Time for a new phone...

[Slamz]

The iPhone can never be "the best smartphone available" when it doesn't have any widgets.

Things I can see/do on my Android screen without opening any apps:
* Play from my selected playlist (prev, play/pause, next buttons)
* See a variety of information via "Google Cards" (weather, stocks, news headlines, package delivery times from email, traffic conditions, etc)
* Calender listing upcoming events (including birthdays imported from Facebook)
* A notepad of whatever I typed in there (this is actually one of the cooler ones -- rather than some notepad app I will type things into and promptly forget about, this widget puts my notes right on the screen so I won't forget. "Buy tickets for concert!")
* Current temperature from the phone's sensor
* Flashlight
* Pandora
* Big calender with weather forecast
* All of my alarms

I don't know how iPhone users can stand having such a useless screen that shows you nothing but icons for apps you have to open to see anything. I'm not sure long time iPhone users really appreciate the usefulness of live desktop data displays (much like they didn't understand the usefulness of 4G data until they finally got it).


And no, Notification Center is not nearly the same thing. Dashboard X is closer but you have to hack your phone to get even that much. Apple has dictated that thou shalt not operate thy Pandora or Amazon MP3 player without opening up an app and all must obey.

[strife]

One of the cooler things that I just found out when I upgraded to my S4, is that say I'm at home on my computer and looking up places(Like Lowes for example) and I go look at the map for it... I then look at my phone and one of the recommendations to navigate to is Lowes.

Also, if you set up calender reminders and put in the address, it will calculate from where you are how far away it is and remind you that you need to leave in X number of minutes to make your appointment. My wife is in love with this feature. Not sure if IOS does that cause I don't keep track, just thought those 2 things were pretty useful.

[Grieve]

The iPhone can never be "the best smartphone available" when it doesn't have any widgets.

And no, Notification Center is not nearly the same thing. Dashboard X is closer but you have to hack your phone to get even that much. Apple has dictated that thou shalt not operate thy Pandora or Amazon MP3 player without opening up an app and all must obey.

Notification Center and Control Center actually pretty much are exactly that. I can see the weather, today's calendar events, stocks, news, traffic, etc without opening any apps. And I can toggle my flashlight, wifi, airplane mode, etc, all without unlocking the phone. Plus I can control my music (play, pause, next/last track, etc), whether it's Mp3s, Pandora, Amazon, or whatever without opening an app. I can also choose to direct the music/video to any Apple TV or speakers in the house without opening an app or even unlocking the phone.

I think you are assuming a lot of stuff because you don't use Apple products.

[Jakensama]

Wow, the phone that was released months ago is not as technically fast as the phone just released? Shocking.

Not that benchmarking on phones means shit, my 2 year old Nexus doesn't lag doing anything I use it for. Not like any graphics intensive games would be worth playing on a miniscule iDisplay anyway..

Most of the 5S reviews I have read seem much like the S4 reviews. Its technically better than its predecessors and the better phones around, but its not some amazing leap forward.

And Control Center? Way to innovate that shit we've been able to do for quite some time. Thats how to lead an industry!

[Grieve]

Okay, but this thread is about what phone is the best one to get right now, not who copied what from whom. We've already beaten that horse to death and beyond.

I'm just saying that the iPhone is worth another look not so much for the hardware (although the fingerprint reader, camera, 64-bit processor, and M3 coprocessor are pretty cool) but for the big overhaul in the software.

[Vllad]

Okay, but this thread is about what phone is the best one to get right now,

Is no phone or a house option a valid option for Ars?

This thread is kind of creepy in a way. Why would anyone want to have the ability for people to call them 24/7? Phone calls are an irratant not something blissful. Their are better platforms for web use. GPS's are nice but how often does one use that?

[Grieve]

Come on now, Vllad - everyone knows you don't actually use smartphones for phone calls. Who has time for those between all the web browsing, Facebook checking, messaging, game playing, and forum trolling?

[Vllad]

Come on now, Vllad - everyone knows you don't actually use smartphones for phone calls. Who has time for those between all the web browsing, Facebook checking, messaging, game playing, and forum trolling?

Given that then isn't a reasonable solution to have a hardline speaker phone next to your computer and/or have some kind of pad that isn't a phone that you use for your trolling, Facebook and browsing?

Since most communication over today's phone is accronym texting anyway isn't voice active communication redundant?

Maybe the best purchase is a device that isn't a phone at all?

[Jakensama]

If you aren't home all the time then a smartphone is a great way to conveniently access the internet, contact people, get maps and directions, yelp good bars and restaraunts in your vicinity wherever you are in your world, read your library, play all your music, etc.

The fact that you can talk on it is irrelevant, even if you give no one your number and use it exclusively for non vocal communication, its still a better deal than any alternative that can do all that since it comes in what size you want (unless you buy an iphone).

Thank god for a phone, but for the invention of the cell phone I would have to sit in the office from 6 a.m. till late evening at times.

[strife]

Cell phones have just become the electronic multi-tool of the 21st century. Anyone who argues against cell phones are fuddy duddies...

I've just recently got into books on tape and rip them to my phone and then bluetooth them to my car when I'm driving.

[Moristans]

Thank god for a phone, but for the invention of the cell phone I would have to sit in the office from 6 a.m. till late evening at times.

I can definitely attest to the fact that Jake gets more practical use out of his smartphone during 4 after work hours of beer drinking than most people get from their 4 hours of actual work time in an office.

[strife]

Thank god for a phone, but for the invention of the cell phone I would have to sit in the office from 6 a.m. till late evening at times.

I can definitely attest to the fact that Jake gets more practical use out of his smartphone during 4 after work hours of beer drinking than most people get from their 4 hours of actual work time in an office.

AKA "The time we went drinking Jake was a rude asshole who wouldn't get off his cell phone"

[Jakensama]

It was the middle of the afternoon, the non phone alternative would be getting drunk in my office... which I have no problem with, but it does set a bad precedent for the underlings.

Amusingly, while on the topic of underlings, two of the folks in my office upgraded to ios 7 and are bitching about how ugly it is now and how they wish they could roll back. My secretary thinks its cute, so I suppose if you like flowers and kittens like Grieve (and I guess Strife), ios 7 is the choice for you.

[Grieve]

Yeah, although I have an office at work, I only use it about 1 day out of every three months. Being able to access e-mail through my phone in particular is huge, since I can stay (kind of) productive even if I'm taking a kid to the doctor, running out to store, watching the kids while my wife runs an errand, or whatever.

Although having to type in a passcode every time I turn on the phone (company policy) is a huge pain in the ass, which is why that fingerprint scanner is so appealing. Probably not such a big deal to anyone without a passcode (although not having to enter your iTunes password when buying apps, movies, music, etc is kind of nice too).

[strife]

Although having to type in a passcode every time I turn on the phone (company policy) is a huge pain in the ass, which is why that fingerprint scanner is so appealing. Probably not such a big deal to anyone without a passcode (although not having to enter your iTunes password when buying apps, movies, music, etc is kind of nice too).

I'm curious if your company policy will allow the fingerprint scanner as a suitable option. Our company has similar standards, and go as far as making us install software on our phones that enforces the security policies or disables our ability to access work stuff(namely email). The facial recognition definitely didn't meet the criteria, neither did the swipe code unlock, so I like you have to enter a password to get into my phone(also a password for the encryption software).

I'm also curious how fast the fingerprint scanner unlocks... if it's anything more than like 1 second, it's too long and now a hindrance.

The fingerprint scanner seems like a useless function(much like the air wave bullshit that is on the S4 where you can wave at your screen and it moves pages, or the whole watching your eyes to move pages up and down, although the keeping the screen unlocked while you are looking at it seems to work nicely and is a bonus)

[Moristans]

Thank god for a phone, but for the invention of the cell phone I would have to sit in the office from 6 a.m. till late evening at times.

I can definitely attest to the fact that Jake gets more practical use out of his smartphone during 4 after work hours of beer drinking than most people get from their 4 hours of actual work time in an office.

AKA "The time we went drinking Jake was a rude asshole who wouldn't get off his cell phone"

Hah!

In all honesty, nah. Good times.

[Grieve]

I'm curious if your company policy will allow the fingerprint scanner as a suitable option. Our company has similar standards, and go as far as making us install software on our phones that enforces the security policies or disables our ability to access work stuff(namely email). The facial recognition definitely didn't meet the criteria, neither did the swipe code unlock, so I like you have to enter a password to get into my phone(also a password for the encryption software).

I'm also curious how fast the fingerprint scanner unlocks... if it's anything more than like 1 second, it's too long and now a hindrance.

The fingerprint scanner seems like a useless function(much like the air wave bullshit that is on the S4 where you can wave at your screen and it moves pages, or the whole watching your eyes to move pages up and down, although the keeping the screen unlocked while you are looking at it seems to work nicely and is a bonus)

Dunno, have to wait until they evaluate it. I don't see why not, though. It's supposed much more secure than a pass code, and you still have to have the pass code as a backup (if you haven't opened the phone in 48 hours you have to enter the pass code). Yeah, we have to have our phones provisioned with security policy too.

I haven't used the fingerprint scanner, and won't be getting the 5S anytime soon, since I still have almost a year on my AT&T contract. But from the reviews, it's extremely fast, easy, and reliable. You just touch the home button once, as opposed to home button, 4 digits for the code, and ok button.

I suspect once it's tied to more e-commerce (eg buying stuff from online stores like Amazon and also regular stores) without needing a password or a credit card, it's going to be pretty huge (and will likely kill NFC, which is pretty unsecure).

You can see a video here (in Kraut, especially for Jake), showing how to train it it with your print and then unlocking. Both pretty fast.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAB1HuF2e1I[/youtube]

[Snowreap]

Okay, but this thread is about what phone is the best one to get right now,

Is no phone or a house option a valid option for Ars?

This thread is kind of creepy in a way. Why would anyone want to have the ability for people to call them 24/7? Phone calls are an irratant not something blissful. Their are better platforms for web use. GPS's are nice but how often does one use that?

Arsilon has a house phone already. I think the basic requirement for a cell phone isn't to make him reachable whenever (i.e outside business hours) but rather to make him reachable *whereever* (i.e. during business hours, no matter where he might happen to be). once you have established a basic need for a cell phone, then there is a certain logic in making sure that the phone you get can do as many other (unneeded) things as possible, within practical cost limits.

-ken

[Slamz]

This thread is kind of creepy in a way. Why would anyone want to have the ability for people to call them 24/7? Phone calls are an irratant not something blissful. Their are better platforms for web use. GPS's are nice but how often does one use that?

Things I did on my phone yesterday....

Notified people of an upcoming music event at a local bar via Facebook.
Someone texted me to say they'd be there, but later.
Took a couple photos and recorded some video of the event.
Played my MP3 playlist on the drive.

For the events in Frederick I use the GPS to get there.

Phone calls are like the last thing I actually use my phone for.

[Vllad]

This thread is kind of creepy in a way. Why would anyone want to have the ability for people to call them 24/7? Phone calls are an irratant not something blissful. Their are better platforms for web use. GPS's are nice but how often does one use that?

Things I did on my phone yesterday....

Notified people of an upcoming music event at a local bar via Facebook.
Someone texted me to say they'd be there, but later.
Took a couple photos and recorded some video of the event.
Played my MP3 playlist on the drive.

For the events in Frederick I use the GPS to get there.

Phone calls are like the last thing I actually use my phone for.

Uh...

I threw mine in a cabinet when I got to work and didn't take it out until I went home.

[Jakensama]

You know Grieve, my friends reaction here seems pretty common among people I know who have upgraded:

   

[Grieve]

Pffft, there will always be haters. I have a couple of friends who don't like it, everyone else loves it. Seems like that's generally the case:

http://bgr.com/2013/09/20/ios-7-vs-ios-6-poll/

[strife]

My boss said he downloaded it on his wife's phone(he uses android cause he's cool) and I told him, "I heard it made it prettier" and he responded with... "It made it look more like android".

Also heard there is a hack for it where you swipe a certain way and boom, unlocked or something, though I haven't read into it much.

[Dharus]

Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A.

[strife]

Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A.

it's up up down down