Smashed iPhone 4... what phone should I buy?

[mb2k01]

I did a bit of digging around and there didn't appear to anything very recent, so I thought I would ask.... can you give me a suggestion for an alternative phone to the iPhone 4?

 

Now, don't get me wrong - I loved this phone. I'm not an Apple fanboy by any means, but the phone just 'fit' me.

That came to a bit of an abrupt end today - apparently iPhones don't like solid concrete floors... and fingers don't like shards of glass either!

 

I'm quite likely to hold out now until the iPhone 5 rather than rush out and buy another iPhone 4, but in the mean time, I'm looking for a full time replacement - but can't decide between the many HTC Android handsets, a Windows Phone or something slightly more different - Dell Streak etc?

 

I've previously used a HTC Hero, but didn't like the keyboard accuracy (or lack of). This is probably the main thing making me wary of HTC's. Have they moved on from that time now?

 

Anyways, suggest away!

[pooley]

GEt a new screen and digitizer for your broken iphone?

[glennda]

I've got the desire HD and its awesome - had the nexus one before have the hd is far better then the nexus. - Also little bro has the Incredible which seems pretty good

[m25man]

I think as Apple have slipped to 4th place in the handset rankings behind Nokia, Samsung and LG and Android is clearly leading the field at present I would be inclined to make the jump myself.

My iPhone 3Gs contract has expired and they have offered me an upgrade to a 4.... now as if Im likely to with the 5 around the corner.

But Orange or whoever they call themselves now "Everything Everywhere" are going to charge me a premium to replace it with a 5 when it comes out, Im certain I will be looking at one of the Samsungs instead.

[featured_spectre]

HTC are awesome imo. Easy to root, good to use, keyboard accuracy has been fixed.

[mb2k01]

GEt a new screen and digitizer for your broken iphone?

 

I didn't actually realise you could do that. Just looked on parts4ipods.com and it looks like they will do it as a service for about £99. Have you seen cheaper elsewhere?

If I was to do this I would probably pay someone/a company to do it - I'm easily frustrated with small close up work like this!

[mb2k01]

HTC are awesome imo. Easy to root, good to use, keyboard accuracy has been fixed.

 

Thanks Nephilim. What HTC handset would you recommend?

[mb2k01]

Im certain I will be looking at one of the Samsungs instead.

 

What Samsung handset would you be looking at? (Haven't even considered Samsung so far myself)

[Arthur]

Haven't even considered Samsung so far myself

I wouldn't even consider Samsung, based on how bad their Kies software is. If you installed Kies, you would want to smash your new Samsung phone out of frustration.

 

I agree with Nephilim. Get a HTC Sensation.

[featured_spectre]

HTC desire hd is a good one, sensation isn't bad either.

[mb2k01]

I agree with Nephilim. Get a HTC Sensation.

 

This looks like a potential contender, but a big consideration would be Proxy Settings.... have HTC/Android sorted that out yet? Can anything be done to the Sensation to allow it?

(I remember that being one of the main reasons I sold on my HTC Hero. In Cornwall 3G reception isn't great in some areas, so it's a real advantage/requirement to be able to access via work wifi etc)

[m25man]

What Samsung handset would you be looking at? (Haven't even considered Samsung so far myself)

 

It put Samsung forward because of this:-

 

The top 10 most popular mobile phones across the UK, which reads thus:

1. Samsung Galaxy S2

2.Apple iPhone 4

3.HTC Sensation

4.HTC Desire

5.BlackBerry Curve 8520

6.Samsung Galaxy S

7.HTC Wildfire

8.HTC Desire S

9.HTC Wildfire S

10.HTC Desire HD

 

But as has been stated HTC have 6 of these positions so combined sales they may easily be more popular.

 

My last HTC before my iPhone was a Windows phone but that was still a cracking phone for the time.

 

Another reason for looking at Samsung is that a number of Blackberry staff have recently jumped ship to Samsung including some very top CEO's which is good because I hate Blackberries and these guys must obviously have something to add to the Samsung drawing board.

 

Must say though the HTC's solid metal body seems to be a major attraction to users.

So the HTC is also a contender for me too..

[vikpaw]

I have a 2nd hand, 3GS with a replaced screen, it was a bodge it and leg it job at the market, but has served me well for over a year. I'm now waiting patiently for the iPhone 5, the last rumour i heard was mid to late August, maybe even as early as the 12th...

 

Anway, if you're the first and rightful owner of the phone, just go to an Apple Store and say " apparently iPhones don't like solid concrete floors... and fingers don't like shards of glass either! " and tell them it's not satisfactory. They will no doubt replace it for you.

 

I've dropped mine many a time, as have my colleagues and apart from a few scratches they are pretty robust. Smashed glass is unacceptable, take it back and let Apple show you how much they value your custom.

[mb2k01]

It put Samsung forward because of this..

 

I've just gone through a comparison review here HTC Sensation vs Samsung Galaxy S2 | News | TechRadar UK

Looks like the S2 comes out on top by a whisker.

 

I've read on some sites that the S2 DOES work with Proxy Servers, but only for native apps - do you know if this just means via their browser, or whether it is possible to get the built in email client working via proxy?

[Arthur]

Another reason for looking at Samsung is that a number of Blackberry staff have recently jumped ship to Samsung including some very top CEO's which is good because I hate Blackberries and these guys must obviously have something to add to the Samsung drawing board.

Huh? Neither of RIMs co-CEOs have left BlackBerry. You must be thinking of Brian Wallace who got a job at Samsung. He was the VP of Digital Marketing and Media at RIM and didn't exactly do a good job marketing the PlayBook, did he? He jumped ship probably because he would have been fired eventually anyway.

 

Open letter to BlackBerry bosses: Senior RIM exec tells all as company crumbles around him

25 million iPad users don’t care that it doesn’t have Flash or true multitasking, so why make that a focus in our campaigns? I’ll answer that for you: it’s because that’s all that differentiates our products and its lazy marketing. I've never seen someone buy product B because it has something product A doesn't have. People buy product B because they want and lust after product B.

 

Also an important note regarding our marketing: a product’s technical superiority does not equal desire, and therefore sales... (Source)

[Arthur]

I've read on some sites that the S2 DOES work with Proxy Servers, but only for native apps - do you know if this just means via their browser, or whether it is possible to get the built in email client working via proxy?

According to this, only the web browser works through a proxy.

 

Edit. If you rooted the phone, you could use something like AutoProxy or ProxyDroid. Google will be adding support for proxies into Android v4.0 (a.k.a. Ice Cream Sandwich).

Edited July 2, 2011 by Arthur

[m25man]

Neither of RIMs co-CEOs have left BlackBerry.

I stand corrected @Arthur, it was indeed the VP of Marketing but there are other reports of other key staff leaving and an Immenent shake up at CEO level by the looks of it if the shareholder have their way. my source was the Daily Mail last week I think, so my fault for accepting such quality reporting.

 

Anyway good riddance I say, there has always been the Techies (Windows Mobile, Android, iPhone users) and the shiny suit brigade (Blackberry) and Im sick to death of having to support a buch of brainless morons who cant even manage to send a text message from their Blackberries without call the helpdesk for assistance....

 

As for the Android/iPhone users, we set up active sync and never hear from them again.....

 

I will also add that most of our Blackberry users also seem to have a second phone which is not a RIM device which I find quite an endorsement that the BB is dying a slow and painful death.

 

Blackberries belong in Pies, the sooner their stock has the value of a Des Res in Tripoli the better.

Edited July 2, 2011 by m25man

[bertster]

I didn't actually realise you could do that. Just looked on parts4ipods.com and it looks like they will do it as a service for about £99. Have you seen cheaper elsewhere?

If I was to do this I would probably pay someone/a company to do it - I'm easily frustrated with small close up work like this!

Repaired my own when I smashed the glass, got the glass screen and digitizer from supplier on amazon (< £10), took less than an hour to removed the broken glass and replace with the new. Easy repair - videos available online.

[mb2k01]

Repaired my own when I smashed the glass, got the glass screen and digitizer from supplier on amazon (< £10), took less than an hour to removed the broken glass and replace with the new. Easy repair - videos available online.

 

Don't suppose you have a link to the supplier?

 

Just as a general update to those who helped suggested alternatives.... I've gone for the HTC Sensation. Should arrive tomorrow!

It will either become my new love, or tide me over nicely until the iPhone 5!

[Chris_in_notts]

£11.45 with the tools

 

REPLACEMENT DIGITIZER LCD TOUCH SCREEN FOR iPhone 4 4G | eBay UK

 

he has 1 or 2 negs tho lol but with over 32000 feedback this month its no surprise!

Edited July 4, 2011 by Chris_in_notts

[mac_shinobi]

How do you manage to break the screen on the iphone 4, dropped from a multi story building on concrete or ran over by a juggernaught lorry or someit ?

[Chris_in_notts]

my friend dropped his from waist height and smashed the back glass

[Linux_Nut]

Out of curiosity what is the aproximate battery life people on here have experienced with HTC's (Specifically Desire S)?

 

I have been a happy BB user (8800) for some years and love the fact i only have to charge it once a week (less generally but thats playing safe) and don't want phones i have to charge every night (Iphone's seem to require charge about every 18 hours from my experience of friends units).

 

I don't trust suppliers battery life examples (Again looking at Iphones that state about 3-5 days) and would rather have personal experiences from people i trust who use the devices rather than sales drones.

 

As i said happy with the BB as my only phone except there is no camera and prob ought to look at replacing it due to age (It will however be kept as a backup phone as it is unlocked), Used it regulaly for calls, txt and e-mail (Rarely internet) and it's never failed me yet.

[MK-2]

Out of curiosity what is the aproximate battery life people on here have experienced with HTC's (Specifically Desire S)?

 

I have been a happy BB user (8800) for some years and love the fact i only have to charge it once a week (less generally but thats playing safe) and don't want phones i have to charge every night (Iphone's seem to require charge about every 18 hours from my experience of friends units).

 

I don't trust suppliers battery life examples (Again looking at Iphones that state about 3-5 days) and would rather have personal experiences from people i trust who use the devices rather than sales drones.

 

As i said happy with the BB as my only phone except there is no camera and prob ought to look at replacing it due to age (It will however be kept as a backup phone as it is unlocked), Used it regulaly for calls, txt and e-mail (Rarely internet) and it's never failed me yet.

 

My old HTC HD2 running a custom android ROM would last about a day before needing charging. I now have a Samsung Galaxy S2 and get about 2 and a half days out of it with normal use (I don't bother watching movies on it, it's used for calls/texts/email/basic web browsing).

This isn't a 2 1/2 days manfr claim, the phone has been on for 1d 15m so far and has just hit 50% battery. The camera on the S2 is top notch too, takes better shots than my small digital camera. But I have frozen the Samsung Touchwiz interface as I hated it, so not sure if that contributes to the better battery life or not.

[featured_spectre]

HTC Desire HD I charge every 2 or 3 days, and thats with playing a few games, surfing the web, checking facebook and letting my daughter play games, as well as texting and phone calls. Not a bad phone in terms of battery life, but I highly recommend an app called juice defender which I am testing and will see how much more my battery can last (so far its almost at the 2 day mark and still have just over 50% of the battery).