Choosing a new smartphone.

So I have an iphone 4 currently and I am on verizon which I will be sticking with for a long while and my upgrade is not until febuary. I plan on trying out android and not too sure what to get. I am stuck between the galaxy s4 or the htc one. If the google nexus 5 comes to verizon I will get that but if not then what should I get? I never used android before. I have tried it out at best buy and they both seem pretty good. I don't want anything above 5 inches. 5.2 being the maxx. The note 3 is too huge for me. So what are your thoughts?

Both the S4 and One are top of the line phones. You'll be fine with either. Personally, I think touch wiz is junk so I'd get the One.

The S4 is a nice phone. I currently own a Note 2 and the iPhone 5s. If I have to buy an Android phone, and it can't be the Note 3, it will be the S4. I still love my Note 2. The S4's screen is really nice, and functions beautifully as a smartphone. If you're going to an Android phone, you might as well get one that allows you to upgrade the storage size with an sd card. That's what I hate about the HTC One. What I also hate about the HTC One is the gimmicky Beats audio branding they put on it. It has no special speakers, but if a buyer is no wiser, a seller will tell you it has better speakers. What it has a preset equalizer program that automatically kicks in if you select it. ANy phone can have the same exact equalizer setup. It's a gimmick.

Yeah I do like the s4. I like that you can upgrade the memory. Ill probably get a 32gb micro sd card for christmas. What launcher would you suggest I should install instead of using touch whiz?

In my opinion, the new TouchWiz is pretty good for a loaded OS. It used to be crap a few generations ago, but they've come a long way since then. I use Nova Launcher on my Note 2 on top of a custom rom(CleanROM ACE 4.6). Everything runs real well. My N2 has 16gb built in, as well as a 64gb SanDisk Ultra card. Never lets me down.

Okay thanks Ill try out the new touch whiz for a while and see how it is. So does the remote control part work on any tv? Like say a crt tv? I have a 32inch crt tv at home. Or is it just for newer tvs.

I'm not 100% sure, but the S4 has an IR blaster, which is what allows it to be used as a remote, and just about all TVs have IR sensors. There's a remote control app called "WatchOn," and you basically set it to your TV until it's recognized. My guess(on the S4) is that it keeps bouncing IR waves until it causes the TV to do something, which is when you tell the app that it did something. With that, I can only assume that any TV with infrared should work. There are a few other good remote apps on the market too. What's cool is that you can control TV at your local bar if they have their watching some crap...or just have fun with them

Just curious, was wondering why you were considering going from an iPhone to an Android.

iggibar said:

In my opinion, the new TouchWiz is pretty good for a loaded OS. It used to be crap a few generations ago, but they've come a long way since then. I use Nova Launcher on my Note 2 on top of a custom rom(CleanROM ACE 4.6). Everything runs real well. My N2 has 16gb built in, as well as a 64gb SanDisk Ultra card. Never lets me down.

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Interesting. I've read reviews to the contrary and am quite thrown off by the superfluous gimmicks that Samsung throws in (admittedly, you don't need to use them). However, the expansion abilities, raw power and the removable battery is nice.

dtravis7 said:

Just curious, was wondering why you were considering going from an iPhone to an Android.

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Because it's better?

I asked the OP! If Android is better sell off that iPad and get an 10" Nexus.

To the OP, from all I have read and seen so far, if I were to ditch Apple I would go with the S4 also.

I wanted to switch to android only cause I like to customize and do whatever I want with my device. With apple you would have to jailbreak the iphone but still it seems limited. Also the galaxy s4 has everything I could want with a smartphone. I like the ir blaster it has. At my work in the break room they have a tv and we don't use a remote for some reason. So I can just use my gs4 and change the channel or mess with people lol. I really like the playstore rather then the app store. It has so much more apps they even have emulators which is too cool. And the emulators are much better then the ones from the cydia store.

That all makes sense. I was curious because of IOS7 and many disliking it and wondering if that was the reason. You gave some excellent reasons. Hope you enjoy your new phone. Let us know what you end up with and how you like it!

Those "many disliking" iOS 7 miraculously changed their minds after using it for a few days. Apple's on track to break every record there is with that "disliked" iOS version this holiday, and more than 60 percent of the current base is already on iOS 7.

Not bad for "disliked."

Many are still griping and will for sometime to come. Some pretty big names in fact. I wish I could see for my self but the way things are going in my life I doubt that will happen now. I know many Android people who used to hate IOS that love IOS7 though! Strange!

Yeah, you never quite get rid of the gripers ... there are probably a few people still clinging to OS 9 for dear life ... that OS X is just a fad I tell ya ...

IMHO wanting to customize/tweak is about the weakest reason to jump ship from iOS -- we all go through that phase and then grow out of it when we realise we don't really have time for that, um, stuff anymore ... but if I didn't have to option to stay with iOS, I would probably look more towards Windows Phone than Android, on the theory that I want something that's REALLY different, not just a little different ...

I agree with you Chas on WP8. My only issue at least with 8RT is lack of Apps at this time. Once they get more support I would love to try a WP8 phone.

The one thing that Android owners have to fight is when and if their carriers will let them upgrade to the next version and some will soon find out without rooting their phone Kit-Kat will be way down the road for them unless they purchased a Nexus which is Google controlled and gets updates.

osxx said:

The one thing that Android owners have to fight is when and if their carriers will let them upgrade to the next version and some will soon find out without rooting their phone Kit-Kat will be way down the road for them unless they purchased a Nexus which is Google controlled and gets updates.

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This "problem" is an intriguing one. Not only do apps in the Play Store generally support Android as far back as 2.x but I'm always intrigued to know what it is about updated copies of iOS that are somehow infinitely better than something like ICS. Sure, more modern updates are perhaps more secure (while also introducing new holes) but older versions of smartphone OSes are more than functional enough for 95% of people.

vansmith said:

This "problem" is an intriguing one. Not only do apps in the Play Store generally support Android as far back as 2.x but I'm always intrigued to know what it is about updated copies of iOS that are somehow infinitely better than something like ICS. Sure, more modern updates are perhaps more secure (while also introducing new holes) but older versions of smartphone OSes are more than functional enough for 95% of people.

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You are probably dead on with the 95% but people tend to want the latest greatest whether they use it or not .
I am not familiar with what Kit-Kat will bring to the table but I have a friend that will get it even if it means he will have to purchase a new phone, which is strange that the carriers will sell new phones with the latest OS but make existing customers wait sometimes up to 7 months.