Help a guy out, will ya?
I'm usually wonderfully quick at making wrong choices in my life but luckily that doesn't extend to purchases. So I'm on the lookout for a new Android mobile (sorry, iPhone fans... I just don't like certain limitations of IOS) and I want your inputs on what to get.
First of all, my prime needs: (In decreasing order)
I'm usually wonderfully quick at making wrong choices in my life but luckily that doesn't extend to purchases. So I'm on the lookout for a new Android mobile (sorry, iPhone fans... I just don't like certain limitations of IOS) and I want your inputs on what to get.
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| HTC ONE |
First of all, my prime needs: (In decreasing order)
- Screen between 4-5 inches. Not an inch more, not an inch less.
- A good body. - Pretty much rules out the plastic-y feel of Samsung.
- Decent battery life - I'm not much of a gamer but I am into social media as many of you will attest. Also I can manage to be around a phone charger at my workplace so it's not a major dealbreaker.
- Decent camera and easy user interface.
- Something different from the usual crowd.
- Less than Rs 30,000/- ideally.
I've had an HTC Incredible S (Incredible ass, you say? Yes, it was a coincidence. No, they did not name it thinking of me!) since 2011 and I can honestly say, I respect their mobiles. That mobile has fallen off all edges and corners and still has barely a dent on his well-built frame. In fact, my only grouse with him is that he's now slowed down quite a bit with age... the 768mb well-used RAM just doesn't have the legs for much more.
So here's some of the choices I've narrowed it down to and I would appreciate input from you or your friends who are knowledgeable or earn these phones. Click on the name to go to their reviews at other sites.
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| SONY Xperia ZR |
I prefer it's body to Sony Xperia Z's glass body. Less likely to get cracked. Feature-wise rich.
Well-built aluminium unibody. That works as a minus too, I guess, if battery dies a year down the line. Also worried about service centre availability for HTC. Available only on ebay at less than Rs 30,000.
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| HTC ONE X + |
More space (64GB! Remember when our computers would have 4GB space back in the late 90s!), gorgeous features but same issues as HTC ONE. Am noticing both of the HTCs have already disappeared from shelves in mobile stores and also on Flipkart. HTC seriously needs to use some common sense. They make some really good phones and then totally forget to market them or provide customer service for them in India.
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| Sony Xperia SP |
Decent features at nearly Rs8,000 less than the competitors above. Am surprised to hear of 'poor viewing angles'. Usually expect decent screens from a Sony. Also, that lighty thing at the bottom intrigues me... Ooh shiny!
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| LG NEXUS 4 |
I've never had a LG phone so am a bit apprehensive.
Otherwise the fact this is Android at it's purest form has my attention.
That's my present round up of the usual suspects. I'm open to other opinions. Went window shopping down the roads and malls of Kochi recently and was so close to buying one but just held back out of pure indecision. I know, I know... in the end, the phone is meant for talking but I do like a little class to go with it and I don't really want to sell a patient's kidney for it (I'm saving that for some car accessories. Wait till you see the story of how I chose that one!)
So tell me, got any worthwhile opinions of your own or your friends to share on which would be an ideal Rs20k-30k Android phone?
Okayyyy my picks :
ReplyDeleteXperia ZR - I have an Xperia too and they are just too sexy to ignore. Also, camera is amazing ! (Its better than SP, camera is 13mp and ZR has a quad core !)
LG Nexus : I was a little doubtful about LG too, but a friend has been using this for a few months now and he has no complaints so far
(PS : Sorry, I am a bit of a geek !)
Sorry? This is exactly what I want.. a good logical answer based on analysing all features. I was hesitant on Sony because their earlier phones did not excite me too much. But I guess you can't do much wrong when the basic interface is already given by Android.
DeleteRegarding LG, I too am waiting to see more comments here before taking a decision.
I use Sasung Galaxy and am quite happy with it
ReplyDeleteThanks sir. Looking for a change from Samsung... thats why the list is mainly focusing on other three brands.
DeleteI recommend Sony Xperia - heard lot of good things about it...I am in fact waiting for my ancient Samsung Galaxy SII to show some signs of old age so that I can plunge on the Xperia ;-)
ReplyDeleteHehe.. stick around. There will be lots more opinions coming. Once you make your decision, we can "accidentally" drop that SII a few twenty times and then get the new one :D
DeleteYes I can get Aaron to do that for me , may be :D
Delete:D Well played... make a list of other gadgets and kitchen items that need to be updated as well... Aaron is gonna be "very destructive" especially when good electronic discounts are available, methinks "D
DeleteI'm a poor blogger and can only recommend excellent phones in the Rs.10K to 12K range :)
ReplyDeleteIf you read the reviews for these phones and the comments below, at gsmarena, fonearena, etc. (which you must have done) you will be better informed to take a useful decision. Your blog readers will have personal views
:)
DeleteTrust me, Vinaya.. have been scouring the net for all sorts of reviews and seeing notes, videos, comparison sites.. this feels like doing a thesis right now.
Just looking for views from people who own the same brand and know its plus and minus points.
I will say you go for Nexus 4. Like you said, Android at its purest form. All others add an extra bit of skin(if you can call that),like TouchWiz for Samsung. So that all the mobiles don't look the same Software wise, like Windows phones. Therefore most phones are going to slow down eventually, with updates and as data piles up.
ReplyDeleteAnd Nexus4 has some impressive config, 2GB RAM, 320MB GPU and 8/16GB in-built memory. And never go for a camera just cos it has more MPs. Look for the features they give. Shooting modes(very important), Effects, White balance, ISO, Voice recognition/voice commands(it's fun you see ;-)) and capture a image and check how they have turned out, as lot of times post processing spoils pictures. And battery life is always dependent on how you use. Turning on your Data connection with a 3G connection is gonna suck the battery, add to it games, and browsing sites that are heavy on graphics are added burden. And I have heard that the hardware isn't any bad. Comparable to any other phone in its category.
I think that would be enough suggestions, finally it comes down to what you like. :-) So go ahead and buy off.
P.S: I work on Android phones in Samsung. Not that it matters anyway. :P
You've raised a wonderful point on camera. I really never considered those features in detail, sticking to the usual "number of megapixels" and "modes" at best.
DeleteMy main battery drain will indeed come from online browsing I guess, but still a lot less than you would imagine.
P.S. :D Did I say Samsung was plastic-y.. I meant awesome-y! *slinks away silently*
Oh you need not do that. I myself use a Nokia Windows phone. :-)
DeleteI am great fan of HTC and it is quite obvious since I am using one for almost more than a year without any problem. The models of HTC are quite well build and tends to impress with almost every aspect of my tech needs . So, my pick is HTC (any models)
ReplyDeleteGimme five!
DeleteI'm a pretty big fan of HTC build and tech.. I just find their strategies for India silly. I'm already struggling to find an HTC ONe and HTC ONE X plus in the market.. its barely been a year at best since one of them released and it has good reviews. They just switched over to HTC ONE dual sim (at Rs 50,000!!!!).
I used to be worried of what to do if my HTC would get a crack or some issue... in 2 years, no issues at all.
I took my time on this so you better read every word. Even had to take a coffee break in between to get my Caffeine fix.
ReplyDeleteHere is my list and why:
1)HTC One
One of the most liked UIs (Skins) in the world. I don't care for it much but if everyone likes it there must be something to it. Its a great phone and has a solid build. If you don't want plastic this is one of your best options. Guaranteed support for Android "Kit Kat" that's going to be released later this year. Overall if you can get this phone at less than 30K then go for it. Don't worry about that battery, the technology has come a long way since the old days I don't see you having changing the battery for 2 to 3 years. Here is the biggest reason to pick it. You are already used to Sense UI that HTC provides. You will be most comfortable with it and there wont be much of a learning curve.
http://cnettv.cnet.com/htc-one-turn-after-tough-torture-test/9742-1_53-50148166.html?tag=api
http://cnettv.cnet.com/sprint-htc-one-stunning-fast-feature-packed/9742-1_53-50144424.html?tag=api
http://cnettv.cnet.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-vs-htc-one/9742-1_53-50146379.html?tag=api
Watch all videos
Nexus 4: I own one and I love it. But that doesn't mean you will. Its Vanilla android and I get updates he very next day that Google rolls it out (if not the same day). I love it and I think its a great phone and is powerful too. But I still miss things that the OEM UIs like Touch wiz and Sense give me, like swipe to call form Samsung. These are petty things but I miss it when I want to do what a phone is meant to, make calls! I got the feature back but that was by installing a third party dialer to do the job and it wasn't as pretty as the Samsung interface. Again, Big Surprise: It doesn't have a user removable battery! Dun, Dun, Dun!!!!
Sony Phones: Owned a few in the past but was never really impressed with their android line up. I know a few people like it but I think they are just over priced and not as in the game as Samsung, HTC and LG. Also, there are no guarantees on OS upgrades. The phones I mentioned above WILL get at least the next 2 updates from Google.
If you are willing to wait then wait for the Nexus 5 (should be out in the next 2 months, before the holiday season) Again no one knows pretty much anything about this phone but it should be better then the Nexus 4 in several ways. Again after it comes out you would have to still compare it against the HTC One and the other phones in your line up.
I can see why a coffee break was needed. I have 25 mark questions in universities where I've written less... not to mention, I did not add video links in those answer papers either. Maybe THAT'S WHY I didnt get a distinction!
DeleteSeeing a few people annoyed with Sony. I thought it was because of their earlier models but I'm seeing that feelinge xtends to the Xperia series too. Sad.
My main grouse with HTC remains just this. If you check your regular mobile showrooms and even online stores, HTC ONE and HTC ONE X plus have already disappeared (Not counting the HTC ONE dual sim launched at 50k). It makes no sense why you have a product which is doing fine with glowing reviews and you decide not to have it in the market already within a year. That, more than anything else, makes me hesitant to buy the One series... not knowing what these guys are doing and what my options are should anything untoward happen.
In all my hunting, I never considered that the next Nexus was already coming out.. surprised me to hear it considering we were just discussing Nexus 4 so recently. What do you think of the body build - between HTC and Samsung? (Sony frankly scared me with the glass-on-both-sides Sony Z!And you have to pay 50% to replace the phone in case of damage, disgruntled customers were complaining!)
More and more, the choice seems to be veering away from Sony at this point.
I can only think of one reason why HTC is pulling or not restocking the HTC devices.. The Rupee tumble. Some companies instead of raising the price of the device when the ruppee falls or not absorbing the cost difference cut orders for fresh units till the rupee strengthens. Another reason could be that HTC instead of passing the price difference to the customer oped to cut dealer margins. Not favourable to dealer to sell phone with less margin: "pull it from shelf".
DeleteI never mentioned the Nexus 5 till now although there were rumours that the it was in development there were no indications of the release. Now it looks like it should be out in the next few months. There is very little anyone knows for sure about the Nexus 5 except that it will come with a 5 or close to 5 inch screen and will run "Kit Kat" Out of the Box.
I would like you to spend some time with stock "vanila" Android. I mean really spend some time with it. Get a feel for it. Its good, dont get me wrong. But there is a reason why OEMs skin the OS. Its functional and that's it. For exiting features you need an OEM to add a skin with those features. If you still like it wait for the Nexus 5. Hell I'll even have it imported for you from the US. I'll guarantee to get you the device before anyone in in India does. But if the UI,(the part of your phone you spend a lot of time interacting with) doesn't wow you then just buy a HTC or Samsung or any other phone that meets your needs.
I am really not Pro HTC and never owned one but the consensus globally is that the Sense UI is one of the best.
I like the TouchWiz UI from Samsung but off late its seriously bloated! I mean there are just too many options and gestures that its confusing now. Plus the build quality on the S4 is not great. The S3 is actually better and is quite rugged.
PS. Thanks for not imposing a word limit in your comments section. I may have actually written more than you did in your post by now.. ;)
Nexus 5 will be an LG phone, likely something along the lines of the LG G2. And it will likely come out in October in the US. I wouldn't buy the Nexus 4 now, given that the 5 is nearly out. I like the idea of Nexus (I have an S3 and it takes forever for Samsung Canada to push the appropriate updates our way), but not the hardware they end up coming on.
DeleteSandheep, you raise a very valid point and probably the most likely answer to where HTC has disappeared. Even gsmarena's recent public comments on HTC ONE show the same complaint in Mumbai. That all the other versions of HTC One series have disappeared barring the ridiculously priced HTC ONE dual sim (49-53k)
DeleteI read an article on how they will be expanding service centres from 400-700 over the next year in India and yes, one of their coming launches will be HTC ONE mini.. but it seems to be priced at 35k again. I guess they are taking the rupee fall to heart :(
Have seen the new S4 and I totally understand the "bloated" comment... its a little overdone for me. Expect for that awesome feature where the video stops when you look away, the others seem a bit too gimmicky.
And coming to the Lg and Android at its truest form, yes. This is my new aim. To seek out a store which lets you play around with its LG mobile and see how it feels.
Anand, Nexus 4 just arrived recently in India, I believe. So wondering when its successor will arrive. yes, all the news online shows its an LG as well.. will keep an eye out for a October headline, provided my present HTC mobile does not conk out on me.. I think it knows Im hunting for a new phone.. behaving erratically since last week ever since it saw me at many mobile stores. :o
Delete@Sandeep - The bloated UI is because of all the features they keep adding to the already overloaded TouchWiz UI. Even we developers ourselves are confused most of the times regarding the features and how they work. :P
Delete@Johnnie - The delay in the update is due to Google releasing the 4.3, 4.2.2, 4.2.1 and 4.2 at very short intervals. And also there weren't major upgrades/updates in it. So most OEMs thought it is better to give a single 4.3 update directly rather than 2/3 updates.
I think the Nexus 5 will be released as close to the holiday season as possible. May be first half of November.(?)
@PYTHODOC. If you go to an LG store please make sure you play with the Nexus device and not any other. Nexus is just manufactured by LG so No LG skin/UI just Android. You could compare it to another LG (non Nexus branded) and see the difference. But the differences should pop instantly given that you already own a skinned device. When you do, dig deep, Look for familiar features like calling and texting. Control centre like pull down tray, the widgets that you are used to etc..
DeleteWill hopefully get a chance this weekend once work ends.. other mobile truly suspects something. It no longer allows me to browse online for more than a few seconds before data connection stops and network crashes.
DeleteI've heard that Sony Xperia ZR is a good phone. There are lot of HTC phones which look great too and have excellent reviews.
ReplyDeleteBut I've first hand experience of a Samsung Galaxy Grand - and I'll vouch from first hand experience that it fulfills all ur criteria except that plastic body bit. It can endure few falls as well.
Thanks Anupama... I guess I'm prejudiced against Samsung :)
DeleteIronically, I bought one for my mom !
Are you sure ebay is selling the HTC one at less than 30k? Its their flagship phone and I find it hard to believe. Also the "One x" is not the same family as the "One" and my comments/review are not valid for it. the "One x" is over a year old.
ReplyDeleteYou may want to consider the HTC one Mini.
http://cnettv.cnet.com/hand-friendly-htc-one-mini/9742-1_53-50151085.html
I have a strong feeling that you are getting confused with the HTC nomenclature. I know I am. Look for HTC One (no alphabets after it)
HTC One I had seen one piece (presumably 16gb) being sold within the 30k limit but thats gone too.. sigh. Ya, not considering One X at all.. and yes, I dont get their chronology or choice of names at all..
DeleteHTC One mini is next out as per their Indian CEO's interview last week.. price is going to be a determining factor. I fear from articles I read that it may still be in the 35k bracket.
i dont abt other phones and not a gadget freak....i known nexus 4 and i admit its awesome...got it from US for 220$...super fast and price wise cheaper..i play games and read books...till now no obvious hanging problems....go for it..available for 24k in flipkart.
ReplyDeleteThat is an awesome price actually.. the 220 dollars one :)
DeleteThanks.. another point for N4.
i dont know abt other phones and not a gadget freak....i own nexus 4 and i admit its awesome...got it from US for 220$...super fast and price wise cheaper..i regularly play games and read books...till now no obvious hanging problems....go for it..available for 24k in flipkart.
ReplyDeleteI use Samsung Galaxy Grand and I love it!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Shilpa.. you're the second one who mentioned that model. though I'm averse to Samsung, will look into it. Have not gone through it in detail yet.
DeleteTrust me, even without looking at your options, I was going to suggest SP and nexus 4. Because they were on my top list when I was looking out for a new phone. Go with Nexus. Except for no memory card, there's not one thing wrong with this phone. You won't regret it. :D
ReplyDeleteNow, Im wondering whether to hold on till Nexus 5 since everyone says it may arrive shortly.. then again, my present mobile spotted me in different mobile stores last week and has been behaving very suspiciously since then.. losing range, not giving data connectivity etc..
DeleteHTC One... i have been clicking away with the 4mp camera, and I truly dont see a need for having a higher MP camera, which is the only downside of this phone.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your assessment. This blind rush towards more megapixels is just a marketing gimmick. People immediately assume that more megapixels means better pictures. But there is a point beyond which it becomes redundant to boost the resolution of the camera. What's important is the camera sensor. Many sensors with lower resolution still offer higher quality images and I believe that the HTC one has a great sensor. They also have something called "ultra pixel", could be just a marketing gimmick but reviews show great pictures with even better low light imaging.
DeleteIts a point that Ive read a lot now.. how their ultrapixel thingy is different from the regular MP we talk about and yes, that it does really well in low light imaging.
DeleteWell the Ultra pixel essentially means the pixel size is bigger, compared to others. Where other sensors have 8 million pixels, Ultra pixel sensors have approx 4 million pixels in the same area.
DeleteWhat does it mean..??
They can absorb much more light than other sensors.
But is it always very useful..??
Not necessarily. Unless it is low light condition, almost all sensors do a pretty decent job.
Then it is better than others right..??
Again, not necessarily. Less number of pixels mean, the captured image cannot be zoomed as much as other cameras, as it will cause pixelation. So it is a trade-off.
Although a good sensor is very necessary, it doesn't stop there. Its the first step. There is lot of post-processing that happens to an image before you see it. And most times what you get is not what you would have seen with your eyes. So the best way to judge a camera is to capture lot of images in varying conditions and see how they have turned out. :-)
Thanks so much Kanthu... I have been reading up on the Ultrapixel vs Megapixel war of words and this really gave a better graphical image in my head.
DeleteI have heard good reviews of Nexus 4.
ReplyDeletePhenoMenon
http://throodalookingglass.com/2013/09/submerged-temple/
Another plus to N4..
DeleteI am hearing great things about Nexus. I am a fan of Nokia and have never owned any other phone, but then my requirements are not much - I use my phone to miss calls, feel guilty about those missed calls, record phone numbers, make emergency calls (I am close to both my landlines) and of course take pictures (convenient, even though I carry my digital camera most of the time).
ReplyDelete:-) Hope you find the one that's perfect for your needs!
Thanks.. will update the world when I get one finally :D
DeleteI got an HTC One two months back and am pretty happy with it. Had an iphone and I like this one much better. Not sure of service options in India though
ReplyDeleteJaish.. perfect person to ask then :D
DeleteHows battery life with moderate net browsing? The HTC One is definitely in my sights as a main contender right now.
I'm using LG Nexus 4 right now, the android experience is buttery smooth. Bear in mind though it's a bit delicate, you may have to protect it with a bumper case.
ReplyDeleteThis, more than anything else, scares me. I am prone to be butter fingers (good thing Im a doctor dealing with precision surgeries, eh!)
Deleteah, solicited advice, here you go! i have been using pure android phones for the past 4 years only deterring once towards the htc desire. i loved it while using it mainly because htc makes very pretty and useful widgets and you can customize it may different ways. i also liked a physical button on that model (it's irrelevant now). the painful part came up when i had to move all my info from the htc to the nexus s 2 years ago. it was a nightmare because htc has a lot of integrated play with fb contacts and in my new phone, my contacts were all messed up. it took me many many hours to clean up all that legacy and start afresh. since then, i have used the nexus s, galaxy nexus, and now the nexus 4. i love them all. pure android is the way to and what i'd recommend. having said that, i haven't used the htc one but have heard very good things about it. so go to a store, check both out, and see where your interest lies.
ReplyDeleteps: forget that the nexus 4 is an LG handset. it's still a very well made phone and you won't be disappointed with it, looking at your list of priorities.
PPS: you can also wait for the moto x :D
Thanks Nags.. You raise a point I havent heard before and one thing makes a lot of sense too. HTC does brilliantly in integrating across all social media... but what happens when you revert back and then try shifting your contact list? Ay yay yay!
DeleteFor some reason, HTC ONE series has disappeared from the Indian market presently - both online and in stores. Crazy because they were doing pretty good business till a fortnight ago!
strange indeed. maybe it's a sign to go with the nexus 4? i have a cousin in thiruvalla who was a mobile store. very good with phones so let me know if you want some expert advice. if you tell him you are my friend, you won't get a sales pitch :)
Deleteerm.. he wasn't a mobile store, he HAS a mobile store.
DeleteDamn... he sounded cooler when he "was" a mobile store :p
DeleteWill let you know. :)
But seriously, could you ask/ping/whatsapp him on whether he has any inside info on the case of the "missing HTC ONE series in Indian stores" and whether they have any plans on returning. I haven't finalised it but I would like to know that I have the option should I choose.
Deletehe's traveling and not responding :( sorry! will keep trying and let you know if there's any luck
Deleteokay. Just want to know basically whether i should wait for the Htc One at all or have the Taiwanese given up on us? :)
DeleteJust had a chance to post a comment now....
ReplyDeleteNexus is definitely the best when it comes to android...you get the latest updates as soon as google updates....
Sony Xperia you may want to check for support for updating android... usually they don't support beyond a certain point so you get stuck with the old model android...
Finally just go pick up one... the more you ask the more mixed reviews you will get n leave you feeling confused ;)
Yes.. believe me, I know the feeling of being confused like this.. went through it while thinking of getting a car earlier this year.. this seems much easier in comparison!
DeleteGo for Xperia. I have heard good reviews of it.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't think too much about it. :)
Second guy to remind me of that fact today.. and theres a third guy below as well :D Yes, I just gotta trust my gut and go for it , I guess.
DeleteI would have strongly recommended Samsung but plastic body is a strict no-no to you. In the options you have, I will recommend LG Nexus. Its android in its purest form. All the android upgrades will be shared with you almost immediately (unlike Sony and HTC), fast processor. Only drawback I saw is that it doesnt have any external memory slot. If you can manage with internal memory, this is the phone for you.
ReplyDeleteAlso, try to buy as soon as you can. Since the more you wait, more confused you will become..
I would have preferred it if they had a 32gb version.. 16gb basically transalates to 12gb usable, I guess.. thats less than what I have presently.
DeleteAnd you all are right.. the more I think of it, the more confused I'm getting Binu. Believe me, this is still nothing. Will soon release the post on how I selected a car.. then, you will realise the true meaning of indecision :D
So, finally here's a topic I can really help you with provided you have not bought the phone yet.
ReplyDeleteLet me get one thing straight first. I am Sony fanboy. Have owned a Xperia S for the past nearly 2 years now and have loved it.That's the longest I have gone without feeling the need to change my phone. I unlocked its bootloader the next day I bought it and have loved experimenting with it by changing kernals and custom ROMs.And the build quality is top top notch. Its fallen out of my hands countless times onto pillows,rocks and everything in between and nothing has ever happened to it. One superbly crafted piece of gadgetry. It's also a very developer friendly OEM and encourages developers to take advantage of their phones hardware and push it to the limit. Sony also has it's limitations though and I'll get to that.
Going by the options in the order that you put them -
1) The Xperia ZR - It's a decent phone but I particularly don't like the built, Sony went ahead and saved money by letting go of one of their strengths and that's their build quality. And for that reason alone I don't believe it's worth it. The Snapdragon S4 Pro processor does the job but again it's just ok for the price you are paying. And DON'T fall for the camera. Sony packs in lots of pixels which gives some amazing pics when the lighting is good but when the lighting is poor or bad, the quality of pics are horrendous and their Exmor RS sensor which is supposed to improve lowlight photography does nothing.
2) The HTC ONE - Well, even though I said I am a Sony fanboy, I have got to admit that this is the best phone in this comparison study. It's got a great processor ,a great display , great speakers and it looks positively stunning. The battery life is also pretty decent. The 4 megapixel ultrapixel camera is hit or miss but its usually more hit than miss.Don't think you'll ever regret this purchase especially if you are getting it at that price.I believe it has an MRP of around 40k though. A problem with HTC is that they are not very developer friendly, so if you want to unlock bootladers and try out customs ROms and all that, it will not be easy. Also, HTC has only 4 service centers in South India I believe and so, getting proper service will be a pain.
3) One X + - Completely irrelevant here. Don't think you should go for it
4) Xperia SP - It's actually a very decent phone. Purely mid range but offers real value for money. And about the screen quality. It's actually a decent screen but viewing angles have always been a problem with Sony phones. Even with Bravia Engine implemented, the viewing angles leave a lot to be desired. Even last year's flagship, the Xperia Z had this problem. Sony has finally fixed this though by transporting their patented Trilluminous Display from their TVs onto their mobiles. It's brilliant but the only phones that have it now are the Xperia Z1 and the Xperia Z Ultra.But its only viewing angles that have a problem. When looking straight at the display, which we do most of the time, it's absolutely fine.
5) Nexus 4 - Sigh, the Nexus. Top quality phone in every respect at a very very good price. Forget the fact that it's made by LG. You'll never ever feel like you are running a LG phone. The vanilla Android gives you a taste of just how Google wanted Android to be experienced. And quite frankly its superb. No lags, no stutters and an incredibly smooth experience. It's also got a quad core processor to handle the intensive tasks. Couple in a pretty decent screen and a good camera, there's all the more reason to buy. The real stand out feature though is that you'll get Android updates the minute Google makes it public. No more waiting around for your OEM to put their skin on and release at their own leisure. Also, the fact that LG makes it is quite good when you realise that LG has more service centers than HTC in India. I should warn you that the Nexus 5 is expected to be unveiled by Google next month though.Made by LG too
So, to sum up on that huge post above, my picks would be (in order of preference) -
ReplyDelete1) HTC One
2) Nexus 4
3) Xperia SP ( Not cause it's an exceptional phone but it offers really good value for money)
4) Xperia ZR ( Really good phone but I just don't like how they gave up on some Sony ideologies to save money. Personal preference though.)
5) HTC One X +
of the lot, my two choices were hovering around HTC ONE and Nexus4. As usual, whenever I choose something, God loves to play around.
DeleteHTC one is presently unavailable in any Indian market online or off... speculation is they withdrew it cos of declining rupee cutting into their profit margin.. sigh. ManMohan Singh wont let me buy a mobile!! how sad is that??
As for Nexus 4, if I overlook the LG factor which i frankly never gave a chance at all, then the issue is whether to wait a month (provided my present mobile lasts) and then go for Nexus 5 if it releases in India this year. Any speculation on that?
Lots of speculation. Gonna be mostly a LG made device. Some prototypes have been leaked and Google made a blooper by leaking it on their Android 4.4 KitKat unveiling video. Expected launch is next month. Gonna be supposedly running a Snapdragon 800 processor, 5 inch 1080p screen, 13 megapixel camera and running 4.4 out of the box. The problem is that it took LG and Google more than 5-6 months to make the Nexus 4 reach the Indian market. Dunno how long it will take this time although it should be much sooner.
DeleteAlso, I checked about the One availability. It's back in Flipkart and all other sites. At a cost of 47000 which is much more than what it was before.It's available on Ebay for around 41000. The HTC one mini is available on some sites for 30-35k. But if you are paying that much, why don't you go for the Sony Xperia Z1? Awesome phone and my favorite android on the market today. The LG G2 and the Samsung Note 3 are also good options if you are willing to go a bit higher and get the very best that's out there
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ReplyDeleteSmartphones and tablets whether they use the iPhone or Android operating systems are revolutionizing the way we communicate, shop, travel, do business, and more. There are apps for just about everything.
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