HTC Desire vs iPhone 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S @ techradar

[bigup7]

interesting head to head:

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...iphone-4-vs-samsung-galaxy-s-702739?artc_pg=1

 

[word_easy]

" FaceTime is there if you like living in the early part of the millennium."

Haha

 

[realnumber 1]

Looks like i made the wise choice then:approve:.
And it will get even better when Froyo's released...

 

[bigup7]

picking up a Galaxy S later, will be handing the iphone 3g over to the wife after owning the 3G it from launch.

i fancy a change now and thought android is the way to go.

 

[cadab]

I'm an android fan boy, but it does seem very negative towards the iphone 4. Tbh i think the iphone is the best phone available over here atm, but i think as time goes on, android is only going to get better and better and soon the app issue wont be there at all.

 

[Ay Ay Ron]

Just been reading some reviews on the above site. I was going for the galaxy but with no flash (camera) i'm not sure now. The desire looks awesome aswell. I've got a few weeks to have a proper look before my contract renews...

 

[andywright182]

I had a galaxy s and returned it after 4 days. Crap batter, crap samsung software but android has a lot of potential. Just stay away from Samsungs imo

 

[bigup7]

i got a SGS last night and WOW

moved from an iphone 3g and it wipes it all over, admittedly i cannot personally compare it to a 3gs or 4 but this thing is insanely fast.

glad i moved over.

 

[rogueneo]

iphone is good for games but anything in the future running andrioid will have the advantage , as its easier for developers to work with and more functional. and you get a large amount of open source programs for android , iphone apps = money

 

[Adams_16v]

I have been a big iPhone fan for the past 3 years, but have just swapped over to a HTC Desire with Android 2.1, after the iOS4.0 completely ruined my iPhone (slow, freezing up, rebooting).

It is soooooooooo much better than iPhone! Can do so much more, its a lot quicker, pretty much everything I've done on it so far beats iPhone by a mile. There arent quite as many good apps, but I have everything I used on the iPhone on it, or an alternative. The Android market is also a lot more user friendly than App Store.

Maps are much better, Google directions, Google Buzz, etc etc.

I think I have only just realised how much basic stuff Apple stop you doing on the iPhone.

(video contains bad language)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD-0pqZg&feature=related

 

[word_easy]

I have been a big iPhone fan for the past 3 years, but have just swapped over to a HTC Desire with Android 2.1, after the iOS4.0 completely ruined my iPhone (slow, freezing up, rebooting).

It is soooooooooo much better than iPhone! Can do so much more, its a lot quicker, pretty much everything I've done on it so far beats iPhone by a mile. There arent quite as many good apps, but I have everything I used on the iPhone on it, or an alternative. The Android market is also a lot more user friendly than App Store.

Maps are much better, Google directions, Google Buzz, etc etc.

I think I have only just realised how much basic stuff Apple stop you doing on the iPhone.

(video contains bad language)...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD-0pqZg&feature=related

Out of interest, can you watch TV on it like with TVcatchup on iPhone?

 

[Adams_16v]

TVCatchup are making it Android compatible at the mo

There is this alternative - http://yamgo.mobi/

You can also install MyPlayer which is made for streaming BBC iPlayer programmes, and also shows live BBC channels. You can also download anything from the iPlayer and watch it later via this app.

There is also another live TV app which is mostly USA channels, but has loads of channels and cool features like picture in picture.

 

[PinkoCommie]

Out of interest, can you watch TV on it like with TVcatchup on iPhone?

You can if you have a Android 2.2 phone (like my Nexus) as 2.2 supports full blown flash 10.1 and not flash lite like the HTC Desire (and I expect the Galaxy as well), so any site that use flash works exactly like it does on your PC.

 

[Adams_16v]

^ Looking forward to the 2.2 update.

In the meantime, this works on mine fine...

http://m.tvcatchup.com

 

[Peperami]

Useful review!

I know nothing about phones tbh, but wanted something 'iphoney' and am due an upgrade. Had looked at all 3 of these, think i might plump for the desire as its a fair chunk cheaper than iphone, but seems to do just as much.

 

[Adams_16v]

Does so much more mate, believe me! I'll not go back to iPhone now, no chance!

The only thing I'll say is that the Android/Desire combo is more for a geeky phone person, as it allows you do and customise so much. So certain things like adding music to the phone is a lot different (but preferable for me), than just goiing into iTunes and adding your media etc.

 

[Peperami]

Im not very geeky, but if it does the same kinda things and is cheaper, that sounds good. Im using a 5 year old se k850 at the moment, so gotta be better than that...

 

[Prong]

If you get an Android phone download the software Doubletwist. It's really handy for putting music and video's onto your phone.

 

[PinkoCommie]

^ Looking forward to the 2.2 update.

In the meantime, this works on mine fine...

http://m.tvcatchup.com

Oooh, I wasn't aware of that URL. It also doesn't appear to put the adverts on the beginning of the streams either..

 

[word_easy]

That's good then, thanks!

 

[tyranical]

I love CS.

you have the apple forum full of apple fanboys, the phones and internet forum full of android fanboys.

I find that interesting though that the review gives it to the Desire based on the reception issue the iphone has for some people even though its not a phone people should use without a case (and using a case removes the issue) and that review does not cover design and build quality at all which is something the iphone 4 has really got right.

For me, the iphone once jailbroken is the best, all the things apple stop you doing suddenly become available, you get the best of both worlds.

I'm not sure that android will ever be fully competitive with the iphone. Sure they have their apps, they never seem to be as polished or smooth as the iphone ones, and as for games you might aswell not bother on android. Its much like windows, apple have got market domination with the app store and its going to take something revolutionary to change that imo.

 

[Adams_16v]

I've moved from Apple to Android and it is better IMO.

I can have text to speech reading out my texts, I can even speak and it will write out txts very accurately (kinda defeats the object of txting, but a handy feature to have). There is just so much you can do with them in standard form over iPhone, even Jailbroken iPhones!

Even little things like take a photo/video and have the option to post to Facebook, Flickr, or send via bluetooth straight away. On my iPhone I had to go into the FB app to upload pics, and sending via bluetooth wasnt possible without jailbreak and a 3rd party app.

Customising the whole desktop with widgets is great, 1 screen has FB updates, twitter and weather, another has notes, emails, system properties etc.

You really can just do so much more, without any need to hack the OS. Even down to customising your own vibrate lengths and patterns for vibration alerts, and customising your own keyboard layout.

I was a massive iPhone fan boy for the past 3 years, and they are great phones. my mate used to go on about Android and I was always bigging up iPhone... but moving to Android has really made me realise what the iPhone actually cant do! I'm very impressed with it.

 

[Christopher]

You've moved from iPhone 4 to Android?

If not, that comparison is pointless.

The review seems rather biased to say the least. LOL.

 

[Adams_16v]

The iPhone 4 is not that much different to the 3GS running iOS4.0 is it? other than better hardware?

I've not mentioned hardware, I'm talking about OS only. Proper open source is always going to be better than a hacked closed source OS, which is still very limited IMO.

 

[PinkoCommie]

You've moved from iPhone 4 to Android?

If not, that comparison is pointless.

The review seems rather biased to say the least. LOL.

Not really. iOS to Android is a fair comparisson. If he was comparing a specific handset though, your right, but it's all about the different user experience and that's what he was comparing, the features of the OS. Yes iPhone 4 has some OS features not on the previous handsets, but none of those are the things that he mentioned he liked (i.e. direct photo sharing, widgets & the general customisation of the look and feel of it)

Any review of iOS/Android comparissons will be biased anyway, the reviewer is always going to have a preference one way or another as by the time they write the review they have already made up their mind which one they like best. At least he wasn't just dismissing the iPhone out of hand, he has experience with both and prefers the Android over the iOS.

 

[Christopher]

I meant the handsets, yeah.

I'm not baiting, but isn't the Android app store pathetically small?

 

[bigup7]

I meant the handsets, yeah.

I'm not baiting, but isn't the Android app store pathetically small?

android app store doesnt have 1000 apps that do the same thing

 

[Adams_16v]

The Android market isnt quite as comprehensive as the App Store, but is catching up fast. I have all my apps or equivalent versions that I used on the iPhone.

The actual Market App itself is much better than the App Store though. I hate how App Store boots you out every time you choose to install something.

 

[PinkoCommie]

The app store isn't massive, but there are multiple app stores out there as well.

Also, I like the fact I can download an app from anywhere. Most apps I've found on the web while surfing on my PC are easy to install as well, they generally have a QRCode on the webpage, so just load up a barcode scanner, point it at the QRCode and it will download the app irect to the phone for you. No market needed.

Also, do you really need to choose between 43 different vuvuzella apss?

 

[Vincec79]

Seemed a decent enough review and some what helpful seen as my contract is up for renewal next month and have been looking at these 3 phones as replacements.

I was always wondering whether the iPhone 4 justifies its price over the other 2, on contract with O2 the HTC & Galaxy will cost me little or nothing, the iPhone 4 is looking anywhere up to £200 for the 32gb version and thats if I can even get it.

I have one of the 3rd gen ipod Touches and can vouch for most the apps being complete w**k, or novelties, though not being a iphone obviously limits which apps are applicable or usable. When not using it just as an mp3 player or watching films on it I only ever play Angry birds and use 1 or 2 of other apps i've currently got on it.

Mate of mine who works for 3 has been using the normal Galaxy for a while and is pretty impressed by it, however the the lack of flash is a bit of a surprise but then again in all honesty don't really think its a massive problem.

Though keep coming back to the HTC and hearing lots of good reviews, so swaying towards either the Galaxy S or the Desire

 

[Christopher]

Fair enough, it's nice to get a balanced opinion for a change.

I just wish Android phones felt as premium as the 4. They feel cheap in comparison.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

^ Kind of agree with the feel, iPhones feel quite tough for something you really want to be taking care of. The only real let down on the Desire for me is the battery. If it was better I'd still have one. It wipes the floor with the iPhone for maps and contacts. Internet is a tough one, the screen is obviously better on the iPhone (touch wise), I don't think the resolution is that useful, but Safari is obviously better for viewing text as it lays it out a lot better.

If the Desire had a better battery I'd still have one, but I'm just going to get a white 16GB when they're released on Tesco.

 

[oliver.james]

I just wish Android phones felt as premium as the 4. They feel cheap in comparison.

Agreed! The HTC feels cheap compared to the iPhone!

I'm also getting annoying bugs on the Desire; most annoyingly at the moment, when I want to use the camera I have to turn the phone off and then back on, as an app seems to be restricting access to the memory card!! It's things like this that I never had an issue with on my iPhone!

Getting impatient waiting for my iPhone 4 to arrive :dapprove:

 

[FlameR]

I think another big factor for people choosing the iphone 4 over a HTC or Samsung handset is the product care and support you get from Apple.

Granted there aren't millions of Apple shops about, but they still exist. You could walk in with an iphone 4 that has a technical issue and walk out with a brand spanking new handset (for the first year at least).

 

[bigup7]

Agreed! The HTC feels cheap compared to the iPhone!

I'm also getting annoying bugs on the Desire; most annoyingly at the moment, when I want to use the camera I have to turn the phone off and then back on, as an app seems to be restricting access to the memory card!! It's things like this that I never had an issue with on my iPhone!

Getting impatient waiting for my iPhone 4 to arrive :dapprove:

are you using latest firmware mate?

 

[oliver.james]

are you using latest firmware mate?

When checking for updates on the phone, it says there are none available.

I know there has been an update recently, however, Orange haven't pushed it through as yet. I don't want to root it, as I remember there being issues with rooted Orange branded handsets being updated! :dapprove:

 

[H182]

The problems you're having are most likely to be because of the orange firmware. I hate it when they do that, always messing up phones.

If I get one I'll be risking it and rooting it.

 

[oliver.james]

The problems you're having are most likely to be because of the orange firmware. I hate it when they do that, always messing up phones.

If I get one I'll be risking it and rooting it.

I've been having more issues yesterday and today; yesterday I was getting no sound from the phone (when ringing, notifications, etc) and when making and receiving calls the microphone and/or speaker didn't want to work at times!

Today, I've been unable to send texts when it decides to pull new data; I have to turn the phone off and then back on before it'll free up again. I've now changed the settings to update data as least frequently as possible, as it's a rather annoying when it happens.

I'll be glad to see it gone tbh; I was very impressed with it at first, but it's annoying the f**k out of me after a couple of months living with it. :dapprove:

Hopefully only another week or so until my iPhone arrives, so I can persevere until then!

 

[PinkoCommie]

To root a Desire with proivder firmware you have to generic-fy it first anyway using a Gold Card.

So you end up with a non-orange firmware anyway. Which is always a bonus.

 

[Revels]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/07/android-junkware.html