Looking for smartphone recommendations

Crasp

Hi guys, new to forum...



I'm looking to get a smartphone. It'll be my first one, so I'm not quite sure what exactly I'm looking for, but I have some minimum requirements. I've been looking at several models and I hope that I can settle on one soon.

I would use this in college and on the wards alot to reference books and other documents (e.g. .ppt lectures, websites, medical apps).


It should have (in no particular order - all are important):

1. wi-fi
2. Flash player
3. Wide range of apps (particularly medical/science based)
4. Must have skype (or other VOIP capability) and webtext abilities.
5. Microsoft office or similar for powerpoint, word, .pdf etc.
6. GPS


The following are also desirable:

7. minimally decent camera
8. Bearable battery life (>24hours with normal-heavy use).
9. easy to use and to live with - not frustrating like most of the phones I've ever used.



I am looking at switching to Vodafone and I think my choices are limited to the iPhone 4, HTC HD2, HTC Desire, Samsung Wave HD.


The iPhone 4 has no flash player capabilities as far as I know(?), so that is a massive disadvantage, enough to discourage me from getting the phone. But the sheer range of apps is almost a redeeming factor. Can microsoft office files be read by the iPhone (like powerpoint lectures, adobe .pdf files?). This would sway me slightly towards the iPhone. Battery seems ok at just about 1.5 days.



The HTC HD2 looks like the best of the bunch, it plays flash (depending on the browser, I understand?), has wi-fi and microsoft office. The problem is that the windows mobile OS seems to have very few apps, and as I said skype and webtext are very important to me. Battery life is a minus too, I understand it is less than a day. Looks like a cracking phone though, probably my favourite of the bunch.



THe HTC desire also looks good, but seems to lack the pocket office capabilities of the HD 2. Otherwise, it looks pretty good. Again, the android OS seems to have less apps available than the iPhone, but more than the HD2. It could be a good compromise.


I don't know much about the Samsung wave, any ideas or opinions on it?


So which of these phones are recommended by other members? All help and advice is appreciated.


Thanks.

ChopShop

Crasp wrote: »

I am looking at switching to Vodafone and I think my choices are limited to the iPhone 4, HTC HD2, HTC Desire, Samsung Wave HD.

Note:

Desire stocks are somewhat limited it seems... it may be VFs last few before the Desire HD releases.

Crasp

wernstrom! wrote: »

Note:

Desire stocks are somewhat limited it seems... it may be VFs last few before the Desire HD releases.

good point, I guess I should focus on the Desire HD? I'm not sure of the stats for the desire HD, maybe this is more comprehensive...


Thanks for your reply.

markedone

don't go for samsung! they will disappoint, i went through 6 samsungs in 5 years, plus i think theres the docs to go still available for android(Blackberry bought it so im not sure, blackberry rule!) and the activation keys are easily attainable online for free if you look, actually, come to think of it, get the blackberry torch, it should come out soon and i think it has flash or will have in the next 4 months tops(they have an agreement with adobe), plus it looks awesome and with a blackberry mobile keyboard, the best messaging device out there

angel01

markedone wrote: »

don't go for samsung! they will disappoint, i went through 6 samsungs in 5 years, plus i think theres the docs to go still available for android(Blackberry bought it so im not sure, blackberry rule!) and the activation keys are easily attainable online for free if you look, actually, come to think of it, get the blackberry torch, it should come out soon and i think it has flash or will have in the next 4 months tops(they have an agreement with adobe), plus it looks awesome and with a blackberry mobile keyboard, the best messaging device out there

I have a Samsung phone and I love mine but you want flash so that is out.. I would go for the desire as it meets your expectations.

I find the blackberry screens too small and restrictive.

markedone

angel01 wrote: »

I have a Samsung phone and I love mine but you want flash so that is out.. I would go for the desire as it meets your expectations.

I find the blackberry screens too small and restrictive.

the blackberry torch screen is HUGE compared to other blackberry's or good compared to other phone(except storm, it has a big screen)

stephendevlin

Crasp wrote: »

Hi guys, new to forum...



I'm looking to get a smartphone. It'll be my first one, so I'm not quite sure what exactly I'm looking for, but I have some minimum requirements. I've been looking at several models and I hope that I can settle on one soon.

I would use this in college and on the wards alot to reference books and other documents (e.g. .ppt lectures, websites, medical apps).


It should have (in no particular order - all are important):

1. wi-fi
2. Flash player
3. Wide range of apps (particularly medical/science based)
4. Must have skype (or other VOIP capability) and webtext abilities.
5. Microsoft office or similar for powerpoint, word, .pdf etc.
6. GPS


The following are also desirable:

7. minimally decent camera
8. Bearable battery life (>24hours with normal-heavy use).
9. easy to use and to live with - not frustrating like most of the phones I've ever used.



I am looking at switching to Vodafone and I think my choices are limited to the iPhone 4, HTC HD2, HTC Desire, Samsung Wave HD.


The iPhone 4 has no flash player capabilities as far as I know(?), so that is a massive disadvantage, enough to discourage me from getting the phone. But the sheer range of apps is almost a redeeming factor. Can microsoft office files be read by the iPhone (like powerpoint lectures, adobe .pdf files?). This would sway me slightly towards the iPhone. Battery seems ok at just about 1.5 days.



The HTC HD2 looks like the best of the bunch, it plays flash (depending on the browser, I understand?), has wi-fi and microsoft office. The problem is that the windows mobile OS seems to have very few apps, and as I said skype and webtext are very important to me. Battery life is a minus too, I understand it is less than a day. Looks like a cracking phone though, probably my favourite of the bunch.



THe HTC desire also looks good, but seems to lack the pocket office capabilities of the HD 2. Otherwise, it looks pretty good. Again, the android OS seems to have less apps available than the iPhone, but more than the HD2. It could be a good compromise.


I don't know much about the Samsung wave, any ideas or opinions on it?


So which of these phones are recommended by other members? All help and advice is appreciated.


Thanks.

Skype can be done with windows mobile.. as is webtexting

ChopShop

Crasp wrote: »

good point, I guess I should focus on the Desire HD? I'm not sure of the stats for the desire HD, maybe this is more comprehensive...


Thanks for your reply.

The HD isn't necessarily a better phone mind you.

Apparently the original Desire IS going to stay in production for a while yet (?) but Meteor have said they're dropping it full stop.

Crasp

markedone wrote: »

don't go for samsung! they will disappoint, i went through 6 samsungs in 5 years, plus i think theres the docs to go still available for android(Blackberry bought it so im not sure, blackberry rule!) and the activation keys are easily attainable online for free if you look, actually, come to think of it, get the blackberry torch, it should come out soon and i think it has flash or will have in the next 4 months tops(they have an agreement with adobe), plus it looks awesome and with a blackberry mobile keyboard, the best messaging device out there

Not a fan of blackberry unfortunately thanks for the reply though.

stephendevlin wrote: »

Skype can be done with windows mobile.. as is webtexting

That's cool, thanks for the info. I think the lack of apps is off-putting though

wernstrom! wrote: »

The HD isn't necessarily a better phone mind you.

Apparently the original Desire IS going to stay in production for a while yet (?) but Meteor have said they're dropping it full stop.

Ya I see the only difference is the new bigger screen. It says it plays flash too, but that seems to be because it runs android 2.2, which the standard desire will update to? Battery life seems pitiful for the Desire HD too

cnocbui

I have a Samsung Wave, and although I love it, I don't think it is the right choice for your needs. I think you should be looking at the Samsung Galaxy S as your primary option, due to it's large and superb screen, followed by the iPhone 4.

You can have flash on the Galaxy but it will never be allowed on the iPhone.

squeakyduck

HTC wildfire?

Vurnon San Benito

Nokia E63 or E71?
Brilliant phones, and for pennies (except E71 - Has GPS unlike E63).

Can do Skype, WiFi etc.

Just my two cents

gbob

I've just upgraded my son's desire to 2.2 and now runs flash perfectly. Have a look at the dell streak, it might be exactly what you need, and it's the reason my son got my old desire.

stevenmu

Crasp wrote: »

That's cool, thanks for the info. I think the lack of apps is off-putting though

Windows Mobile has tons of apps available. The only thing is that they're not in a central app store, so you need to find other sites doing listings of them. Modaco and xda-developers both list lots of apps, and there's plenty of other sites too that I can't remember right now, but google should have them.

Crasp

so I assume you just log into www.vodafone.ie to use the webtext function? therefore getting the 600 free texts/month/ Yes I'm a noob...