Smartphone worth it?

**Heavencloud** · 2011-02-21 17:01

Sup guys,

So I'm up for a Verizon upgrade and I'm considering what phone to get. The new iphone looks pretty nice, as well as the new thunderbolt, but I'm trying to figure out if I'll really use it enough to make it worth the extra $30 a month. The main extra usage that I'd be getting it for would be email, one of my jobs does their scheduling through email as well as notices to cover shifts, so it would be pretty useful for that. However, I'm wondering if those of you who have smartphones consider them really useful beyond the email portion.

tl;dr: To smartphone users, do you find the $30 a month worth it? Like do you use the extra features everyday? Of course the other features of the phones are nice as well (music, nice camera/videos, etc etc), but I'm more looking at the internet usage.

Thanks

**Isiolia** · 2011-02-21 17:28

IMO, it depends on what you do. If you don't have a computer at work, or otherwise spend a good deal of time away from easy 'net access (mass transit commute, school, etc), then they have a lot more value. If, like me, you're usually right next to a PC anyway, then the appeal just isn't there.

**Blabj** · 2011-02-21 17:33

You didn't think you needed one til you have one, then you'll wonder how you ever managed without one.

I was exactly like you, I get job reminders and call sheets through work's email system, and it would be great to not have to sit at a desk and log on every time I want to check my mail. So I shelled out the seemingly ridiculous price for an iPhone 4, and within a month I'd already spent £50 on apps. Whether it's doing a quick google, looking for directions on a map, finding nearby things (what time is that movie playing at my local cinema? where can I get some fast food?) or just playing about with some random app to show others (read: initiate one-up-manship contest in which party a has a better app for x than party b)... Eventually turning into one of the millions of mindless drones who sit in social situations ignoring their surroundings and staring blankly at the screen...

**Tymon** · 2011-02-21 17:43

Well I certainly wouldn't get the iPhone 4 right now when the 5 is on the horizon (Probably around July) and you would be SOL as far as an upgrade is concerned.

The next gen of Android phones will be coming out around the same time. Droid Bionic, Thunderbolt, and Droid X-2

All of those are your choice, but what it boils down to is that it isn't a very good idea to upgrade right now, when you can get a much better phone if you wait about 3 months.

**Tyche** · 2011-02-21 17:58

The "next-gen" of androids come out monthly. And the iphone 4gs or 5, or whatever will be out in the summer (new SKUs once a year thus far). The iphone will hold value longer than the android handsets if you decide to eventually sell to upgrade (and you will). As far as features/functionality, you can read any one of the 20 threads on iphone v android.

**Callisto** · 2011-02-21 18:15

Up until my current phone(Palm Pre) I never came remotely close to having a phone with current technology. Upgrading to a smartphone has been one of the best things I've ever done, lol. The difference is absurd...I'm not sure I'd recommend getting the hottest, most expensive model since shit obsoletes so quickly, but even a mid-grade one can be pretty damn nice.

I'm not personally a big fan of apple, but several of my friends have iphones and they're honestly pretty nice. If you want something that'll look slick when you're using it and do all the shit you want it to do pretty much out of the box I'd say it's not a bad option at all, especially if you don't mind paying for the apps you'll use. If you want something more customizable that you can fuck around with, or use homebrew-type stuff and whatnot, I've been hugely impressed with the HTC Evo, the screen is huge and fantastic, and the phone can do seemingly anything you want it to if you take the time to figure out how to set it up.

**Heavencloud** · 2011-02-21 18:28

Originally Posted by Callisto

Up until my current phone(Palm Pre) I never came remotely close to having a phone with current technology. Upgrading to a smartphone has been one of the best things I've ever done, lol. The difference is absurd...I'm not sure I'd recommend getting the hottest, most expensive model since shit obsoletes so quickly, but even a mid-grade one can be pretty damn nice.

I'm not personally a big fan of apple, but several of my friends have iphones and they're honestly pretty nice. If you want something that'll look slick when you're using it and do all the shit you want it to do pretty much out of the box I'd say it's not a bad option at all, especially if you don't mind paying for the apps you'll use. If you want something more customizable that you can fuck around with, or use homebrew-type stuff and whatnot, I've been hugely impressed with the HTC Evo, the screen is huge and fantastic, and the phone can do seemingly anything you want it to if you take the time to figure out how to set it up.

Yeah, my phone is like an 2007 flip phone (razor? lol), so I figure getting the best of the best would be worth it if I'm going to make the jump to a smart phone. I mean, I know it will become outdated rather quickly, but I want something that I'll be able to enjoy and get tons of use for the two years that I own it. I guess I did kind of choose a bad time to want to upgrade though, but I've waited so long anyway, so I could probably hold out til the nex gen phones come out, especially cause it's rather soon (already seeing a lot of ads for the thunderbolt).

**Tyche** · 2011-02-21 18:51

If you want longevity out of the phone, I'd go apple. If you get the phone at launch, you're only going to see 1 upgrade in the two years you'll have the phone. The resell value is tremendous, as after your two years are up, you could sell your (presumably) iphone 5, and get the iphone 7 and make a profit. When I upgraded from a 3G to an iphone 4, I made money, and the phone was 2 generations old (granted, I had to resign a 2 year deal).

**antihero** · 2011-02-21 19:04

cosigning with tyche, go apple and get a defender or a survivor case for it, it's like a giant condom for your phone, then when whatever new comes out you can sell your old phone as new. made money going from 3GS to my droid X(had to switch att>verizon for service), broke even going from DX to IP4, and hope to break even going from 4 to 5

**Dmitry** · 2011-02-21 23:28

I use mine a lot for a bunch of little things. It's one of those things where you think you won't use it that much before getting it, and then wouldn't want to go back to not having it after.

Plus it's nice for checking movie times, finding restaurants in places you're not familiar with, or even for GPS capabilities.

**wyrmtung** · 2011-02-21 23:59

Avoid getting addicted to the crack that is the smartphone. Like was said earlier, once you have it you'll wonder how you got by without it. I hate it but I love it. My GF is even jealous. I got her addicted to her phone and now we sit on our couch with the TV on in the background playing Words with each other rather than directly interacting. If there was an app where we could have sex through our phones then I may go a month or two without touching her.

Run away while you still can

**antihero** · 2011-02-22 00:34

@wyrmtung

hasn't gotten that bad with me and my fiancé but it has gotten to the point where she'll sit and play fruit ninja constantly when I'm at home, I give it until the IP5 keynote before she caves and wants one of her own

**Gredival** · 2011-02-22 00:49

I upgraded two months ago from an old touchscreen to a Galaxy S. The phone itself was worth the $80 (Costco ftw) just for the upgraded functionality and interface of the Android system. But I've got as big of a net umbilical cord as they come, and while I like the phone itself I don't know if it's worth the money for the plan.

The times it's come in handy most is when getting online otherwise is impossible. However for me at least, those situations have been rare. I basically use mine to read up on the news and on sports while on the bus. School campus is blanketed in WiFi coverage so normally I'd rather just use my laptop. If you travel a lot, phone can pay for itself in saving your WiFi charges through tethering.

**dejet** · 2011-02-22 07:45

for me it is a must have, how else would I watch the games at my job?

**dejet** · 2011-02-22 10:02

@wyrmtung

lol pull the battery's out when its time for you two and hide it. make the night worth it or shes going to be pissed off and not want to do it again.

**shaddix** · 2011-02-22 10:33

I would rip my own balls off without at minimum a shitty android device. (blackberries are worse than shitty android devices)

**dejet** · 2011-02-22 11:32

Originally Posted by shaddix

I would rip my own balls off without at minimum a shitty android device. (blackberries are worse than shitty android devices)

Be fair, though BB's cant do nearly as much as a android or iphone they still are great phones. They have media steaming(pandora and stuff) have web browsing thats decent and email is far better(think the business) their battery life is far better too.

You have trade offs, android is not for everyone.

**wyrmtung** · 2011-02-22 11:41

Originally Posted by dejet

@wyrmtung

lol pull the battery's out when its time for you two and hide it. make the night worth it or shes going to be pissed off and not want to do it again.

It's not just her. It's both of us. We both spend many evenings messing around with our phones. (Of course I'm exaggerating it a bit but not by much...)

**vagus** · 2011-02-22 13:17

The internet at your finger tips. Games galore. Why wouldn't you want one. The question is can you afford the monthly data plan & dropping X amount on a decent smart phone. A few friends who aren't super techy love there smart phones. They use it for everything. Social media (Facebook, MSN), gaming (BIRDS! Lolz) & organizing there daily life.

**dejet** · 2011-02-22 13:30

Originally Posted by wyrmtung

It's not just her. It's both of us. We both spend many evenings messing around with our phones. (Of course I'm exaggerating it a bit but not by much...)

I did mean both... lol you no its somewhat of a problem why not try and fix it? anyways that was a little off topic sry haha.

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