Time for a new cell phone

Sac Arrow said:
Yeah, I'm only willing to pay for one data plan and it's on the Iphone. So I use the Ipad with Foreflight as my primary chart/nav device and the Iphone for a backup, and to occasionally get real time wx updates in flight.
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Understand. We did a huge shared data plan (lost the unlimited grandfathered stuff a LONG time ago) and adding an iPad is $10/month I think to that. Or similar. The overall PLAN is expensive, but adding stuff to it, not so much.

LTE at Oshkosh last year was well over 20 Meg a second... had numerous people come up to me wondering "did you get the [hideously broken, never worked right in the North 40] WiFi working?"... when they saw me checking weather and getting the IFR slot time to depart with the iPad at the little food tent thingy in the North 40 mid-week.

I said, "no... Verizon..." and pointed to the COW trailer and tower parked 100 yards away behind the vehicle parking lot. And then offered to share with them via WiFi if they needed to get weather or check something, since the tethering on non-unlimited data plans on Verizon, is free.

LTE is the only "draw" to me of the iPhone 5... I don't like the plastic back, have a big yawn for the taller/slimmer design, and don't really need a higher res display on the phone... and Siri? Not my thing really... I don't talk to phones... maybe I'll get used to it after a while...

But not having a second copy of Foreflight available would be a no-go for me to go to Android.

I guess I could get a "geezer phone" that's just a phone only (that works better than iPhone as a PHONE) and a second iPad???? LOL!!!!
 
AdamZ said:
So quick question. I currently sync the Outlook calendar on my office PC desk top with my Droid X by syncing with Google Calendar. I must have my office calander synced on my phone. Can I still do this via Google Calendar if I decide to buy the iPhone 5? If not can I do it via another method?
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Are you trying to fly under the radar, or has your IT department not allowed direct ActiveSync connections to Exchange Server for mobile devices?

(Usually they want that, since they can execute a useless -- because you could restore from a local backup -- full wipe of the device remotely if they decided you'd done something naughty with company data. The "security" auditors love that crap, even though as I've said, it's totally useless against anyone with two brain cells to rub together...)

The real ActiveSync on iPhone works pretty well against a well-maintained Exchange server. Against Office 365, you'll have daily "sync errors" not on the mobile device, but in your unread mail on any real Outlook clients, as the mobile devices and "real" Outlook will fight a bit over exactly how to handle calendar items.

(Accept a calendar item on a mobile device, and accidentally decline it on the desktop, and you'll start a never-ending mess that with a local Exchange server you'd just talk to the admin who'd help fix the object that was out of whack, but against "cloud/hosted" O365, good luck finding anyone to deal with MSFT's bugs and incompatibilities between even PC and Mac Outlook clients fighting over the same calendar...)
 
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snoboy said:
Razr Maxx HD is on my wish list. I have a Bionic and would like to upgrade in a few months.
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I've been happy with it so far. With the Gorilla glass screen and kevlar case, I haven't even worried about putting any kind of added protection on it. It lives in my pocket or on my desk, and zero scuffs on it anywhere at all so far.
 
denverpilot said:
Are you trying to fly under the radar, or has your IT department not allowed direct ActiveSync connections to Exchange Server for mobile devices?

(Usually they want that, since they can execute a useless -- because you could restore from a local backup -- full wipe of the device remotely if they decided you'd done something naughty with company data. The "security" auditors love that crap, even though as I've said, it's totally useless against anyone with two brain cells to rub together...)

The real ActiveSync on iPhone works pretty well against a well-maintained Exchange server. Against Office 365, you'll have daily "sync errors" not on the mobile device, but in your unread mail on any real Outlook clients, as the mobile devices and "real" Outlook will fight a bit over exactly how to handle calendar items.

(Accept a calendar item on a mobile device, and accidentally decline it on the desktop, and you'll start a never-ending mess that with a local Exchange server you'd just talk to the admin who'd help fix the object that was out of whack, but against "cloud/hosted" O365, good luck finding anyone to deal with MSFT's bugs and incompatibilities between even PC and Mac Outlook clients fighting over the same calendar...)
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LOL, Nate, my firm is myself and my partner. No IT dept.
 
I currently have a Droid something or other. When it's up, I'm going to a "dumb" phone, and a 4G WiFi hotspot. That way I can do the iPad (WiFi only), computer, heck, can keep my current phone around and do skype with it, etc. Just more flexible.
 
PilotAlan said:
I have the Droid Razr Maxx (not HD) and love it. Loads and loads of battery life. It's not quad core and whatnot, but phones have just about reached the point of declining returns where PCs are, where doubling the number of cores opens an app .1 seconds faster... Big deal.
If you CANNOT have a dead battery, the Razr Maxx is the only choice.
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Amen. I've had mine for about a year and love the battery life. I won't be in a hurry to replace it when the contract runs out next year.
 
Does anyone here have any experience with the HTC One? It's still fairly new on the market, but looks like a compelling offering and I'm debating whether or not to replace my ailing Galaxy S2 with one.
 
flightwriter said:
Does anyone here have any experience with the HTC One? It's still fairly new on the market, but looks like a compelling offering and I'm debating whether or not to replace my ailing Galaxy S2 with one.
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Wife has one, no complaints. I've played with it, seems fine. But then I've gone dumb phone and don't geek out about phones.
 
HTC: based on my prior experience with HTC (on Verizon) I would run fast and far away from an HTC phone. HTC & Verizon sent a software "upgrade" that caused the phone to reboot repeatedly starting at about 2 AM every single night (with the loud "DROID" audio blaring from the speaker each time). There was no "fix" - this was "working as intended", with no solution offered other than "get a new phone". So I did: a Motorola Droid Razr, and I'll never go back to HTC.
 
wsuffa said:
HTC: based on my prior experience with HTC (on Verizon) I would run fast and far away from an HTC phone. HTC & Verizon sent a software "upgrade" that caused the phone to reboot repeatedly starting at about 2 AM every single night (with the loud "DROID" audio blaring from the speaker each time). There was no "fix" - this was "working as intended", with no solution offered other than "get a new phone". So I did: a Motorola Droid Razr, and I'll never go back to HTC.
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I had really good luck with a Nexus One, built by HTC. Unfortunately, all smartphones have planned obsolescence built-in. For the Nexus, it was a bit more than two years; my S2 has lasted all of 15 months before requiring a hard reboot every other day, and - like your experience - I've been told that's just the way it is.
 
flightwriter said:
I had really good luck with a Nexus One, built by HTC. Unfortunately, all smartphones have planned obsolescence built-in. For the Nexus, it was a bit more than two years; my S2 has lasted all of 15 months before requiring a hard reboot every other day, and - like your experience - I've been told that's just the way it is.
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This wasn't a phone issue - it was a firmware update, deliberate & intentional - the issue was described as a "feature". Probably could have loaded an alternate firmware to resolve issue, but moved to a 4G phone instead. Won't ever go with HTC again.
 
Thanks to some great advice in another thread, I recently converted to a prepaid plan and bought the wife and myself two unlocked Samsung Galaxy S3 minis. For those of you who, like my wife, don't like dragging around a garage door opener like the Galaxy S3, the mini is probably just right :yes:. I like to stay a step behind the latest technology and a smart phone is only a phone and email portal for me, so I'm pretty satisfied. I also went GSM this time just to try out the whole "surf while you talk" capability through Net10 for like 1/2 the price of a contract with AT&T.

No complaints about the HTC Evo I had for 3 years, but I had to shake Sprint. They weren't exactly "team Satan" but their fine print had fine print and I paid dearly for not having a big enough magnifying glass.
 
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wsuffa said:
This wasn't a phone issue - it was a firmware update, deliberate & intentional - the issue was described as a "feature". Probably could have loaded an alternate firmware to resolve issue, but moved to a 4G phone instead. Won't ever go with HTC again.
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OK, I understand a bit more clearly. From what you've said, though, it sounds like the issue with the firmware upgrade could have easily been on the Verizon side, and not an HTC problem per se. The many manufacturer-and provider-specific Android OS variants and skins out there introduces a lot of possibilities for error.
 
I have an HTC Aria, sort of smart phone but it is old, and I use Straight Talk through Walmart.

I still use Outlook but sync my smart phone, outlook, and Google so I can use my IPAD for my Outlook. ( I got the Plaxo free trial so I could sync everything and haven't decided if I will keep it or not.)

I like it a lot and only $45/month, period.

It is a GSM, unlocked phone.

Terry
 
flightwriter said:
OK, I understand a bit more clearly. From what you've said, though, it sounds like the issue with the firmware upgrade could have easily been on the Verizon side, and not an HTC problem per se. The many manufacturer-and provider-specific Android OS variants and skins out there introduces a lot of possibilities for error.
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Uh, no, it was on the HTC side. They admitted to doing it, said it was a "feature" to "optimize memory". VZ blamed HTC, and they accepted.
 
wsuffa said:
Uh, no, it was on the HTC side. They admitted to doing it, said it was a "feature" to "optimize memory". VZ blamed HTC, and they accepted.
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My mistake. I shall now exit this debate, probably a bit later than I should have. :yes:
 
I know I am going to be in the minority here, but I just picked up the new Blackberry Z10. I really dig it so far. I hadn't heard anything but good to say so I tried it. Just wanted to through that one out there. Seems like the Samsung phones are really going to give apple a run for there money.
 
Terry said:
I have an HTC Aria, sort of smart phone but it is old, and I use Straight Talk through Walmart.

I still use Outlook but sync my smart phone, outlook, and Google so I can use my IPAD for my Outlook. ( I got the Plaxo free trial so I could sync everything and haven't decided if I will keep it or not.)

I like it a lot and only $45/month, period.

It is a GSM, unlocked phone.

Terry
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I must say, I'm impressed with the quality of ST service. I signed up "temporarily" last August, using a CDMA-V phone (VZW's the only game in town where I live), and I'm still with them because the service has been, well, perfect. For $45.00 / month, it's a pretty decent deal.

About the only reason I'd switch at this point would be if T-Mo planted a tower in my sparrow-fart town. T-Mo's unlimited Internet on their unlimited prepaid plan really, truly is unlimited. They don't even give a rat's if you tether. You can watch Netflix over your connection 24/7, and T-Mo won't even flinch. I would sign back up with T-Mo just for that if they had service here, both for tethered mobile Internet, and as a backup for my cable Internet at home.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
I must say, I'm impressed with the quality of ST service. I signed up "temporarily" last August, using a CDMA-V phone (VZW's the only game in town where I live), and I'm still with them because the service has been, well, perfect. For $45.00 / month, it's a pretty decent deal.

About the only reason I'd switch at this point would be if T-Mo planted a tower in my sparrow-fart town. T-Mo's unlimited Internet on their unlimited prepaid plan really, truly is unlimited. They don't even give a rat's if you tether. You can watch Netflix over your connection 24/7, and T-Mo won't even flinch. I would sign back up with T-Mo just for that if they had service here, both for tethered mobile Internet, and as a backup for my cable Internet at home.

-Rich
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About six months ago I switched to Sprint. But prior to that, I had the typical T-Mobile family plan for smart phones, with "unlimited data." At that time, they throttled your data to unusable speeds after a certain amount of use.

I know T-Mobile has rolled in some changes since I left. Is this one of them? Just curious. I'll never use T-Mobile again. I despise them, and think they're criminals.
 
Going from a Droid X to the iPhone4 would be too big of a downgrade. I have the Galaxy S3 and love it. I have heard good things about the S4.

THe Galaxy series seem to have taken over the business world lately
 
asechrest said:
About six months ago I switched to Sprint. But prior to that, I had the typical T-Mobile family plan for smart phones, with "unlimited data." At that time, they throttled your data to unusable speeds after a certain amount of use.

I know T-Mobile has rolled in some changes since I left. Is this one of them? Just curious. I'll never use T-Mobile again. I despise them, and think they're criminals.
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I used them until last August, when I moved, and I never got throttled. And there were times when their connection was my only connection. Never had a problem, no matter what I did with it.

Since then, they've actually simplified their plan and included the tethering at no additional cost, and have made it a point to stress the "unlimited" data in no uncertain terms. I think they just wised up. They know that most average users are only going to use a couple hundred Mb a month, so it all balances out.

Also, prepaid is a much simpler, cheaper, and more revenue-assured business model, but it does carry a risk for the company: If your customers aren't happy, they can sell their phones on Craigs List and go elsewhere. In fact, they probably don't even have to do that. Straight Talk and a few other outfits will sell users a SIM card that will activate a T-Mo phone onto their own services.

Long story short, when customers aren't tied into a contract, the only way to keep them as customers is to provide good service.

-Rich
 
I had such a horrid customer service experience with them that I'd have trouble stomaching a return to their service. I am pleased with the move to a no-contract model that we're seeing lately, though.

I will give T-Mobile credit for voice/call quality and coverage in central/south Florida. Switching to Sprint was a significant downgrade in that respect.

RJM62 said:
I used them until last August, when I moved, and I never got throttled. And there were times when their connection was my only connection. Never had a problem, no matter what I did with it.

Since then, they've actually simplified their plan and included the tethering at no additional cost, and have made it a point to stress the "unlimited" data in no uncertain terms. I think they just wised up. They know that most average users are only going to use a couple hundred Mb a month, so it all balances out.

Also, prepaid is a much simpler, cheaper, and more revenue-assured business model, but it does carry a risk for the company: If your customers aren't happy, they can sell their phones on Craigs List and go elsewhere. In fact, they probably don't even have to do that. Straight Talk and a few other outfits will sell users a SIM card that will activate a T-Mo phone onto their own services.

Long story short, when customers aren't tied into a contract, the only way to keep them as customers is to provide good service.

-Rich
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