Got a new smart phone today

[brothers]

I finally gave in to my family and traded my old cell phone for a Samsung Galaxy S 4. I also found an Otter Commuter Series Case to keep it in. Tomorrow I'll be learning how to get the most out of it.

[BullGoose]

Good luck Gary -I hope it serves you well. My wife loves her Galaxy.

[GA Russell]

Congrats, Gary!

It's my impression that your contract will run out before you have fully understood how to take complete advantage of your new smartphone!

[marsos52]

congrats Gary, a few months back I got a galaxy note, been used I phones for the last 5 or 6 years, way different and I doubt I will ever learn all the features tis phone has to offer
have fun
marc

[brothers]

The Otter case is a Commuter Box, not whatever I called it in the OP!

[ThePossum]

Gary,

Great choice in phones. I had a Galaxy S3 until March when I had it and my man-bag stolen. Replaced it with the Note2 and the Otterbox Commuter case.

Loved the SG3 and was certainly satisfied with it over the HTC Android phone I had been using. I suggest that you check out a couple SG4 user websites. In particular AndroidForums. You will find loads of info on Android as well as specific forums for the SG4 and your carrier as well. They are an awful lot like SMF in the way they work. I have learned tons of things from there.

As for the Otterbox Commuter case I wanted something very strong but not too bulky for my Note2. After seeing several reviews and videos on both of them I went with the Commuter. Works just great and is not too bulky. Have even dropped it a couple times and have had no problems with the phone an only one small mark on the case that you have look at hard so see.

You have any questions or problems just ship me a PM and I will try to help.

[Nitrox]

I finally gave in to my family and traded my old cell phone for a Samsung Galaxy S 4. I also found an Otter Commuter Series Case to keep it in. Tomorrow I'll be learning how to get the most out of it.

Gary, I've got the same combination that you have. After having an Iphone for the last three years, I don't miss it for one second. The S4 has a much better screen, camera, is easier to customize, etc.
The beauty of the Commuter case is that it still keeps the S4 fairly thin and offers good protection. The Defender case offers better protection but is way more bulky.

[fallingwickets]

Gary, a few apps worth spending money on /adding.

Swiftkey (keyboard)

handcent (sms)

evernote (notes/tasks)

and of course, google Now which comes with the phone is beyond excellent

[jww]

I moved from a BlackBerry an Android phone a couple of years ago to. I started with a SII and moved to a S3 last January. Personally, I found that the SII was actually a better all-round phone. Samsung bloat-ware was far less intrusive than with the S3. The screen on the S3 is wonderful, that's for sure. However, I do have to admit that the overall build quality of the S3 isn't as good in my opinion as it was with the S2. This is manifested by the fact that I used the S2 heavily for a year, and then passed it down to my daughter who has been also a very heavy user for nearly a year now. The S2 is still in great shape with no issues and going strong. On my S3, however, while on vacation recently, the volume rocker switch randomly fell out of its socket for no apparent reason (couldn't find it anywhere). I am sending it in for repair now as my carrier provides me with an extended warranty for a full year as part of our corporate agreement with them (not sure if other carriers do this or not). This is the very first time I have had any kind of hardware issue with a handset, including my several Blackberry phones, a Nokia, two Motorola unites, and two Qualcomm mini-bricks. I admit to being very hard on my phones -- dropping them, etc.

I change my phones every year (another perk with my corporate carrier) and am leaning heavily towards the HTC One in early January when I can upgrade, although the S4 is certainly in the mix. It will come down to build quality/materials, sound and size (HTC One) vs removable battery and microSD expansion capabilities (S4). The S3 will then go to my son-in-law. Other than the volume switch problem, it has been a decent phone, but for some reason, it's missing a certain je ne sais quos for me that I can't quite put my finger on.

The new iPhones 5S is a very attractive unit, especially in champagne. However, while I like iOS very much for tablets, I find the Android environment more effective for me personally. Google oughta buy BlackBerry -- think of it -- Android plus industry-best security ..... what a dream that would be. Never say never .....

[fallingwickets]

it's missing a certain je ne sais quos for me

the brand new lg g2 should help you along

clive

[jww]

Gary, a few apps worth spending money on /adding.

Swiftkey (keyboard)

handcent (sms)

evernote (notes/tasks)

and of course, google Now which comes with the phone is beyond excellent

Thanks for the suggestions ... here I am a self-confessed gadget weenie, and I have never found a really good keyboard for my Android phones --- but then I never really looked very long or hard either. Handcent looks interesting, and Evernote is great -- even the freebie version is extremely powerful and useful.

Now is indeed beyond excellent .... I am lost without it as I rely on it heavily for so many things.

[brothers]

Thanks for those suggestions. As I try to crack this learning curve, I'll put those on my list.

[maskaggs]

Gary, as a fellow S4 user, my humble recommendation is to avoid the bells and whistles Samsung built into the phone (Air View, Smart Pause, all that jazz) - in my experience, they just don't work all that well and smack of gimmicks rather than really useful features. I've really enjoyed the sort of basic features that this model has improved upon - the camera, especially, which is just great.

[jww]

+1 --- the bloatware manufacturers put into devices (like HP's print-ware) is simply over-kill in almost each and every case.

[Sam]

My iphone 4 is doing well, but getting the itch to upgrade. Can upgrade September 1st but some carriers may pay me to switch.

So, do I go to one of the iphone 5s? wait for iphone 6 which is rumored to have two sizes and one is a bigger one like the androids? Or do I go with a Samsung galaxy, either the 4 which is out now or the 5 which comes in like a month

And I guess I can sell my Iphone 4 and get more than $30 tradein?

Will start a thread about switching carriers

[Kyle76]

Sam, I have a 5, and frankly, you couldn't give me a larger phone. I don't want anything any bigger in my pocket. If I want a bigger screen, I'll get my iPad. The 5 (I wasn't really interested in the 5s) is a helluva nice device. Speed, camera, battery life and even charge time are all significantly improved. Remember, though, you'll be moving to Apple's Lightning charger -- all the more reason not to buy the prior generation iPad!

[Sam]

Yeah, Id have to get a new car charger (I have a cord that came with the car that plugs into the armrest inside, runs the Iphone through the car stereo), and home chargers

The 4 is hard to read in direct sun. People say that the Samsung is better about that. And I sometimes orient the phone sideways to help make text bigger. A larger phone might not be too bad as I am in court reading emails, or out running errands.

[Mr. Pinchy]

Samsung Galaxy series is the way to go.

leaves iPhone for dead

[jww]

Sam -- the decision will also need to account for your existing investments in iTunes and Apple product in general. If you go with a new one that has the lightning connector, Apple sells an adapter --- of course at a cost -- but it works fine -- I have the latest generation Nano with an adapter and use it all the time as I have a number of devices with the older 30-pin Apple plug.

Regarding my last phone -- I ended up replacing my S3 with the HTC One for free back in January, and am extremely happy with it. I liked my Samsung phones, but have to admit, there were things I preferred about the S2 over the S3 -- the screen not being one of them. The 5s is not a lot larger in reality than the 4s.

The issue with the larger phones is how big you need the screen to be. The One is about the same overall size as the S3 but the phones are getting much larger. Even the iPhone 6 is rumored to be getting a 5" screen ..... could be interesting -- as Apple follows rather than sets a trend.

I'd get the candidate phones in hand again - play with single and double hand holding --- I have some issues with joint pain in my hands, and find it virtually impossible to be effective with the current Android phones using only one hand. My son-in-law, on the other hand, wields my old S3 with one hand quite deftly. He has much bigger and younger hands than I have.

I always enjoy shopping for new phones -- although I must admit that I think I'll try to stay with the One for two years this time around. Depending, that is, on what deals look like a year from now and what new phones are coming out then.

[Sam]

I have no investment in iTunes. Never downloaded a song or video. My concerns are coverage and strength of signal. I have just a few apps I can hardly see the screen in sunlight on my iphone 4. I think I'll skip the iphone 5 series and go to a 6 if I stay with the apple.