I'm pretty excited to see what Mango would be like with a dual core. Here this show you how pretty impressive Mango is running on a HTC Titan on a single core 1.5Ghz against a dual core Samsung Galaxy 2. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oraGeRex7Y4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
There are a few things that set the Galaxy S II apart from other Android phones. If your choice is between the GSII and an iPhone, I'd easily recommend going with the GSII and not looking back. - The screen. Oh man is it ever gorgeous. Sometimes I just stare at my phone. Really. It's almost creepy. Beautiful, inviting colors. Wonderful clarity. Big screen. - The build. Screen is big, yet phone itself is very thin, light and sturdy. As others have pointed out previously, the much heralded build quality of the iPhone is quickly forgotten when you drop it and the screen shatters into a thousand depressing pieces. It can happen to anyone. A close friend of mine just lost her beloved HTC Arrive to the same fate. The GSII manages to be very beautiful looking without being susceptible to such accidents. - Speed, speed, speed. I've always looked forward to the day when my phone could load web pages at virtually the same speed as my desktop PC. That day arrived when I bought my GSII. *Everything* flies. Never, ever lags. - Speed, speed, speed, again. 4G. You know the story here already. I've had plenty of success with Sprint's WiMAX network, but of course YMMV. If you're on T-Mobile or AT&T, the GSII offers 21+MBps HSPA, while the 4S maxes out at 14.4. Cool story bro time: I was in the car with my coworker, and a song was on the radio that we didn't know who the artist was. I pointed out that we could find out using Shazam, but he objected saying that the song was almost over anyway (less than a minute left). Just to try, I went to Android Market, searched for Shazam, downloaded it, launched it, and identified the song (after two tries -- volume was too low at first) -- all within about 30 seconds. He was impressed. - Customizability. Don't like the default display font? No problem, just change to a new one. Don't like the home screen setup? Change it. Don't like the launcher? There are a bajillion great options out there. Don't like the (great) Swype keyboard? There are even better options out there, all much superior to the iOS keyboard. Don't like ... well, you get the idea. - Features! Most people don't mention this, but Samsung's email application is DYNAMITE. Especially if you're on an Exchange server. It makes the default Android email app look like trash. It does everything. Split pane, conversation view, vacation autoreplies. Smooth as butter. - Features! Kies air. Why connect a cable to sync? Just transfer stuff over WiFi. Disgustingly easy to setup. Heck, you can even just start the Kies app and it'll give you a URL to open in your browser and do everything from sending text messages to playing music. - Features! Siri who? Samsung has built in excellent voice command apps. "Set alarm for 30 minutes from now." "Directions to Reliant Stadium." "Find burritos!" etc. (Yes, find burritos will search for Mexican restaurants around you.) Outstandingly accurate, even for an accented English speaker like me. Of course, it doesn't have that much-trumped context-aware AI of Siri, but who spends their time having conversations with their phone anyway? - Features! With the (Sprint/T-Mobile) GSII you have two really outstanding turn-by-turn navigation apps - Google Navigation and Telenav. With the iPhone? You'll have to buy one. - Camera! My goodness this camera is awesome. Even I was blown away. The new iPhone 4S has a camera that takes photos about as good, but won't give you strikingly sharp 1080p video recording. Put it this way -- this phone makes point-and-shoot cameras useless. Unless your camera is a DSLR or Micro 4/3rds, it's not going to be better than the GS II. I'm sure others can find more reasons. There's a reason why this phone gets so much hype, and millions of satisfied users. It's so much more than just a fast Android phone. It really is a pleasure to own and use, and the best gadget I've ever had. I'm sure if you're on Verizon you'll want to wait and see on the new Nexus Prime. But otherwise, the GSII is the phone you want.
I have the older Samsung Galaxy model. I accidentally dropped it on the floor in Berlin, at the airport...it slid on the floor and fell one story down (about 5 meters). The battery fell out. I ran downstairs and picked it up, put it together again - no damage at all, except for a few scratches and dents at the side. Pretty amazing. The screen was completely undamaged and it works like a charm. The next day, I was pretty drunk and threw the phone at the wall a few times (don't ask)...same thing. That thing seems to be pretty much unbreakable. Anyway, I still want to get the iphone 4S...but only because I have a Macbook Air and an iPad and I think the better "integration" would be useful. Feature-wise, I think I would prefer the new Galaxy phone. But the Samsung Kies software doesn't even work with Macs (I think?) and is downright terrible. Is there any way to achieve an integration level like the iPhone has it with the other Apple devices (especially now with the iCloud), but with a Samsung phone? (easy synchronization, etc.) If yes, I think I might go for the Samsung. But I don't see that right now.
How about being sturdier on the ground also? It's a phone and chances of dropping it if you use it often will happen. I accidentally dropped my phone plenty of time. From slippage out of the pockets that got stuck while pulling it out to your hand getting caught with the head phone and accidentally knocking it to the ground.
Why the hell not? Damn good reason for some people to know how sturdy their phone is going to be. Either from cheap plastic to type of glass, display and ect.
Drop test is pretty big news to me. Just got the girl an iphone 4 and man I'm already having to think about getting the case before the phone gets here? That's pretty extensive damage there. I've dinged up my phones enough times to where it's not that big of a deal but I'd relate it to getting that 1st ding on your car. After the 1st ding you care less about your car and stop babying it so much but dang! that iphone glass shattering? That's like driving your new car and the 1st hit the windshield shatters. Can't drive around with a shattered windshield or cracked windshield. That's just ghetto.
My wife has an "incase" brand case on her Iphone 4 and it was ran over by a car and had no damage, not a bad $30 to spend...
Well I'm happy for you that you never drop anything, but for the rest of us that do drop stuff this is important. I loved my Samsung Focus, and dropping it was the most depressing thing I've done in a while. I moved onto the HD7s mainly because I like how HTC's hardware is more hackable (if that's even a word). Essentially all the hardware between brands is the same, ie an HTC running WP7 is almost identical with it's android counterpart. The same goes for samsung as well. The galaxy and the focus are nearly identical in specs. Personally I think if you buy into the apple model you are supporting the notion of more of the same. Android does do a bit of innovation but it is a freaking madhouse. When will I get my update? Will I ever get my update? The phones vary in reso and specs so greatly across the board it's hard for updates to push universally. With Apple you get the counterpoint of a very structured environment but at the same token if you don't have the latest and greatest hardware (ie you buy a phone every 10-12 months) you are left in the cold. Windows Phone is a bit of the best of both worlds. Mango went out to 98% of headsets all in the same day. It has a lot of the features that Siri and the iPhone have, it has a secure app store (unlike the Android marketplace), and it has direct device integration with products you probably already own ie: a PC, an Xbox, a media capable TV etc. The iPhone is great for a certain set of customers, Android too. I feel as if the Windows Phone is really the only phone that caters to a broad set of people and does it well. I've owned every incarnation of iPhone (outside of the 4s) and 2 Windows Phones, and let me tell you I've been more than pleased with my Windows phones.
For the average consumer, for developers. Meh. I will NEVER buy Motorola until they unlock that bootloader. Which is probably never going to happen. Screen looks quite stunning on the Razr.
iPhone does NOT use Gorilla Glass so yeah you better get a proper case and a screen protection. They went with some cheap aluminosilicate version. <iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dBuKGlqZ_S8" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I stopped using a Zagg on my HD2 because it's supposed to have Gorilla Glass but alas I have scratches on it. very small but they are there . Wished I kept the zagg on it now.
Not sure if the HTC HD2 uses gorilla glasses but gorilla glass isn't prompt to micro scratches. Even my stupid Zagg had micro scratches stretch marks when I first apply it using a micro fabric cloth. Gorilla glass just help prevent from easily crack. I pretty much stop using cases and screen protector after I finally decide to keep it. I will only leave it on just in case I want to resell it but after that I stop worrying about it. I usually don't combine my pockets with scratchable materials with my phone.
