OK Phone nerds - recommend me a Smartphone.

Basically I've had the same Nokia handset for about 7 years, does the job and swore I'd only replace it when it fails. Which it doesn't look like doing anytime soon. However it's become inconvenient with limited features, even having to deal with stupid cable when I need to do something is grinding on me. Make matters worse my wife sends me ?? txts because it's so slow to respond to hers.

After a bit of research I've found the Samsung Galaxy S Duos to be about right, but I won't have need for a dual sim. And being a samsung I "guess" it would be able to use the S2 charger car kit etc which my wife has.

So, my list of requirements in order of preference:

Not Apple....!
Make phone calls / Recieve phone calls (sounds stupid, but decent quality audio is really what I mean).
Send messages / Recieve messages (basic stuff right, not into pretty pictures etc).
Blue tooth for the car etc.
Decent camera (video and still).
Good memory or expandable.
Screen size, don't want a massive phone like the Note, even the s3 is too big, S2 borderline, around 4" would be ideal (wouldn't keep the mrs happy though), prefer full touch minimal buttons.
Decent battery life or upgradable battery.
Fast processor but doesn't have to be lightning.
Good value for money, not really interested in much over $400 though.

Oh, an not sure about Windows 8, might have to be convinced.

Just get the Duos or an S2

S2...have one thru work
(awesome and its better than my daughters iphone by a mile)
and
have just bought an S2 for the missus for her birthday :)

Honestly, how much of a difference in physical size is there between an S2 and S3? I'd get the S3... well I use one anyway.

The Galaxy Nexus is also quite good, what I had before this S3. Little smaller I believe but hardly noticeable. Also no buttons on the face which is nice.

What carrier are you with?

Telstra currently, off contract though, wife is with Optus and we'd probably benefit if I switched aswell.

I have a GS2, I've had it since not long after they were released and I love it. I would upgrade if there was another 4.3" phone that was unquestionably better, but I'm still waiting. For me, 4.3" is the screen size limit. I can juuuust use the whole screen one handed.

Also, I'm running CyanogenMod, but the stock firmware wasn't bad in any respect.

Check out the Galaxy Note 2, they look huge, but damn they are an awesome phone. SGS3 4G is similarly awesome, just a bit smaller!




Windows Phone 8 is pretty crappy IMO, also limited app support.

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Originally Posted by white lie

Honestly, how much of a difference in physical size is there between an S2 and S3? I'd get the S3... well I use one anyway.

The Galaxy Nexus is also quite good, what I had before this S3. Little smaller I believe but hardly noticeable. Also no buttons on the face which is nice.

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I have a Galaxy Nexus and my wife has a S3. The S3 is definitely the winner.

I have the galaxy nexus and its brilliant does everything you are asking for and much much more if you need. I could not recommend this phone highly enough. I am running a custom ROM but the stock Telstra ROM is just as good.

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Originally Posted by MYVYSS

I have the galaxy nexus and its brilliant does everything you are asking for and much much more if you need. I could not recommend this phone highly enough. I am running a custom ROM but the stock Telstra ROM is just as good.

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Yep, +1

But if you are going for a new phone, go the LG Nexus 4 - http://www.google.com.au/nexus/4/ - $350 outright, unlocked. Need to wait for more stock though.

Review - http://www.engadget.com/2012/11/02/nexus-4-review/

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Originally Posted by Drizt

I have a Galaxy Nexus and my wife has a S3. The S3 is definitely the winner.

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Not in my experience, TouchWiz vs Stock JB, ill take Vanilla Android any day.

Just my opinion though =]

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Originally Posted by [TWIGGA]

Not in my experience, TouchWiz vs Stock JB, ill take Vanilla Android any day.

Just my opinion though =]

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Yep JellyBean is awesome!!. Glad to see Twigga you are enjoying your move to the Dark Side!!!......

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Originally Posted by MYVYSS

Yep JellyBean is awesome!!. Glad to see Twigga you are enjoying your move to the Dark Side!!!......

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Still getting an iPad mini :D

Nexus 7 is great value, but a foot in each camp should be good fun.

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Originally Posted by [TWIGGA]

Still getting an iPad mini :D

Nexus 7 is great value, but a foot in each camp should be good fun.

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Dual OS on the mini, go on you know you want to lol

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Originally Posted by zorro

Dual OS on the mini, go on you know you want to lol

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Oh I wish that was possible! Would be perfect!

BTW the Nexus 4 is out (albeit sold out for now). Unlocked only from Google, and no LTE, but it's the latest Nexus phone and looks to be a winner. Super cheap too for its specs.

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Originally Posted by [TWIGGA]

Oh I wish that was possible! Would be perfect!

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Its been done on the phone so no doubt possible on the mini

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Originally Posted by macca_779

Its been done on the phone so no doubt possible on the mini

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That was many moons ago I think. Without native drivers it's going to suck period!

Bootcamp for IOS dual boot with Android, never going to happen! :toetap:

If you can't wait for the Nexus 4, the Galaxy Nexus is still a great phone.
More importantly, they're absurdly cheap for what they are. Kogan have them for $329 and I'm sure if you dig around you can find coupon/discount codes to drop that further. The money you save can go towards cases/screen protectors/extra cables and chargers etc.

The other benefit of the nexus phones is you always stay up to date with Android as they get new releases first.

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Originally Posted by Stewge

The other benefit of the nexus phones is you always stay up to date with Android as they get new releases first.

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Best tip with a GNex, make sure as soon as you get it, make sure its on takju or yakju builds (these are google builds), if not get it to that straight away then enjoy software updates straight from Google, not from Samsung/Carrier which take FOREVER!

Scour over the XDA forums, wealth of info and has everything you need, for every phone!

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Originally Posted by Drizt

Any tips for noobs on how to do that?

Galaxy Nexus 2

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This is a very good guide, easy to understand, any questions, PM me.

http://ausdroid.net/2012/11/21/updat...to-android-42/

OK, Galaxy S3 Mini it is... Nexus is tempting but.

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Originally Posted by [TWIGGA]

This is a very good guide, easy to understand, any questions, PM me.

http://ausdroid.net/2012/11/21/updat...to-android-42/

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Cheers. I'm a code monkey so shouldn't be too difficult for me :)

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Originally Posted by Drizt

Cheers. I'm a code monkey so shouldn't be too difficult for me :)

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Piece-a-piss mate! Impossible to miss, but yeah wipes your phone so make sure you have a backup or a recent sync if that bothers you.

Sorry OP, getting a little OT here, what did you decide on? S3 Mini?

any opinion on the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 N7100 16GB

I must say that that nexus4 is tempting at that price

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Originally Posted by [TWIGGA]

Sorry OP, getting a little OT here, what did you decide on? S3 Mini?

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Not a problem, S3m is on top of the list at this stage, but I want to try and get my hands on one before pulling the trigga...

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Originally Posted by CLUBRED

Not a problem, S3m is on top of the list at this stage, but I want to try and get my hands on one before pulling the trigga...

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Good idea... Head to the biggest Telstra store you can find and have a play with the ones in stock. Good luck.

Just get a Galaxy Nexus - best bang for buck phone on the market IMO.

Just upgraded to Samsung S3 from S1 - love it

Wife has had S2 for approx a year - it is good but S3 is better

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Originally Posted by team illucid

Just get a Galaxy Nexus - best bang for buck phone on the market IMO.

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anyone know when the Nexus 4 is available again ??

Anyone's guess really, Google don't really advertise release dates or when things are going to be back in stock, you just have to keep checking the store.

On a side note, jellybean finally got pushed to my S3 this morning. Huge improvement in the fluidity over ICS! Was almost at the point of switching to another phone (I seem to get bored of them every 6 months) but this has made me hang on to it a bit longer.

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Originally Posted by white lie

Anyone's guess really, Google don't really advertise release dates or when things are going to be back in stock, you just have to keep checking the store.

On a side note, jellybean finally got pushed to my S3 this morning. Huge improvement in the fluidity over ICS! Was almost at the point of switching to another phone (I seem to get bored of them every 6 months) but this has made me hang on to it a bit longer.

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Is that the Telstra jelly bean update? How big was the download?

The phone was bought outright, but I'm on Telstra, so don't know which one it is?
There's no bloatware in it but there wasn't on my GNEX (which I got on the Telstra plan) either...

It didn't give me a file size (first time its done that), wouldn't even show me the progress of its download but it did take a good 5+ minutes to download over ADSL2+ wifi and another 5-10 minutes to install, so i'd say a bit over 100mb.

Only taken about a month since the rest of the world got it? Still waiting for the update to be sent to my Transformer Prime :(

Won't be a Telstra version if it doesn't have Telstra specific apps pre-installed. I gave up waiting for updates for my Transformer Prime and installed a custom rom