Upgrade time again - iPhone 5 or Galaxy SIII 4G?

[ozimax]

It's that time again. My Optus contract (iphone 4) is well and truly over and I need to upgrade my contract. I am a fairly heavy phone user as I'm on the road 7-8 months of each year. My choices are either of the two aforemetioned phones. Both are approximately the same cost. I have no experience whatsoever with the Galaxy/Android systems.

Any ideas or opinions form the technical sages on this forum will be appreciated.

Many thanks. Ozi.

[gstark]

The Galaxy is a great phone and highly recommended. It also has a maps app that works.

If you're not married to Optus, on Tuesday Motorola released the new RAZR HD, which I'm enjoying right now. Also 4G, does everything except make your morning coffee.

[TeamNikon]

Wouldn't you a heap of invested time and possibly money in your iPhone? Apps, music, photo albums etc? I'll def be going iPhone as I have thousands of songs, photos and a heaps of apps installed. Also, my daughter has the Galaxy III and to do the simplest things is way more involved the the iPhone.

[ozimax]

The Galaxy is a great phone and highly recommended. It also has a maps app that works.

If you're not married to Optus, on Tuesday Motorola released the new RAZR HD, which I'm enjoying right now. Also 4G, does everything except make your morning coffee.

Thanks Gary. I'm leaning towards the Samsung, but I may take a squiz at the Motorola. I most probably need to stay with Optus as everyone else in the family is on the same account, which makes for cheap inter-family phone calls.

I did muck around with a 4G Telstra phone some time ago and it is very fast. It too did not make coffee.

[gstark]

Wouldn't you a heap of invested time and possibly money in your iPhone? Apps, music, photo albums etc? I'll def be going iPhone as I have thousands of songs, photos and a heaps of apps installed. Also, my daughter has the Galaxy III and to do the simplest things is way more involved the the iPhone.

The conversion from iPhone to Android is basically painless, easy and inexpensive. I was easily able to replace all of my iPhone apps with equivalents within the Android space. Once you're in the Android space, moving from one phone to another - as I frequently do - becomes a very easy task.

Moving music to Android is easy as; and much easier than having to go through iTunes, which insists upon calling movies music, and insists upon calling books music. WTF is that about?

What SGS3 tasks are more involved than on the iPhone?

Please note that you need to have a meaningful location included in your profiile.

Thank you for your cooperation.

[gstark]

I most probably need to stay with Optus as everyone else in the family is on the same account, which makes for cheap inter-family phone calls.

Important point. The RAZR HD (and the soon to be released RAZR M) are both exclusive to Telstra till the end of the year, which is why I asked about Optus.

[aim54x]

Trolololololololol!!!

I come from a very happy family of Android users....with one disgruntled iPhone 4S user who is envious of the GS2's and GNexus in the house. I have to admit that the iPhone 5 has been underwhelming....but if you are more comfortable using it then maybe it is the choice to take.

Get in there and play!

[photohiker]

iTunes, which insists upon calling movies music, and insists upon calling books music. WTF is that about?

Where is that, Gary. Mine calls Music Music, Movies Movies, etc?



Going down to JB or wherever and having a play is really the only solution to deciding which phone is for you.

[Chaase]

Got an S3 from Kogan 2 weeks ago for myself and my wife.

Awesome phone, we could not be happier.

As for itunes, I still use it (it works and its too much stuffing around to change) I then use isyncr to sync to my SGS3 http://jrtstudio.com/node/7 . I have a play list called phone and move albums in and out of it and then sync.

I purchased outright so I dont have to get stuck on a contract (sick of being restricted to upgrades every 24 months). In December when we are out of contract I will be transferring our business mobiles over to Exetel as we have our ADSL and wireless services with them. Even the non business plans are good value. They run on the Optus Network.

The best part No Contract!

[surenj]

Depending on your level of extravagance,

I reckon get both and get copies of your SIM and use them both depending on your mood each day.... Can that be done?? Oh yer, if you need navigation, better to use the Galaxy for now.

[Reschsmooth]

It also has a maps app that works.

Gary, you misunderstand. The new Apple maps app adopts the Picasso school of conceptual navigation.

[sirhc55]

It also has a maps app that works.

Gary, you misunderstand. The new Apple maps app adopts the Picasso school of conceptual navigation.

I’m with you Patrick but rather than your convoluted sentence I would just say it’s f*cked

[the foto fanatic]

My wife pre-ordered the iPhone 5 and it was delivered on opening day. She couldn't be happier, particularly with the camera. The panorama function also seems to be very good.

We are currently visiting friends in Japan. They won't even be upgrading their older iPhones to iOS6 because of the Apple Maps fiasco - they rely heavily on Google Maps to get around.

Me? I'm waiting for the release of the Galaxy Note 2 with 4G. I hate the whole iTunes synching crap and the lack of USB. I don't carry music on my phone but I do want an easier way to load and display images. I should be able to take an SD card out of my camera and insert it into the Galaxy to look at images on a 5.5" screen.

[Mr Darcy]

iTunes, which insists upon calling movies music, and insists upon calling books music. WTF is that about?

Where is that, Gary. Mine calls Music Music, Movies Movies, etc?

I don't know about you, but I am a fairly heavy user of audio books and podcasts. I use very little actual music on portable devices.
The entire apple system from iTunes to iPhone to iPad insists that all of these be called music. despite having headings in their systems called "podcast" and "book"
This is particularly true if you bring them in from outside Apple's closed system.

I can't comment on movies/TVshows. I don't use them on portable devices, and assiduously keep them out of the iTunes system.

[ozimax]

We are currently visiting friends in Japan. They won't even be upgrading their older iPhones to iOS6 because of the Apple Maps fiasco - they rely heavily on Google Maps to get around.

Have you had some taco-yuki (sp?). There is a restaurant chain over there called (translated) "The Surprising Donkey".

Thanks all for thoughts on the phone situation. I am mulling all this information over.

[gstark]

iTunes, which insists upon calling movies music, and insists upon calling books music. WTF is that about?

Where is that, Gary. Mine calls Music Music, Movies Movies, etc?

Just the concept of storing movies and books within a product called iTunes is, to my mind, totally absurd.

But Windoze is no better. With around 20000 individual music files on my hard drive, there is no way in the world that I want them stored within the same storage locker as my documents. Yet that's what Windoze does. And movies. Videos.

Anything it can get its grubby little hands on.

I want my music to be stored ... in a music folder.

Movies, separately, in a movies folder, thank you very much.

And so on, and so fifth.

[photohiker]

Got it

So really you are complaining about the underlying storage schema. Fair enough too.

[gstark]

Got it

So really you are complaining about the underlying storage schema. Fair enough too.

Yes, but that (absence of) logic carries through into iTunes, where books and movies are listed. In an app named iTunes.

The entire apple system from iTunes to iPhone to iPad insists that all of these be called music. despite having headings in their systems called "podcast" and "book"

And that, to me, is a problem.

[ATJ]

Got it

So really you are complaining about the underlying storage schema. Fair enough too.

Yes, but that (absence of) logic carries through into iTunes, where books and movies are listed. In an app named iTunes.

The entire apple system from iTunes to iPhone to iPad insists that all of these be called music. despite having headings in their systems called "podcast" and "book"

And that, to me, is a problem.

And you don't have a problem with Windows putting all user files in "My Documents", whether they are documents or not? That's been going on way longer than iTunes has been around (or at least since it's had anything more than "tunes").
The Mac does much the same with "Documents".

[aim54x]

i don't let iTunes move or duplicate my files so they stay where I tell them to go in the first place. Nor do I use "My Documents" having learn't the hard way that an OS repair can wipe this folder.

It is an annoyance how these file structures have been set up (in a less than logical manner) but at the end of the day we live with it, or we work around it.

[gstark]

Got it

So really you are complaining about the underlying storage schema. Fair enough too.

Yes, but that (absence of) logic carries through into iTunes, where books and movies are listed. In an app named iTunes.

The entire apple system from iTunes to iPhone to iPad insists that all of these be called music. despite having headings in their systems called "podcast" and "book"

And that, to me, is a problem.

And you don't have a problem with Windows putting all user files in "My Documents", whether they are documents or not? That's been going on way longer than iTunes has been around (or at least since it's had anything more than "tunes").

Please review my comments from October 6, where I said exactly that.

[gstark]

i don't let iTunes move or duplicate my files so they stay where I tell them to go in the first place. Nor do I use "My Documents" having learn't the hard way that an OS repair can wipe this folder.

It is an annoyance how these file structures have been set up (in a less than logical manner) but at the end of the day we live with it, or we work around it.

I've taken to using Google Drive (nee Docs) for my documents, but I'm also using Dropbox for a lot of stuff that I need.

Dropbox plus an iPad has allowed me to save heaps of paper in terms of preparation for the radio shows that I do.

[ATJ]

Got it

So really you are complaining about the underlying storage schema. Fair enough too.

Yes, but that (absence of) logic carries through into iTunes, where books and movies are listed. In an app named iTunes.

The entire apple system from iTunes to iPhone to iPad insists that all of these be called music. despite having headings in their systems called "podcast" and "book"

And that, to me, is a problem.

And you don't have a problem with Windows putting all user files in "My Documents", whether they are documents or not? That's been going on way longer than iTunes has been around (or at least since it's had anything more than "tunes").

Please review my comments from October 6, where I said exactly that.

Almost. Your comments weren't clear if you were talking Windows in general or iTunes on Windows. The latter appears to be the inference.

[biggerry]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

[gstark]

Almost. Your comments weren't clear if you were talking Windows in general or iTunes on Windows. The latter appears to be the inference.

Andrew, not even when I said "within the same storage locker as my documents" ?

[gstark]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Because mobile phones are the new cameras?

[photohiker]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Quite.

Probably because this is just another version of the Holden vs Ford, Mac vs PC, Nikon vs Canon discussion.

Should be locked before it gets out of control and the advertisers withdraw their support.

[biggerry]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Because mobile phones are the new cameras?

I would believe that but there is only one member who mentioned the camera qualities in his response, so no love.

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Quite.

Probably because this is just another version of the Holden vs Ford, Mac vs PC, Nikon vs Canon discussion.

Should be locked before it gets out of control and the advertisers withdraw their support.

possibly..but depressingly sad nonetheless.

[ATJ]

Almost. Your comments weren't clear if you were talking Windows in general or iTunes on Windows. The latter appears to be the inference.

Andrew, not even when I said "within the same storage locker as my documents" ?

It was still a reference to where iTunes stores files rather than Windows in general.

[biggerry]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Because mobile phones are the new cameras?

oh and also Gary, I expect to see that screenshot in the 52 thread thats gotta count as a image

[Reschsmooth]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Quite.

Probably because this is just another version of the Holden vs Ford, Mac vs PC, Nikon vs Canon discussion.

Should be locked before it gets out of control and the advertisers withdraw their support.

possibly..but depressingly sad nonetheless.

Indeed, in 4 days, this thread has garnered 30 comments, including references to inferencecs and implications. Free world and all, but there has almost been more attention given to inferences and references in this thread rather than photos in other threads.

[ATJ]

why is it that on a Photography forum a thread about mobile phones gets more views and responses than anything else?

Quite.

Probably because this is just another version of the Holden vs Ford, Mac vs PC, Nikon vs Canon discussion.

Should be locked before it gets out of control and the advertisers withdraw their support.

possibly..but depressingly sad nonetheless.

Indeed, in 4 days, this thread has garnered 30 comments, including references to inferencecs and implications. Free world and all, but there has almost been more attention given to inferences and references in this thread rather than photos in other threads.

Not surprising really when you consider this is the only current thread on mobile phones and there are over 10 new threads with a total of over 50 replies in Image Reviews and Critiques alone in the last 4 days.

Get over it guys.

[biggerry]

Not surprising really when you consider this is the only current thread on mobile phones and there are over 10 new threads with a total of over 50 replies in Image Reviews and Critiques alone in the last 4 days.

Get over it guys.

and the 4 days before that Andrew?

plus for a mobile phone thread its pretty damn bland. So, since I have added little to this thread, here is my opinion on ANdroid based phones.

The things I really like.

1) i can plug it into a standard usb cable (micro) on any computer and transfer my music and files as desired, important for work comps.

2) Has lots of apps and have only found on a few occasions that there is only a apple app - the development of droid based apps is great now and there is craploads out here, all my photography ones are supported on droid and in some cases cheaper than the apple ones.

3) things tend just work and are very intuitive, this is much like the apple products and imo a key indicator of a good product, my 3 yro is bashing around thru the phone looking at photos and videos which tells me its pretty easy to use also sends plenty of pictures too, whether thats a deliberate is another story.

Wouldn't you a heap of invested time and possibly money in your iPhone? Apps, music, photo albums etc? I'll def be going iPhone as I have thousands of songs, photos and a heaps of apps installed. Also, my daughter has the Galaxy III and to do the simplest things is way more involved the the iPhone.

seriously, first post on a photography forum is about phones..geez, your reputation just went to minus 2 billion/.

[aim54x]

Wouldn't you a heap of invested time and possibly money in your iPhone? Apps, music, photo albums etc? I'll def be going iPhone as I have thousands of songs, photos and a heaps of apps installed. Also, my daughter has the Galaxy III and to do the simplest things is way more involved the the iPhone.

seriously, first post on a photography forum is about phones..geez, your reputation just went to minus 2 billion/.

Hmmm maybe we should have a rep system on this site.......