[Anonymous]

[Kaicat75]

I am lost in a sea of information on phones at the moment – i am about to upgrade and currently have the origional i-phone………..

I have been looking at the new HTC Diamond Touch and the new i-phone even looked at the latest offering from blackberry but i just cannot decide.

Does anyone have any recommendations or opinions…. would love some help

[Ozavanti]

For me the real issue is if your going to be syncing the phone with a computer of any sort.

I have an Apple Mac which i bought after having my Windows Mobile powered HTC touch.

The syncing programs available to link the mac to the phone have been awful (crashing quicker than the Australian Cricket team at the 20/20) and i have had to resort to using google calendars as a way of getting around the problem.

That being said i cant comment on how the iphone syncs with a Windows based PC, but i do know that i have bought myself a new iPhone 3Gs purely so i can sync easily once again.

But i know that i would stick to like for like – Apple to Apple – Windows to Windows.

Hope it helps.

Oz

[GlobalTravellerTom]

I can highly recommend the Blackberry Curve and Bold models. I use the Storm myself and would suggest you stay away from this.

What are the main features or functions you require from your new handset?

I mainly use email (both work and personal) and internet, so for these reasons alone I use Blackberry. If you could advise your main uses for the phone would be happy to help you decide.

[travelwell]

i really have to recommend the blackberry, if you are doing lots of emails or texts on the move you cannot beat a proper keyboard and the bb has it all. forget these touchscreen phones for good keyboards all a waste of time. try the new blackberry bold 9700, sounds wonderful. i just ordered one. thanks

[amiller]

I’d suggest an Android phone with qwerty-keyboard. The syncing works like a charm with your google account and calendar. Most HTC-haardware is really durable and you can safe all the files you want, review them with your own file manager. The newer ones even run flash. What more could you ask for?

[MartynSinclair]

Is anyone able to advise whether the video function of Skype works with the Android Galaxy Tablet. I use the Skype calling function but have not been able to get the video feature/function working.

[stevescoots]

I use blackberry as my main phone with a UK number, i use my old blackberry to put sims in when travelling as a local phone. Both sync fine with windows

[CallMeIshmael]

Martyn,
It is apparently being worked on

http://galaxytab-samsung.net/skype-for-android

– no official date

[RfmT1971]

In terms of fun and style, the iPhone definitely wins, but I have to agree that my main work device is a Bold 9700. It’s just faster and also cheaper when roaming due to more sophisticated data management. I’m planning on upgrading to the Torch, but have heard mediocre things from colleagues on the Storm.

[MartynSinclair]

Thanks CallmeIshmael

I use a Blackberry as my main phone but the Galaxy tab is superb for Skype and data retrieval via the SD card as well as being a pocket sized “computer”. I prefer the Galaxy to the iPAD.

Android will be better once the video function on Skype is working.

[Sunshine]

as mentioned… it depends what you use the phone for.

If your primary use is email, then BlackBerry is a real contender; however it is awful for almost everything eles, especially anything that require web connectivity. And if you do go for the berry, avoid their touch screen version. it’s not very responsive and the operating system, so far, isn’t very good.

For a good all round Smart Phone that does most things well, you really have two main choices Apple and Android. And whilst I’m a huge Apple fan, here I’d go with an android device over Apple.

The Apple is a great piece of kit with great software, however, as it doesn’t license it’s software to other manufacturers, it will alway be a niche player in the market. As a result the options on a multi-hardware platform (that collectively will have multiple times more users than apple) will be significantly greater.

Of the Android devices, the Samsung is the best option. HTC is great, but build quality of the Samsung is better. And if you can afford to wait, Samsung are launching a new phone soon (I think it’s called Vibrant) – out in the US in June a bit later here.

I’d avoid anything Windows based at the moment. There’s too much up in the air with them (tie in with nokia, potential to buy out nokia, just bought skype etc.) to suggest a real solid plan of action. They need to settle themselves down and see wht they produce in about 18months time.

[Swissdiver]

Beyond each of us saying the one we use is the best :-), syncing is the key feature as Ozavanti mentioned. I am a Mac user and hence have an iPhone 4. Adding the MobileMe service to it, it is a dream. I enter a meeting on my Mac and it appears over the air on my iPhone… No crashing, no problem. And … no Windows 🙂

Now if you use a Windows based laptop, then you’ll have to study which device synces the best. To my knowledge, iPhone works well also with a Windows based pc.

[conair346]

At the risk of funny looks I’m going to wade in with the Nokia N8.
I find it amazing, like all phones it has its issues but as a phone it works great.

It has a 12MP camera and flash with 720p HD video recording. If on Orange it has HD voice which is scary, the clarity is unbelievable. Unlike the ifail it has a memory card slot. Free unlimited voice guided sat nav in most countries. Some of the best data management around, and uses far less than the iphone. Bluetooth is compatible with any device so you can send contact cards or files without the need to download apps. It also doesn’t need a paperclip to get at the sim should you wish to swap.

Nokia Ovi suite is going through some major beta updates and is getting more stable, theres also a dedicated Mac suite. It automatically syncs my local Outlook, online Exchange and the phones built in contacts database and calendar. I use it for my personal and Exchange based accounts and have direct homescreen access to my mails. I think it can handle upto 8 accounts but only one exchange.

Theres lots of options for the three homescreens including a calendar appointment widget, a smart ‘favourite’ contacts bar that learns home, work etc and gives you the contacts you use the most in those places at the time. RSS feeds, google search, missed call and message notification with preview.

But I think a real jewel of it, is the fact I don’t have to waste more money on a ‘tethering’ bundle. The network has no official way of knowing how you’re using your data, they cant tell if its web browsing itself or linked to a laptop. And its capable of flash.

If you can wait theres the W8 coming which will be built on the same hardware but with Windows as the MOS. I’m looking forward to that a lot!

[LuganoPirate]

Go for the Samsung Galaxy. brilliant phone. Does so much more than the iPhone. Cannot use MobileMe with it though!

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