In the market for a 1st time droid phone :)

[olelady]

Hey everybody I'm a middle-age lady who after seeing everyone of my family with new phones is gonna take the big step of getting me one...LOL..I have a samsung Hue thats about 3 yrs ole so I think its time for an upgrade :biggrin:My reason being here is I don't know a thing about these phones and I need to ask whats a good starter phone for beginners..I have a verizon account.,but with so many phones to look at,don't have a clue which is for me...I need something easy so maybe you all can help me out...The guy @ the verizon store was no help he said oh thier all basically the same,you'll learn from error :blink: I would like to learn from the beginning the right way,maybe I'm crazy like that but just saying Anywho please tell me a way to go...My hubby wants one to but he's thinking bout a droid workphone so his minds pretty much made up I'm the one whose lost in the isle ...Thanks and hope to hear from you soon....OleLady

 

[TisMyDroid]

Welcome to the forums olelady! (and by the way, middle age is not olelady... you still got a lot of life raring to go, especially if you are going for the adventure of an android, lol). I'm a middle-aged ole lady myself!

This is a tough one because there are so many out there. I think you should maybe start with certain features that you know you want and look at the phones with those features. That being said, I think you would be best to get a 4g LTE phone. I say that because Verizon is trying to get everyone on 4g to build their network and phase out 3g. Do you mind a phone with a bigger screen? Many, if not all, of the 4g phones have the bigger screen. But they do make it nice to do so much on. Is battery life important to you? Some phones have better battery life and some phones have the ability to have an extended battery. If you prefer a physical keyboard then the Droid 4 has a slide out keyboard. Myself, I originally thought I needed to have the physical keyboard but when I discovered swype (a method where you just slide your fingers across the letters on the on-screen keyboard and it pretty much knows what you want to type), I never touched the physical keyboard again.

Go into a verizon store that has working phones on display. Play with the phones for as long as you like. If any of the sales reps want to steer you in a certain direction to a certain phone, then let them know you want to have a chance to play with them to narrow it down and that you may have questions along the way but you just want to take your time. That is exactly what I did before I made my final decision on my last phone. I think I spent at least an hour or more in there.

Some of the phones you may want to play with are the Rezound, the 4g incredible, the Samsung Galaxy SIII (SG3), the Nexus, Droid 4, the Razr or Razr Maxx (same exact phones but the Maxx has amazing battery life), and the Bionic if they still have them on display.

My son wanted an iPhone, tested my android first before he made his decision and decided on going Android. He ended up with the rezound. He loves it, the phone reception and 4g/3g work great and it was a very easy phone for him to learn to use (and all his friends at college wanted to get rid of their iPhones to get a Rezound). The Rezound should be getting a new operating system soon called Ice Cream Sandwich (currently has Gingerbread OS) so there could be a little bit of a learning curve when it switches over to the new ICS operating system.

The 4g Incredible is very similar to the Rezound but I am not very familiar with it although I think it should have the same ease of use as the Rezound.

The Razr/Razr Maxx is a solid phone, with great reception and the Maxx has exceptional battery life. They already have the new ICS operating system so that could be an advantage to start with the new OS right off the bat rather than having to learn a new OS in the near future.

The SG3 is the latest and greatest phone with Verizon. It currently has the ICS operating system soon to get Jellybean but Jellybean is similar to ICS so I don't think there will be much of a learning curve to the new OS. It is so new that if it has any flaws, it may be too soon to know right now. So far it seems like a pretty solid phone. I think the Nexus is similar to the SG3 in user interface but I do not know much about either phone.

Hope this doesn't overwhelm you. There are a lot of choices. I think the one thing I can say, is that whatever phone you feel most comfortable to start with, you will end up being very happy with.

And if you have any questions at all on how to do anything, no matter how simple it may seem it should be, just ask and there is a whole community here that is happy to help!

 

[olelady]

Thanks

Welcome to the forums olelady! (and by the way, middle age is not olelady... you still got a lot of life raring to go, especially if you are going for the adventure of an android, lol). I'm a middle-aged ole lady myself!

This is a tough one because there are so many out there. I think you should maybe start with certain features that you know you want and look at the phones with those features. That being said, I think you would be best to get a 4g LTE phone. I say that because Verizon is trying to get everyone on 4g to build their network and phase out 3g. Do you mind a phone with a bigger screen? Many, if not all, of the 4g phones have the bigger screen. But they do make it nice to do so much on. Is battery life important to you? Some phones have better battery life and some phones have the ability to have an extended battery. If you prefer a physical keyboard then the Droid 4 has a slide out keyboard. Myself, I originally thought I needed to have the physical keyboard but when I discovered swype (a method where you just slide your fingers across the letters on the on-screen keyboard and it pretty much knows what you want to type), I never touched the physical keyboard again.

Go into a verizon store that has working phones on display. Play with the phones for as long as you like. If any of the sales reps want to steer you in a certain direction to a certain phone, then let them know you want to have a chance to play with them to narrow it down and that you may have questions along the way but you just want to take your time. That is exactly what I did before I made my final decision on my last phone. I think I spent at least an hour or more in there.

Some of the phones you may want to play with are the Rezound, the 4g incredible, the Samsung Galaxy SIII (SG3), the Nexus, Droid 4, the Razr or Razr Maxx (same exact phones but the Maxx has amazing battery life), and the Bionic if they still have them on display.

My son wanted an iPhone, tested my android first before he made his decision and decided on going Android. He ended up with the rezound. He loves it, the phone reception and 4g/3g work great and it was a very easy phone for him to learn to use (and all his friends at college wanted to get rid of their iPhones to get a Rezound). The Rezound should be getting a new operating system soon called Ice Cream Sandwich (currently has Gingerbread OS) so there could be a little bit of a learning curve when it switches over to the new ICS operating system.

The 4g Incredible is very similar to the Rezound but I am not very familiar with it although I think it should have the same ease of use as the Rezound.

The Razr/Razr Maxx is a solid phone, with great reception and the Maxx has exceptional battery life. They already have the new ICS operating system so that could be an advantage to start with the new OS right off the bat rather than having to learn a new OS in the near future.

The SG3 is the latest and greatest phone with Verizon. It currently has the ICS operating system soon to get Jellybean but Jellybean is similar to ICS so I don't think there will be much of a learning curve to the new OS. It is so new that if it has any flaws, it may be too soon to know right now. So far it seems like a pretty solid phone. I think the Nexus is similar to the SG3 in user interface but I do not know much about either phone.

Hope this doesn't overwhelm you. There are a lot of choices. I think the one thing I can say, is that whatever phone you feel most comfortable to start with, you will end up being very happy with.

And if you have any questions at all on how to do anything, no matter how simple it may seem it should be, just ask and there is a whole community here that is happy to help!

:hail:Thank you for responding...I did look at the nexus a few times today and the razors,also checked out an iphone just can't seem to make up my mind and was trying for something to learn on..Im not sure but I think the nexus has got the ice cream sandwich system on it.But I'm gonna check the others out tomorrow for sure...Again Thanks and I'm the middle side of 50 right now I think I'm still young,at least at heart...LOL :biggrin: Thanks Girl,Ole-lady

 

[tgyberg]

Welcome! What ever phone you do get, there are tons of walk throughs on youtube that will get you up to speed in no time!

 

[LoudRam]

First...Welcome to the site.:biggrin:

I was going to add something but Tis pretty much covered all the basics and then some so I'll second some of the best advice. Figure out what features are most important to you and go into the store and play until your hearts content. If battery life is important, take note, some phones have a removable battery and some don't. An example is the Moto Razr. If you like that phone but battery life is a concern get the Razr Maxx because you can't upgrade those batteries. If you like the Rezound, you CAN buy an extended battery for that one. If the phone has a removable battery chances are you can get an extended battery for it. But prices and quality differ. Personally I like the original manufactures extended batteries. They won't void your warranty. I have an HTC Rezound with a HTC brand extended battery.

 

[Mike.757]

I just got done reading about the S3 and cracked screens. I would research that before committing to it. You will find that some people are ok with the Razr Maxx and some wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole because the battery is not removable.

You will find a lot of the features are very similar especially as the phones move to Ice Cream Sandwich (operating system for the phone).

If I were to buy I phone today, it would be the Razr Maxx. But do not take my recommendation as a final anything. Go to the store, try out a couple of the phones. Develop a "short list" then go home and see what people are taking about in the forums. I own a Bionic and during the first 3-6 months, myself and others were screaming about data drops. Today we are ask talking about how great it is.

Enjoy your phone when you get it and let us know what you get!

 

[TisMyDroid]

:hail:Thank you for responding...I did look at the nexus a few times today and the razors,also checked out an iphone just can't seem to make up my mind and was trying for something to learn on..Im not sure but I think the nexus has got the ice cream sandwich system on it.But I'm gonna check the others out tomorrow for sure...Again Thanks and I'm the middle side of 50 right now I think I'm still young,at least at heart...LOL :biggrin: Thanks Girl,Ole-lady

Are you kidding me... I think you are probably more younger at heart than some of the really young ones, lol! Just look at your dancing icons! You go Girl!!!dancedroid

Yes, the nexus does have ice cream sandwich... the first to get it. Like LoudRam said, play until your hearts content. Then go with what you feel comfortable with and we all here can help you get that thing doing everything you want! Before you know it, you'll be teaching your kids!

 

[smalltowngirl13]

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Good luck on your decision - whichever Droid you get, come back here and hang out with us!!

 

[justin82]

welcome to the fourms .. and good luck on your decision . please be sure to let us know which one you get

 

[Faintestidea]

The only unfair factor is that u cant play with the bionic at verizon, so u wouldnt get to really come to know the bionic. Yes im bias cause i got one sight unseen but i dont regret a thing. If curious about the bionic ask away in here, they more than helped me out

 

[JSM9872]

Welcome to Droid Forums!! Looks like everyone has you pretty well covered, so I am just saying hello!!

 

[olelady]

Want to thank everybody for replying...And I have made a decision on a phone,after going to the verizon store,looking around,talking to the reps and then figuring out what my new bill would be with thier droid phones I have officially bought myself a samsung galaxy proclaim,which is on the straight talk circut cutting verizon bloated bill in half :happy3: We live in the deep south and only verizon towers everywhere,fact one just a mile from my house,so reception should be great I hope...They say this new phone is the same as an illusion but got some of the glitches out...Praying it does...Also a couple people who I talked to said its not as hard to learn to use as some of the others with loads of apps to try to get around...Have not got it yet though had to order and it'll be here next week cause its sold out everywhere down here,1st droid for Straight talk verizon service anywhere...I'm crossing my fingers and by the way I did get the 18 month extended accident warranty just in case some dire thing happens to it...LOL...I'll post when I get it and let all know if I lived or died thru it all :biggrin:

 

[JSM9872]

Definitely let us know how it is, I haven't heard any feedback on it yet so it will be good to get someone's perspective.

"Don't Panic!"
Tapatalk 2_NEXUS 7

 

[TisMyDroid]

Congratulations olelady! I think you will enjoy android! Once you get your phone, if you have any questions, we are here to help.

 

[olelady]

Hey all,yes I survived and loving it.Got my Galaxy Proclaim last week,got it up and running and its really an easy phone to learn.My nephew who's in his 4th year in college fell in love with it.He's got a verizon blackberry droid last year and now want to change over to straight talk galaxy proclaim,I did have a samsung phone for 2 years and it was great never had a moments trouble with it stillis great but as I said this new sharing plan rate for us had got way too high,this plan is half of what that plan would be and excellent service,drove all over our county 1st and 2nd day had even better signal strentgh than before on verizon...Yesterday drove some 140 miles to the west and back still great...Only problems I have heard with this company is need to research who your main cell carrier towers are with in your vicinty ours is verizon based,so many folks buy a phone thats not compatable to thier carriers they have other droid phones for each..Some say the customer service is not great but I have had one of the phone phones for an elderly Uncle for 2 years and always have had good customer relations when I have encountered a problem,verizon had some rude people once in a while so can't really go by how some folks are..But really I'll have to give this little phone a 2 thumbs up,great screen size,colors,and sound is loud and not muffled at all...I'd recommend to anyone,and the hubby is crazy bout his too :biggrin: Told you all I was gonna update DancingNexus Thanx,Ole Lady