone, you'll be happy knowing you can boast about its incredible display.  Apple has managed to make the word 'smartphone' more pedestrian with savvy marketing.


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## Ringel05 (Aug 11, 2015)

Abishai100 said:


> *Utility Antenna*
> 
> Suddenly, the iPhone is all the rage even though Windows Mobile phones were dominating the market last decade.
> 
> ...


Ya know, every time you post in here it looks like spam.........  Uuummmm.......


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