Android or iPhone & why?

[Sherri in MI]

As with most things, it is famine or feast for me when it comes to my cell phone! Mine is old and dying, plus my carrier is requiring me to get a new phone. I didn't have any money to replace it, but I now I have 3 options & they all come with complications!

 

1. Dh's friend gave me a used iPhone 3G;

 

2. My carrier (Boost Mobile) is offering a free refurbished phone, though I don't know the details on that yet, and

 

3. my sister is offering to buy me a new phone for my BD, though I don't know her budget (probably $100 to $200).

 

This all happened around the same time (my sister's "gift" offer came first, but it's not clear how she intends to pay for it. I mean I'm supposed to pick it out then we are supposed to work out getting me the money. She is 600 hours away.

 

I currently have Boost Mobile w/ shrinkage which includes unlimited talk, text & data (3G I think, & after a set amount of data usage for the month, they kick you down to 2G).

 

Option 1: I will have to switch to AT&Ts GoPhone plan (Boost does not support the iPhone) which will be $50 per month for unlimited talk & text, but no data.

 

Option 2: Will be $50 per month for unlimited talk, text and data. In 6 months that will go down to $45 per month & in one year that will be $40 per month. That is a really nice perk with Boost Mobile.

 

Option 3: I would stick with Boost and get an Android (don't know which one).

 

 

I don't know the differences between an Android and an iPhone. I don't know which features each one has & when I try to research it on the internet, it gets confusing. I use talk & text a lot. I would use data if I had it, for directions, movies times, facebook, email, etc. when I am out and about or waiting for ds at his games and practices. I would also want to use my new phone as an organizer: calendar, to do list, etc. and to play music. And I would like to sync it w/ my computer which uses Windows.

 

I'd like to stick with Boost because they have the best deal that I know of in my area. If you know of any others, please let me know.

 

If I decide to go with an android, do I get the free refurbished one or do I let my sister buy me a new one? I don't want to hurt her feelings, but she has been through the ringer financially & I feel so badly taking her money. She said she has it set aside but still, things are very tight for her & she does not have a good job. She was just homeless a few months ago. I don't feel right accepting her gift when I can get a free phone. But she has some pride and might be offended that I turned her gift down.

 

The deal from Boost has a deadline, but I dont' know what it is. Their website is not always very informative and sometimes their customer service isn't very helpful. I do still have to call them. But once I do make the switch, I hardly never need customer service and I haven't had any problems with their service.

 

I would love your input and suggestions. This whole thing has me stressed out.

 

Thanks!

Sherri

[amo_mea_filiis.]

I have no opinions on all your options, but i would not let sis do the buying. If she was just homeless, she should be using that money to build an emergency fund.

 

 

[SebastianCat]

I wouldn't let my sister, if she was in the same situation, buy me a phone when you have other options.

 

We upgraded from old cell phones to smart phones last January. DH got an iPhone and I got an Android. The Android phone does everything I wanted, which is much of what you describe - I use the calendar, texting, & email heavily, do internet searches some, but don't do a lot of heavy data streaming. The basic data package has been plenty for what I use.

 

If you have a good carrier and get good reception, I would go with them, especially if you are comfortable with the price. Can you go to a physical store and look at what they're offering, touch & feel it? That might help you narrow down your options. I would not switch to a different carrier if you already get good reception, because not all carrier coverage is the same in every location.

 

FWIW, I like my Android and it suits my needs, but next time around I will get an iPhone. It's easier to type on, and easier to navigate - although I can do all of the same functions on my current phone. But comparing my phone with DH's, his is a little more user friendly.

[sparrow]

First of all, I'd find a way to tell your sister, "thanks, but no thanks". She really should be putting some money aside, to save, whenever she can. $100-200 is too much to spend, IMO.

 

As for Android or iPhone, I would love to have an iPhone, but I don't think they're worth their exorbitant price, so I have an Android. It does more than what I need it to do and I paid $69 dollars for it new. I had Wal-Mart price match a deal at Dollar General on an AT&T ZTE Merit (WM sells it for $129) and I use StraightTalk. For $45/month I have unlimited talk/text/data(3G). I have Kindle, Navigation, Netflix, Songza (awesome music app), Google Sky (love), Recipes, Red Lazer, FB, my calendar, among many others. Basically, the stuff that makes mama go. I'm not big on games, but I'm embarrassed to admit I've become slightly sucked into a Littlest Pet Shop game :rolleyes: . I did add a higher gig SD card because this phone came with a trivial amount of storage.

 

 

Watch for deals at other stores and have Wal-Mart price match. They have a killer 2-year warranty/replacement plan, too.

[dsmith]

I went with Android over iPhone when I needed a new phone a few weeks ago. I like the iPhone, but I really depend on the navigation on my phone, and the iPhone was having navigation issues at that time. In your shoes I would go with the free Android as long as it wasn't a horrible phone. When you find out what the free phone is, check reviews. I can't imagine using an iPhone without having a data plan, so I wouldn't go for option 1. Plus I'm not a fan of AT&T. I also could not accept the offer from your sister if it were me. Perhaps you could suggest an accessory to go with the phone you choose? I understand the pride issue. My sil is the same way and it kills me!

[ChristusG]

I love my iPhone. I'm on my 4th one (upgrade each new genearation). I'm a little familiar with the Android platform after using it with the Kindle Fire. After two months of using the Fire, I promptly sent it back because I couldn't get a feel for the lack of apps. Yes, the Android market will continue to grow, but right now, I don't feel that they are up there with Apple yet.

[amy g.]

The girls in our family have iPhones. The boys have Androids. Even though the androids are bigger, they are more difficult to type on.

 

On the other hand my friend got an iPhone 3 and she doesn't like that the camera doesn't even have a flash.

 

I'd go for an iPhone 4S or 5 over Android, but an android over an iPhone 3.

[DawnM]

If you have an iphone that is ATT branded you can also look at Straight Talk, $45/mo for everything, including data. I have it and love it. You do NOT need to unlock your phone for Straight Talk.

 

There are other similar plans that will also use the iphone but will require unlocking. I paid $6 on ebay for an unlock code for one of my phones and then used a friend with an ATT plan for another unlocking (ATT sends ATT customers codes for free.) I was worried that it would be complicated. It was NOT. If it is a computer thing and I can figure it out, it is NOT complicated! :laugh:

[Kim in Appalachia]

I prefer my Android. I hate iTunes, and I use the Navigation on my phone. 2 reasons not to go with iPhones. My kids have iPods and we have an iPad. While they are great, I don't find Apple products that superior. I'm very happy with my phone. It doesn't crash or have any issues. It's a Galaxy S3, which you may be able to get on sale.

 

I agree with others, I would tell your sister no thank-you and buy the phone yourself.

[shanvan]

I prefer my Android. I hate iTunes, and I use the Navigation on my phone. 2 reasons not to go with iPhones. My kids have iPods and we have an iPad. While they are great, I don't find Apple products that superior. I'm very happy with my phone. It doesn't crash or have any issues. It's a Galaxy S3, which you may be able to get on sale.

 

I agree with others, I would tell your sister no thank-you and buy the phone yourself.

 

 

Can you explain why you hate iTunes? I really don't know much about it though Dh uses it quite a bit. I'm still in Cd mode!

 

I think the Galaxy phone looks like it would suit my needs but, I think Dh is getting a new iphone and getting me a free one with the plan. He's still researching though.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I find iTunes hard to deal with. It's hard to explain. Maybe it would work better if we had all Apple products, but I have a PC (and I'm happy with that). For me (and my kids!) iTunes has been harder to navigate and deal with when it comes to our music library. We end up with some albums doubled, others sometimes disappear. I can't stand that to get something onto my iPad (like pictures, music or videos we already own) I have to hook up the iPad to the computer with iTunes on it and everything has to be converted to Apple's format (which isn't hard to do, just an extra step). Even my dd, who will be getting a laptop next year, begged me NOT to get her an Apple product. They can be quirky. I'm not sure why, but our whole family handles non-apple stuff better. :)

 

That being said, the iPhone isn't awful. If your dh wants one then go for it. I thought we would end up with the iPhone. I had actually preferred it (because of our iPad), but after going to the store and handling the different phones I chose the Galaxy. It is important to go to the store and spend time trying them out.